What the PSA Junior Leadership Academy and Outward Bound meant to me…

The Outward Bound experience is difficult to put into words for people who haven’t been there. While we were waiting in the Denver airport, each student took a moment to try to capture what this experience meant to them in words:

This trip was a great experience which allowed friendships to grow stronger, as well as bonds between teachers and students. Also it was hilarious when Ms. Twohig face planted in the snow on which is now known as “Twohig Face Plant Hill”! J

-Corey

This experience helped me to gain leadership.

-Freddie

When we were on our way to Outward Bound, I was super excited. And when we got there, I was kind of disappointed. It was not what I expected. Besides the annoying circles and crazy people, I enjoyed this trip. My accomplishment throughout this trip is that I have more confidence. I am not as negative, and I am able to try new things without putting bad thoughts in my head.

-Haley

Even though I hated every second of the hike, after summiting I felt successful. And every initiative challenged me.

-Taylor

This trip was definitely not what I expected. I am not much of a nature person but it did allow the students to become way closer with each other, as well as with the teachers. My most memorable accomplishment was actually allowing the teachers and some students to guide me up a rock wall while I was blindfolded.

-Desirae

This trip is not what I expected, but I got through it and now I feel like a stronger person.

-Dimaisha

This experience helped me realize that we can’t allow fear to conquer our minds. It helped me to believe in myself and have a little more self confidence.

-Uzziah

This experience taught me great leadership skills and brought us closer as a class. I liked this trip.

-Joe

This experience taught me that no matter what, we need each other. We need each other for support, motivation, determination, leadership and most of all, teamwork. It helped me to gain confidence in myself and believe that I can do anything if I put my mind to it. This trip helped me to appreciate nature a little more. And most of all, it helped me to realize better who I was as a person.

-Marquisha

This trip was a lot of fun but sucked other times. My favorite part was when Ms. Twohig face planted in the snow :)

-Sydney

What this taught me is that the grass is greener on the other side. It taught me that I had strength in me to accomplish what I set my mind to. I came out of this a stronger person.

-Sabrina

Even though I hated the time, I feel like I matured more. It made me become more supportive of my classmates. I also enjoyed leading my group out of the mountain.

-Matt

It was the most painful, the most aggravating, the most annoying thing I have ever done- but it was worth it.

-Fred

And a couple good ones from some inspirational figures:

There is to be found within us all the necessary reserves of strength and fortitude to meet whatever challenges may arise.

-Kurt Hahn, Founder of Outward Bound

Courage is the power to let go of the familiar.

-Raymond Lindquist

Our greatest glory consists not in never failing, but in rising each time we fall.

-Oliver Goldsmith

Peace and chow. Chow and peace.

Post holing, switch backing and glissading

After waking up at 3:30 am to catch a bus to the Denver International Airport, we are finally on our way back to Connecticut. Our time in the mountains was challenging, frustrating, inspiring, exciting, intense and rewarding. After a hot breakfast at the dining halls on Tuesday, our group broke up into two separate patrols to tackle two different mountains: Homestake and Galeena.

Over the next three days and two nights, each patrol faced steep uphill climbs, post holed through soft snow, endured freezing temperatures, glissaded down mountains, tasted fresh snow melt (sterilized with iodine of course), supported their teammates through challenge after challenge, orienteered through the wilderness, enjoyed magnificent views from peaks you can only reach through sweat and tears, bonded over hot food with good friends in base camp and found peace (or at least a full night of a sleep) in solitude during the solo night.

When we returned to the OB base camp on Thursday, everyone was more than happy to free their feet from their boots and enjoy the Starbursts that Dr. Douglass surprised everyone with. We all then shared a warm lunch and dinner (mmm barbequed chicken!), tackled one last initiative (the WALL!), visited the beaver dam we helped construct earlier in the week, received our Outward Bound pins and enjoyed s’mores around a campfire. The campfire eventually turned into a dance party- who knew you could dance to “Colorado Stars”?- before everyone made their way to a warm bed for the night.

It was an incredible and trying expedition into the mountains. Words don’t do it justice- I’m not sure if photos will either but here are a few from both patrols…

Elsa, Renee and Brendan by South Dining hall before the hike out.

Learning to orienteer

The Outward Bound guides' mantra!

Climbing rock by Homestake.

The view from part way up Galeena- look at that snow melt!

Corey and Haley cooking with Renee- delicious!!

Corey and Sydney by the rock cairn we created on the summit of Galeena with our dedication rocks.

Mr. D, Marquisha, Dimaisha and Desirea trying zucchini in the great outdoors!

Desirea and Mr. D contemplating life.

Sabrina and Matt making quesadillas with Elsa.

Fred enjoying the view.

Crazy reflection in Galeena Lake.

Making the climb while taking in the view.

Traversing snow on the saddle of Galeena.

Group shot!

Joe on snow!

Dimaisha glissading... and loving it??

On the summit!

Marmot on a rock.

On the summit!

Matt glissading down Homestake.

Ms. Twohig prior to the infamous face plant.

Lunch break on Homestake!

Taking a  break below the summit!

On the way down!

Ms. LeGault's solo set up!

Sydney by the wilderness boundary sign.

Sydney, Corey and Taylor by Galeena Lake.

Taylor getting fresh water from a mountain stream.



Uzziah constructing his snowman on the side of Galeena.

Sabrina getting the support of her classmates to get over the Wall!

The PSA staff relaxing at the final campfire on the last night :)

And before I sign off, here is a view from right below the summit of Galeena. Enjoy the view- I know we did...


On belay...?

I spy with my little eye something white... snow?!? This morning we woke up to snow falling from the sky- apparently noone told the Rocky Mountains that the summer solstice (which marks the official start to summer) is tomorrow! Nevertheless, we geared up for another day of diving into the challenges that Outward Bound threw at us. After a filling breakfast and something resembling "yoga", we piled into the vans to head to the training site of the 10th Mountain Division of the U.S. Army (I goofed the name in the last post- my apologies!)


Best part of meals? The students set up and clean up everything as a team!

We drove over some snow covered alpine passes to arrive at less than ideal rock climbing conditions- it was wet, cold and raining. Everyone's spirits were a little low as we got out of the vans and circled up at a field opposite the cliffs. I personally have rock climbed for over 7 years and it was the worst conditions I ever seen for teaching people to climb in.

Circling up to start the day's adventure.

Have you ever seen Mr. D'Alesandro NOT smilling??

Freddie preparing mentally for the challenges of the rock.

PSA makes its way to the cliff face.

Nevertheless, PSA tackled the cliffs without hesitation! The OB instructors taught students how to tie a proper figure 8 knots, belay and back each other up. Students mastered the techniques in no time and then EVERYONE tied in and climbed as far as they could on the sheer cliff face, despite the periodic rain and damp cold. Many students and staff made it to the top of the climbs and some even took the extra challenge of doing it blindfolded! Check out some action shots below...


Desirea rock climbing blindfolded (she made it to the top too!!)



I have no idea how Haley has kept her nails that nice this long- but great figure 8 knot!

Matt scaling the cliff on the left (nice pants!)

Marquisha (knot tying master) showing Ms. LeGault how to tie the figure 8





Belaying as a team! The PSA way :)

Taylor far off the ground and climbing for the top!

Dimaisha, Taylor and Marquisha trading stories about the climb- they all made it to the top!



Joe running up a climb in the flashiest rain gear of the day!

By lunch, everyone was in high spirits and the sun was starting to peak out. We enjoyed our bag lunches and each other's company. Then it was back to the cliffs for more rock climbing and a new challenge: rappelling. While rock climbing involves climbing from the bottom to the top of a cliff, rappelling involves lowering yourself from the top to the bottom of the cliff. This was an entirely new challenge- both physically and mentally. Many students and staff found the hardest part to be taking that first step off the side of the cliff: every part of your body is screaming "No! This is a bad idea! Why step off a perfectly nice piece of solid ground?!?" while your mind is determining the difference between real and percieved risk (something the OB instructors have been focusing on). Kind of like life, eh?

A huge number of students and staff took on this new challenge and successfully faced their fears and went farther than they ever thought possible. A few students even went for multiple rappels! There is many more photos and even some video (gasp!) to follow but in the meantime, this photo and video are worth looking at...


Desirae taking that first step...

Marquisha and Uzziah finishing the rappel together!

Tomorrow we are up bright and early to hike into the mountains for three days and two nights. The OB staff spent this evening issuing us all our gear- tarps, sleeping pads, backpacking backpacks, cooking gear- "the start of the luxurious life" as Uzziah so aptly put it. The students are nervous but excited for the challenges that lay ahead- including pooping in the woods (that's what the little shovel is for??) We will be attempting to summit one of two possible peaks on Wednesday- wish us luck! I won't be able to post until Thursday evening at the earliest but trust me- the next few days are going to be quite the adventure :)

I love you honey but...

What a day! I have to begin this post by apologizing ahead of time for its content- I am exhausted from an nonstop day but I really wanted to share some of the experience (or at least a few photos) with everyone back in Connecticut.

Today began with a 6 am wakeup call. A few overachievers (*cough* Canny and D'Alesandro *cough*) accidentally set their alarms for 5:30 am East Coast time (which translates to 3:30 am out here in Colorado!) and both were showered with teeth brushed at 4 am (they went back to bed after collectively realizing it was a little dark out for 6 am). Breakfast was hot egg sandwiches and cereal in the dining hall and by 8 am, the adventure started!

Sabrina carbo-loading for the day

We began with some games in the parking lot before splitting off into our assigned patrols: Team Number 1 and Team Number A (creative, eh?). Patrols then set off for a morning of low ropes course initiatives that included a blindfolded trust walk, the windy whoozy (or was it wobbly wheezy?) and the lava lake/acid river (depending upon which torture your OB instructor chose). It was truly incredible to watch the juniors come together and work to solve challenges- they communicated, developed trust in each other and showed true leadership... here are some photos from the morning:

Tug of rope: not to be confused with Tug-a-war

Solving the lava lake/acid river challenge as a team!

Haley reaching for Fred's hand.

Sydney and Haley showing incredible teamwork and trust through the weebly whoozy something or other.

Uzziah putting all his trust in Fred for a trust fall.



Learning to orienteer.



A new take on the wheezy wabooozy something or other.

Filling bags to save the beaver pond- the students ROCKED this!

Checking out the beaver dam.

Matt and Dimaisha preparing for the blindfolded trust walk.

A quick lunch then gave way to an action-packed afternoon. Each patrol spent the afternoon scaling the high ropes course and also helping to fill bags upon bags with sand to rebuild a beaver dam. Students pushed themselves farther than many of them thought they could and then gave back to the course and the setting that has already given us so much. So now here are some photos from the afternoon:

Happy Father's Day Mr. Canny!

Taylor and Uzziah opting for the "scenic river" package on the high ropes course.

Desirea helping Sabrina adjust her harness before tackling the high ropes.

Marquisha absolutely crusining the high ropes!

Mr. D'Alesandro doing the high ropes.... blindfolded??

Corey and Fred blazing the path on the high ropes course.

Sydney and Haley navigating a very high bridge.

Uzziah edging his way along logs pretty far off the ground!

Oh and the name of the post? Its the name of a game that we played as a whole group after dinner that resulted in a lot of laughs, despite the alititude and the fatigue that set in. Make sure to ask your child, classmate or student about it :)

Tomorrow its off to do some rock climbing where the 10th Army Alpine Brigade (correct name?) used to train- woooooo hooo!