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LEARNING AND DISCOVERY COMES THROUGH CHALLENGES
10-8-07
It was 8:00 a.m. on Friday, August 24th, when the students all met in the parking lot. Although some were a little nervous, having signed a consent form the day before stating that it was ok to run, jump, and climb 50 feet, all were excited to be going somewhere new.
Soon the students arrived at an establishment called Challenge Discovery, which is located just outside of Kings Dominion's theme park. Challenge Discovery is a place where groups and organizations can go to participate in team building activities.
Upon arrival, they participated in an ice-breaking activity, which was facilitated by the venue's director. At that point, students were divided into groups of 15 and each group was led by a Challenge Discovery mentor for the remainder of the day. Throughout the course of the day, each group participated in a number of team building activities where we learned to tackle challenges through team unity.
Some students commented on their first impressions of the day. Justin stated that, "the initial activities were good to get to know unique facts about our peers." "My first impression came when I was reading the waiver form. I read that we would be exceeding heights of 50 feet and that the harnesses could possibly malfunction. It left me skeptical for the day's events and what was to come," added Kwan. According to Glenn, "At the beginning of the day everything was new and awkward. By the end of the day, most people had introduced themselves to each other and were beginning to form relationships for the coming year."
Throughout the day we participated in a number of obstacles and activities which required them to rely and depend on each other. Ryan and Matt enjoyed "the final climb of the Alpine tower where we were attached to each other and had to climb to the top, nearly 50 feet off the ground." Ryan described his experience: "I was proud of myself for making it to the top, and it was great working with Matt as a team to achieve a single goal."
As the day came to an end, the students all reflected on the day's events as they drove back to VCU. Jess stated, "When meeting a new group of people you don't know, an activity like Challenge Discovery promotes instant friendships and bonding opportunities." Jordan added, "This experience was a great start to a year of working together as peers and classmates. It really jumpstarted the year for me." It is the hope that the lessons learned in that one day will help the students succeed as groups throughout their SportsCenter experience and into their professional lives. Kevin definitely summed up the purpose of the day when he said, "What I took away from this experience overall was really positive. The activities were set up so that one person could not conquer them alone. We were forced to rely on each other for completion of the final product"...a theme that will emerge again and again!
By: Matt Bristow, Robert Chapman, Kwan Evans, Jessica Gofgosky, Glenn Gray, Jordan Hartt, Ryan Horn, Justin Kelley, Bronwyn Lloyd and Kevin Reeves, SportsCenter Class of 2008
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