Tusker 101 Takes on the Challenge Course

Working together, problem-solving, and taking risks were all a part of the process during a field trip for Somers High School Tusker 101 students.

Freshman students in Tusker 101 visited the PNW BOCES Challenge Course in the fall before the weather turned too cold. Students worked in small groups on team-building and problem-solving activities that were both physically and mentally challenging.

“In the morning, we worked on team-building exercises in the field before spending around two hours in the woods on the challenge course,” said Kate Hanford.

Working in groups of 12, the Challenge Course activities could only be solved by working together as a team. They were designed to foster cooperation, communication, open-mindedness, planning abilities, leadership, kindness, trust, and respect. Equally as important, the participants had fun together in a new way that they may not get to experience in their usual classroom settings.

“Students see their peers, and teachers see their students, in a very different light, changing the classroom environment,” said Ms. Christine Lepkowski. “They create a bond to last the entire year.”

Activities included tasks involving everyone participating in the same activity at the same time, such as having the entire group balance on a platform or working together to maneuver a ball across a tarp without it falling through strategically placed holes. As the day went on and camaraderie was built between the team members, tasks became more about leaning on one another and trusting each other to complete the challenge, such as working together to help lift each teammate over a barrel one at a time and swinging on ropes between platforms.

“I found the hardest challenge was being blindfolded in the woods,” said Kate. “We had to navigate through the woods in a single-file line, blindfolded, and could only follow the sound of our group leader’s voice.” 

John Seeger added, “For me, the most challenging obstacle was the see-saw with everyone on it. It was challenging because everyone had to move together at once to succeed.”

Having students visit the challenge course helps to encourage connections between classmates who may not know each other, strengthens grade-level communication, and builds a sturdy foundation among the freshman, all core components of the Tusker 101 class.