It wasn't easy, but the incoming Class of 2028 successfully navigated the wilderness of the Blue Ridge Mountains during the annual North Carolina Outward Bound adventure.
"One of my highlights on the Outward Bound trip was the rock climbing," said freshman Bella Winner. "Not only was the hike beautiful on the way there, but the rock climbing itself was amazing."
One hundred twenty-seven students made the trip along with five EA chaperones. Upper School Librarian Andrea Yu helped organize the trip. "There was definitely nervous energy on the bus ride down," explained Ms. Yu. "They have already proven to themselves that they are very capable of what EA is asking of them. I can't wait to watch them take the lessons they learned about themselves in the mountains of North Carolina and apply it to the classrooms and fields of Newtown Square!"
Students learned to scale rock walls, carry all of their belongings while hiking, camp, and support their fellow classmates.
"During climbing, my teammates had different levels of experience, but we all enjoyed the challenge while we cheered each other on," shared Kayla Krasnick '28. "At the end of a long day, I loved building fires, then watching the flames under the stars. It was peaceful and rewarding after a day full of hiking."
"It was a new and exciting experience that was unbelievably fun. I learned how to belay and tie the ropes to my harness securely," explained Bella.
"The Outward Bound program highlights many of the values and attitudes we hope 9th graders embody as they begin their Upper School experience including self-reliance, courage, compassion, and a strong belief in teamwork," said Ms. Yu. "Each person has a crucial role to play in their expedition crew. It hones in on the idea that everyone is needed and everyone needs each other."
Another important part of the five-day Outward Bound experience is the three-hour solo. "My solo time gave me time to sit down and just relax," shared Kayla. "I thought about my future in high school while being present in nature. The solo felt long, which only made me more appreciative of the ability to talk to others after."
"In the beginning, I wrote about what we did the past couple of days and the letter to my future self-activity," explained Kayla. "My most challenging moment was when it rained, soaking both pairs of my shoes and socks. We huddled in our tarp, feeling miserable. However, someone found an adorable frog in our tarp, which we named Big Bad Wolf. This pet instantly distracted us and made us laugh and made me realize the importance of finding positivity in bad situations."
"I loved watching students problem-solve a climb!" beamed Ms. Yu. "The courage to try, the resilience to try again when the first attempt failed, the shouts of support and encouragement from their classmates, the feeling of accomplishment when the climber reached or even surpassed a goal they set for themselves—it was incredible to witness these moments in real time."
Other EA chaperones included Technical Services Coordinator Will Forbes, Hon., Lower School PE Teacher Colleen Bernabei, Hon., 9th Grade Form Dean Tanuja Murray, and Associate Director of Annual Giving Joe Boyle.
"Outward Bound was a memorable, rewarding experience that was very different from my normal life," reflected Kayla. "I've learned to appreciate both slowing down and being with others in the moment. Most of all, I feel lucky to have had a hardworking group and fantastic instructors who led us through the confusing woods those first few days. I'm so thankful I got a chance to experience Outward Bound with the challenges and rewards it offered."
"There were some foods like oatmeal that I didn't enjoy," said Bella. "But some of my favorite foods were tortillas, rice, and salsa. I ate the rice by itself, and the tortilla was kind of like chips to pair with the salsa."
The trip took place from August 14-19 at the North Carolina Outward Bound School in Asheville, North Carolina.