by: Tim Boersig '10
Here at Westfield High School there is a great opportunity available to sophomore students in the physical education class. Every Fall students in this class are introduced to a unit known as Project Adventure. It is held in the back of the school on a specially-designed high elements course. The students are given a chance to push their limits and maybe even conquer their fears.
This unique project is designed to promote teambuilding, trust, and build leadership qualities among the students in each class. As an instructor of Project Adventure, Mr. Crane states, “It’s one of the best things Westfield High has to offer other than its academics.” However, with the challenging obstacles Project Adventure entails comes safety concerns. For this reason, WHS and the instructors of Project Adventure take every precaution before allowing a single student to have their feet leave the ground.
Project Adventure has been around at WHS since the ‘70’s; however, the course was refurbished in 2006. The Course consists of multiple telephone poles spread down a line with four separate obstacles suspended between each. These four include the high wire, an Indiana Jones style bridge, the multivine, and the log. The high wire is simply a wire for the climber to walk across with a rope, chest high, to balance themselves. The Indiana Jones style bridge brings with it more difficulty because the climber has nothing to hold on to while they make their way across the planks. If a student wants to be daring they can attempt the multivine which consists of a wire for the climber to walk across and a series of ropes needed to balance their way across. The ropes however are widely spaced so the climber must use counterbalance to prevent from falling. Finally, the log is a log suspended across the final telephone pole and a tree and challenges the climber to maintain their balance without any ropes. Each challenges the students with their balance and concentration.
In order for WHS to be certified to have climbers up these elements, they must first have the course inspected each year by a state and local inspector. These inspectors are looking to make sure the poles and obstacles are all in good condition. “With the way the course looks today, I would say that Project Adventure is going to be available to WHS students for a long time to come,” says Mr. Crane.
The instructors of Project Adventure also add to the reason why it has been successful and accident free. The main instructors include physical education teachers such as Mr. Crane and Ms. Parker. They obtained special training through the outdoor adventure company Indian Mountain Adventure. They were taught everything about climbing to insure the utmost safety for the students.
This knowledge was then passed down to a group of specially chosen upperclassmen who are known as Student Leaders. They assist the instructors in climbs and, in most cases, lead climbs of their own. When asked his thought about the safety of students being in the Student Leaders’ hands, Mr. Crane responded, “I have no worries because of the intense training process each Student Leader is put through, and besides they are trained by me so you know they are good.”
Marissa McConkey, a junior at WHS, is a Student Leader for the first time. When asked if she feels like a Student Leader is a good role to offer students as they become upperclassmen, she responded, “Yes, I do. It gives students in each class someone to relate to or talk to when they become nervous with a climb. Mr. Crane may not feel nervous like some of the girls in my group so they talk to me and I give them the confidence.” McConkey also remarked, “I would have to say what comforts the climbers most is when I show them that I am confident with all the steps and know everything to make the climb go perfect.”
With all the safety precautions taken before every climb and the inspections done on the course each year, Project Adventure will be enjoyed by WHS physical education students for years to come. Students will continue to be pushed to the edge, work as a team, and to learn valuable tools which they can use continuously in the work place and the classroom.