NYC Outward Bound Crew Orientation Blog

This is our final week here at Crew Orientation and we are going out in style.  James Baldwin High School students representing all grades are with us at Sharpe Reservation.   We started our day with a large circle and broke into 4 crews.  Not all of the students knew each other; not even each others’ name.  I can guarantee you that by dinnertime, students were having conversations with one another.  Kyo in Katie’s crew told me that she is building new friendships and is looking forward to long lasting relationships.

Linnea and Katie’s crews both went to the low challenge course this afternoon after lunch.  In interviewing both crews, students commented on how they were surprised at how well they worked together.  The biggest take away was the trust they felt with one another being strengthened, where before it was almost non-existent.  The second biggest take away was that students felt they worked together as a team for the first time.  Barbara from Linnea’s crew stated that she really valued the teamwork as a foundation for this course that will be taken back to school.

Aaron and Stephanie’s crews packed their backpacks after lunch and hit the trails to their back country campsites.  We shall be hearing from them on Wednesday at the high ropes course, or before if I am able to visit them.  Students already learned the basics of navigation, as they had a lesson before they left base camp.  It is a calm, warm evening and we are thankful for this day.

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