Field trip helps A-P-W students hone team-building skills

Sixth-grade students at Altmar-Parish-Williamstown Elementary School learned the value of teamwork and trust during a field trip to Camp Hollis on Oct. 11.

Divided into three groups, the students participated in a blind nature walk, cooperative games and a challenge course, which was a favorite among many of the students.

The challenge course presented opportunities for students to work with one another to accomplish various tasks. “Team building has a lot to do with trust and relying on each other,” said challenge course facilitator Morgan Batchelor.

One of the exercises required students to stand and balance on an elevated wire, using their peers to maintain balance and achieve their goal.

“You have to stay in contact because it makes you stay together and complete the project,” Batchelor said.

In a similar exercise, students headed to Tension Traverse to work with challenge course director Cody Netzband.

Under Netzband’s tutelage, the youths used a rope to maintain their balance as they moved along an elevated wire.

With four spotters on hand to ensure safety, the students were able to navigate to the finish point.

“I liked how we had to work together to get to the end,” said student Dominic Lane.

His classmate Brittany Cross echoed those sentiments and noted the importance of trusting the spotters and working together.

“We learned to cooperate with each other and to trust each other,” she said.

Overall, the field trip accomplished what it was designed to do. “Ultimately, we want students to come away feeling more comfortable and trusting each other and having better communication,” Netzband said, noting that he felt the A-P-W students took these lessons home with them.

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