These are the words of Cascade Leadership Challenge adult leader Mark Steelquist. He’s referring to the 14 to 20 year olds who have been part of the CLC outdoor challenge activities, and what they’ve learned from their participation in the program. Before we get to what they’ve learned, it’s important to understand how they’ve learned. Generally speaking, these youth (male and female) are connected to each other, the adults in the program, and others in the world through outdoor challenge activities, including river rafting, sea kayaking, rock/mountain climbing, and other outdoor activities that require team work, unforgiving and impersonal feedback, and the development of survival skills and the competencies that go with each of the activities. Foundational elements of the program are cooperation, equity and shared responsibility, and these elements drive the choice of activities and the development of leadership capacity for each of the participants.
After a white water rafting trip down the Tieton, a number of life and leadership coaches had the chance to debrief with Mark and the CLC youth. We asked them what they have learned. The lessons include understanding that they get continual and impersonal feedback from the natural world; that they need to work together; that they need to hold each other accountable; and that making a decision quickly and with confidence to follow a pathway is generally more important than which pathway to follow. And, to bring us back to Mark’s quote, that each day’s event is an opportunity for learning.
So, what will these youth know what to do when they run into something they’ve never seen before? They’ll know to trust themselves and each other. They’ll know to lean into the experience and give it their full attention. They’ll know the world is a glorious and unforgiving place. They’ll know there’s something there for them to learn from and to share with others.
What are your preparations to know what to do when you run into something you’ve never seen before?
Who and what will you trust?
How will you direct your attention?
How will you lean into the experience, connect with others and the world?
After a white water rafting trip down the Tieton, a number of life and leadership coaches had the chance to debrief with Mark and the CLC youth. We asked them what they have learned. The lessons include understanding that they get continual and impersonal feedback from the natural world; that they need to work together; that they need to hold each other accountable; and that making a decision quickly and with confidence to follow a pathway is generally more important than which pathway to follow. And, to bring us back to Mark’s quote, that each day’s event is an opportunity for learning.
So, what will these youth know what to do when they run into something they’ve never seen before? They’ll know to trust themselves and each other. They’ll know to lean into the experience and give it their full attention. They’ll know the world is a glorious and unforgiving place. They’ll know there’s something there for them to learn from and to share with others.
What are your preparations to know what to do when you run into something you’ve never seen before?
Who and what will you trust?
How will you direct your attention?
How will you lean into the experience, connect with others and the world?
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