Horizons Youth Services is expanding its outdoor education programs to challenge the students at each of its centers to push beyond their comfort zones, try new things, and work together as a team to solve problems and communicate effectively. The centers are using their low ropes initiative courses and high ropes challenge courses as part of the CPP program.

At all three centers, CPP students tackle the low ropes initiatives the first week on center as a way to help students bond as a group. The low ropes initiatives encourage students to communicate with each other, interact, and use critical thinking and teamwork to solve problems as they tackle a series of challenges.

Their third week on center, CPP students head to the high ropes challenge courses, where they are encouraged to overcome obstacles and reach new heights of achievement and success. The high ropes course philosophy is “Challenge by Choice,” so while students are encouraged to push beyond their comfort zones and accept new challenges, no one is ever pressured to tackle the high ropes course.

The ropes courses at North Texas and Whitney Young are relatively new; MCDC has had ropes courses on the edge of its campus for a number of years. While all three centers are incorporating the courses into their CPP programs, the centers also are using the ropes courses for staff training and development. Additionally, the centers see the ropes courses as an innovative part of their recreation programs as they expand their emphasis on wellness, healthy life choices and life-long learning.