Discovering Courage and Connection: Valley Head Students Take on the Ropes

On April 22 and 23, Valley Head School students stepped away from the classroom and into a unique challenge — one that tested their courage, teamwork, and self-discovery. Thanks to funding from the Harland Jones grant through the Community Foundation of Northeast Alabama (CFNEA), eighth, eleventh, and twelfth graders participated in an outdoor ropes course retreat at Camp DeSoto in Mentone. DeKalb is one of nine counties where CFNEA makes a difference.

This special experience, made possible through a partnership with MERF (Mentone Educational Resources Foundation) and facilitated by Higher Ground instructors, empowered students to push past their limits — and they didn’t let a little rain stop them.

Pushing Boundaries Together

Eighth graders explored ziplining, scaling the climbing wall, and tackling team-building games. Older students took on more advanced elements like the V-swing, tension traverses, the wild woozy, and the balancing platform. Across all activities, students practiced not only physical coordination but also emotional resilience and collaboration.

Lethea Cortner from CFNEA had the opportunity to observe students blindfolded and working together to form an equilateral triangle. Her visit also included watching the exhilarating V-swing, which left students buzzing with energy and pride.

Special thanks go to teachers Brittany Gilbert, Jennifer Manning, and Sandy Hulgan, whose support and encouragement were instrumental in guiding students through the day’s challenges.

Why These Retreats Matter

Over the past two years, MERF has championed opportunities like these, believing in the lasting impact of experiential learning. Reflections from teachers and students only reinforce that belief.

One teacher shared:

“Thank you again for such a wonderful opportunity! Everyone involved had a really great time. You guys were amazing at meeting everyone’s needs, encouraging them, and making sure that everyone was involved. A week later and the students and I are still talking about it!”

Student feedback echoed that enthusiasm:

“Classmates and instructors helped me get over my fears.”

“Seeing a classmate come down off the zipline after climbing the ladder and then asking for a second chance, and she did it, was so great.”

“I do have valuable ideas and should start speaking up. When everyone listened to my idea and it worked, I gained confidence.”

“After this experience, our class is getting along better.”

“[We] developed new relationships.”

“I was shy and lacked confidence at the beginning of the day, even though I have known my classmates a long time.”

“I can push myself to do things.”

On the value of the experience:

“It is a valuable hands-on experience that gets us out of the classroom and engaged with what we are doing/learning while teaching very valuable skills in fun and interesting ways.”

“It is nice to be off our phones and get to do new things.”

“Fun and exciting.”

“It was a good personal and bonding experience.”

“My day was one of the best days and one of the scariest.”

“Loved the field trip and hope we get to do more like this.”

A Higher Ground instructor summed it up by invoking “The Wizard of Oz” principle:

”Everyone already has what they need to be successful. They just need a journey/experience to find it in themselves and develop confidence by using it. We all observed that during the first ice breaker(s), the students had a lot of apprehension and lacked self-confidence. As the day(s) progressed, we saw the apprehension melt away on each and every accomplishment and confidence improve. As a group, we saw the students when they developed confidence, they also started supporting one another with encouragement and providing insights to others based on their success and experience.”

This incredible experience would not have been possible without the generous support of:

• The Community Foundation of Northeast Alabama
• Camp DeSoto
• The Carter Holland Foundation
• Valley Head School
• Higher Ground
• MERF

Special thanks also go to Tiger’s Inn for providing a wonderful lunch, and to the volunteers who helped serve and assist with the zipline: Mary Ann Robbins, Kathy McMunn, Kat Griffith, Rick Barr, Emily West, Jean Corey, Diedre Brown, Kathryn Norris, and Katie Hand.

Rain or shine, it’s clear that these students discovered more than just the thrill of adventure. They found connection, courage, and confidence that will carry them far beyond the ropes course.