rock climbing Archives - Waypoint Adventure MA

It’s A Wrap! Somerville 2019

June 12, 2019/in Hiking, Kayaking, Past Programs, Rock Climbing, Ropes Course, Schools, Series

24 Programs! Our biggest partnership ever! What an awesome year it has been with the thriving Special Education Department of Somerville Public Schools. Thanks to a Cummings Foundation grant the Somerville SPED Department received and the tireless efforts of Wellness Coordinator and friend, Caitlin Kelly, Waypoint was BACK in Somerville for the 2018-2019 school year designing and facilitating quality adventure-education programs for 19 different classes across the district. Social-Emotional Learning was happening on these programs: students immersed in problem solving scenarios, supported by the process of learning and community, and given the right to take on challenging experiences and we saw it in action – the perfect recipe for character building come to life.

These programs were not just work for us. The buy-in from teachers and administrators made this series a joy to facilitate. We even had volunteers come out on one program and come back again and again and again because of how much fun they had just being a part of these days! Shoutout to Jim Bradley, Sylvana Weinstein, and some awesome repeat groups from Definitive Cares and The Shady Hill School. This community is vibrant and excelling because of your support!

You HAVE to peruse some of the pictures below. It felt like a family photo album putting these together and laughing about ridiculous things that happened on programs and awesome students, teachers, and volunteers we met along the way. Here are some snapshots from all of the programs we ran with Somerville during 2018-2019:

10/25/18 Ropes Course at Hale Reservation

11/14/18 Hike in the Middlesex Fells

12/19/18 Indoor Rock Climbing at Central Rock Watertown

1/9/19 Indoor Rock Climbing at Central Rock Watertown

1/11/19 Hike at Prospect Hill in Waltham

1/15/19 Indoor Rock Climbing at Central Rock Watertown

1/23/19 Hike at Ward Reservation in Andover

1/30/19 Indoor Kayaking at the Kennedy School in Somerville

2/5/19 Hike at Ward Reservation in Andover

2/13/19 Indoor Kayaking at the Kennedy School in Somerville

2/27/19 Indoor Kayaking at the Kennedy School in Somerville

3/19/19 Hike at Harold Parker State Forest in Andover

3/27/19 Indoor Kayaking at the Kennedy School in Somerville

3/28/19 Indoor Rock Climbing at Central Rock Watertown

4/2/19 Outdoor Rock Climbing at Hammond Pond in Newton

4/10/19 Hike at Breakheart Reservation in Wakefield

4/24/19 Hike at Lynn Woods in Lynn

5/1/19 Indoor Rock Climbing at Central Rock Watertown

5/15/19 Hike at Lynn Woods in Lynn

5/16/19 Hike at Prospect Hill in Waltham

5/23/19 Outdoor Rock Climbing at Hammond Pond in Newton

5/24/19 Hike at Breakheart Reservation in Wakefield

5/29/19 Indoor Kayaking at the Kennedy School in Somerville

6/5/19 Kayaking on the Charles River in Allston

We can’t thank our site partners from Central Rock Gym, Paddle Boston – Charles River Canoe and Kayak, Kennedy School Pool, and Massachusetts DCR enough for supporting this programming. THANK YOU!

And THANK YOU to all the students for participating, and the teachers and administrators that helped coordinate transportation, get forms filled out, opened the pool, and made sure adventure programming fit seamlessly into your curriculum. We believe it’s so important and it’s encouraging to see others agree. Looking forward to next year!

Henderson Inclusion School

May 22, 2019/in Uncategorized

Over 1/3 of students at the Henderson Inclusion School in Dorchester have a disability – a much higher rate than the national average. The Henderson is a Boston Public School and it prides itself on it’s inclusion model – students with and without disabilities can all benefit from learning together! This is a school with a lot of pride and a lot of diversity and we love it!

Waypoint had the awesome opportunity to facilitate a mini-series for their Transition Classroom – students over 18 who are getting additional skills and supports before age 22. Our theme was “Problem Solving” and we prepped students in their classroom and at their school by introducing a Problem Solving method: 1. Identify the Problem, 2: Make a Plan, 3. Act on that plan, 4. Decide if your problem is solved or if there’s still a problem to identify. Problem Solving is something that is so relevant for this group to learn during this transition-to-adulthood time and this group was excited to learn and put it into practice the next day at the Rock Climbing gym.

Waypoint and the Henderson were also graced with the presence of a visitor from Panama, Virginia Nuñez de Alvarado on the day of the climbing program. Virginia leads the foundation, Fundación Pro Integración, a non-profit in Panama with the mission of helping economically disadvantaged children (and adults) with disabilities better integrate into mainstream Panamanian society. The foundation has an all-inclusive objective that all persons with disabilities are an important part of humanity and everyone has a valuable role. How perfect for these two worlds with similar missions to collide! Thank you for joining us Virginia and thank you Henderson Inclusion School for being such an awesome partner!

Check out pictures from this awesome series with The Henderson.

PS One Henderson student, Naieer, was recently featured in the award-winning documentary, Intelligent Lives, that re-frames intelligence and challenges the validity of the IQ test. Click link to watch the trailer.

Sharing Vision for Ability

March 21, 2019/in Rock Climbing, Series

Partnering with our friends from Spaulding Adaptive Sports Centers on a series of adaptive rock climbing programs is a true honor and a highlight every year.

Grit, determination, community, joy, the “I CAN” spirit…the list goes on. These programs always bring together incredible groups of people who have the same vision for trying hard things and showing themselves and other people that their disability doesn’t have to keep them from an active and enjoyable lifestyle.

Big thanks to Central Rock Watertown, Gordon College LaVida and the Gleason Family YMCA for hosting us. Y’all are amazing!

Best Buddies; A Series Built on Trust and Accomplishment

February 27, 2019/in Past Programs, Rock Climbing, Series, Volunteer

We see it all the time, but it never gets old: Participants and their communities surprised at what they can achieve when they accept a challenge and are given support through that challenge.

Thulasi arrived for our climbing program with Best Buddies fully expecting to just watch. Her goals were social – she would just hang out with her friends from Cotting School, her new “Buddies” from Meadowbrook School, and watch others climb. But after engaging in the group activities and feeling support from her friends the option was presented to her and she changed her mind. Girded by the support of classmates and friends, Thulasi climbed to the very top!

Thulasi’s dad choked up in our closing circle. He said “I am constantly surprised by my daughter. I never thought she would climb! But seeing her at the top was a great reminder of what she is capable of.” Thulasi pushing her limits on the rock wall changed things for her dad that day. Thulasi’s confidence certainly grew, but so did the understanding of those that love and support her.

Waypoint Adventure and Best Buddies (an organization spanning 123 different cities and 14 different countries) are teaming up in 2019 for a 3-program-series designed to provide “Buddy” pairs experiences in trust building and real life challenges. Relationships that go deep are founded on trust and vulnerability and what better way to make new friends than on a challenging adventure where support is vital! Middle School pairs of students from Meadowbrook School and Cotting School were the first in this 3-program series and the kick-off was a resounding success!

We’re thrilled to be working with students like Thulasi and organizations like Best Buddies for the opportunity to break down misconceptions of abilities and barriers to access so all can experience powerful transformation!

Thank you again as always to Central Rock Gym for the space to learn and grow!

Increasing Communication

January 22, 2019/in Uncategorized

One of our favorite moments to witness is when a student surprises their teacher. These students from Somerville, all on the autism spectrum, climbed with Waypoint this week and were using this custom-designed adventure-education program to work on communication. Ayman had just learned recently how to communicate “Yes” and “No” on his picture board, so his teacher was almost in tears when he came down from his first climb and audibly said “More! I want more!” This was unprompted, spontaneous communication! Adventures like rock climbing really do bring out emerging skills and create opportunities for growth!

Click to see video of Ayman saying “I want more” and check out pictures of the rest of his class practicing communication while rock climbing at Central Rock Gym in Watertown.

SIGN UP TODAY — Adaptive Climbing 2019!

January 11, 2019/in Open Enrollment, Rock Climbing, Series, Uncategorized

We’re super excited to, once again, partner with Spaulding Rehab Hospital to offer 4 adaptive rock climbing programs throughout Greater Boston in 2019!

These programs provide a supportive and challenging environment for beginners and experienced climbers alike. During this program, you will be signing up for a one hour session where you will be encouraged to challenge your limitations and attain your goals – all within the framework of self-discovery and fun! Waypoint and Spaulding will provide all adaptive equipment, personal instruction, and trained staff who will support and instruct you as you experience the benefits and freedom that are found in this amazing sport!

All of the registration and logistical details are listed in the flyer below.

CLICK THE IMAGE TO SEE A LARGER VIEW OF THE FLYER

A unique series in skill-progression

December 10, 2018/in Latest News, Rock Climbing, Series, Uncategorized, Volunteer

We just wrapped up an awesome Rock Climbing series with LABBB Collaborative! It’s not often a group will contact us and say they want to do a focused series on one adventure-type in particular, but this school was all for it! They wanted to progress in their rock climbing and self-confidence skills!

LABBB Collaborative, based in Bedford, Massachusetts, serves students with disabilities from Lexington, Arlington, Belmont, Burlington, and Bedford and helps them reach their potential by integrating academics, social, recreational, and vocational services. This was year-two of an awesome Waypoint+LABBB partnership and 6 participants this year really progressed! We spent four Wednesday nights at Central Rock Gym in Watertown raising the bar for each individual’s level of challenge and working on autonomous decision-making. With ample time devoted to all the skills of rock climbing, each participant got a chance to learn knots, all about gear, and even belaying!

By the end of the series, students were working hard, implementing climbing strategies, and were responsible for their own knot-tying and equipment! It was awesome to watch this group form and progress in skill. Check out pictures from our series!

As always, we are so grateful for all our volunteers (Mary and Jim!) and our partnership with Central Rock Gym. Without you all, we would not be able to run successful programs!

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!

Three States, Three Series’, One Awesome New Partner

August 31, 2018/in Hiking, Kayaking, Rock Climbing, Ropes Course, Series, Special Events, Support, Uncategorized

Waypoint has a new partnership! This summer, we had the awesome opportunity to partner with Epilepsy Foundation of New England (EFNE) and run programs in three different states! EFNE’s mission is: to lead the fight to overcome the challenges of living with epilepsy and to accelerate therapies to stop seizures, find cures, and save lives. They serve approximately 100,000 people in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island affected by Epilepsy and the people who care for them.

Throughout July and August, we custom designed three series programs across New England. Our first series was at Lincoln Woods State Park, Rhode Island. It included outdoor rock climbing and a day of exploring the beautiful park on a hike. On our second program series, we traveled west to Central Rock Gym in Worcester, MA for two indoor rock climbing programs. And our final program series took place in Maine for a ropes course at Camp Ketcha in Scarborough and kayaking at Range Pond in Poland.

The goal of it all? EFNE wanted to provide “camp-like” experiences for some families who just couldn’t do sleep away camps. They recognized the learning and growth that happens when youth are challenged through adventurous experiences. The goals to challenge ourselves and recognize support from our networks rose to the surface as goals. We were psyched that so many individuals and families got to come together and meet others in their community living with Epilepsy, but more-so, we were blown away at the impact these experiences had!

One 10-year old girl showed up to the ropes course visibly anxious. She had never been on a ropes course before! When it came time to do the high element “Multi-Vine,” she was the last in her group to try. When it was finally her turn, her whole team cheered her on as she climbed the staples embedded in a large tree to a thin foot cable, 20 feet above the ground. This thin foot cable was connected to an adjacent tree 100 feet away. She carefully balanced on the cable and shimmied her way across using hanging ropes above her like vines to get to the other side…. and she made it! As she was lowered down by her team, she beamed with pride and a large smile appeared on her face from ear to ear. To the whole group at the end of the day, she said: “I wasn’t sure I was going to come to camp, but I am so glad I did! I challenged myself all day and achieved my goals. I’m so proud of myself!”

These are the kind of moments that make these partnerships run deep! These programs would not have been possible without the dedication and hard work of the staff at EFNE, our awesome site locations that allowed us to run programs, and the individuals and families that participated! We can’t wait to see what’s next for Waypoint and EFNE!

Check out pictures from each series!

July 17th Outdoor Rock Climbing

July 18th Hike at Lincoln Woods State Park, RI

July 24th & 25th Indoor Rock Climbing at Central Rock Gym in Worcester, MA

August 21st Ropes Course at Camp Ketcha in Scarborough, ME

August 22nd Kayaking at Range Pond in Poland, ME

A little rain didn’t stop us from having an awesome day out on the water!

That’s A Wrap! Somerville 2017-2018

June 26, 2018/in Kayaking, Schools, Uncategorized

Another school term in the books! Over the past year, Waypoint Adventure has had the privilege to work with over 13 special education classes from all over the Somerville Public School system. Seven program types were run (ropes course, indoor/outdoor rock climbing, indoor kayaking, hiking, snowshoeing and team building), which gave over 100 students the opportunity to experience adventure!

For most of participants, this was their first time ever going on a hike or rock climbing or to a ropes course. Roughly 92% of the students from Somerville that came out on an adventure program with us were experiencing that type of adventure for the first time. There is a real need to get more kids out in nature, on adventures and into their local community!

We are so grateful to have worked with such incredible students, facility, and administration this year at Somerville Public Schools. Thank you to all the volunteers and coordinators that made these programs possible and so successful. But…It’s not over yet!!

Thanks to a very generous grant given by the Cummings Foundation to the Somerville Public Schools, we are excited about the potential of continued programming with SPS!”

Here are some pictures of the last program we ran with Somerville Public Schools:

April 2018: Indoor Kayaking; Thanks for volunteering Definitive Cares!

To see our other posts about Somerville Public Schools, click the links below:

Beginning-year Somerville Programs

Mid-year Somerville Programs

Self Confidence is on the rise in Somerville

April 10, 2018/in Achievements, Annnouncements, Hiking, Kayaking, Latest News, Past Programs, Rock Climbing, Schools, Series, Uncategorized, Volunteer

Transformational adventure programming is happening in Somerville! Roughly 100 students from across the district are experiencing challenging experiences and big, impactful, life-learning is coming out of it. Hiking, Rock Climbing, Snowshoeing, and Kayaking programs, all within just a short bus-ride from school are increasing self-esteem, self-confidence, and students are learning new skills. Check out pictures from some recent adventures!

December 2017 – Indoor Rock Climbing at Central Rock Gym in Watertown

January 2018 – Snowshoeing at Prospect Hill in Waltham

January 2018 – Indoor Kayaking at the Kennedy School in Somerville

February 2018 – Teambuilding and prep for Indoor Kayaking

April 2018 – Indoor Rock Climbing at Central Rock Gym in Watertown, MA. Thanks for volunteering Definitive Cares!

April 2018 – Team Building

April 2018 – Hiking at Ward Reservation in Andover, MA. Thanks for volunteering Long Wharf Capitol!

April 2018 – Indoor Kayaking. Thanks for volunteering Definitive Cares!

Thank you to Somerville Public Schools, Somerville teachers, aids, principals, and administrators for allowing us to be involved in your community. We hope the memories from these adventures stay with these students for a lifetime!

Tag Archive for: rock climbing