Yes! They Went Ape

On Saturday, October 7, Zion-Benton Township Schuler Scholars from a mixture of grade levels and Schuler Scholar Coaches prepared themselves for their Outdoor Exposure at Go Ape Zip Lining and Treetop Adventure. After participating in some basic safety instructional activities, Scholars and staff hooked into their harnesses, connected to trolleys, and climbed into the canopies to start their zip lining and obstacle course experience. The instructors gave participants free range for what they would like to do on the different climbing elements, and encouraged them to challenge themselves. Here are some reflections illustrating various Scholars’ journeys through the treetops and our overall story as a school team on the Exposure.

“When I was on the courses the height made the experience challenging because it made me feel panicked. Being so high off of the ground caused me to struggle with simple tasks like attaching and detaching the equipment, because I felt like I would somehow fall off of the course while trying to affix my harness. I pushed through this challenge by thinking positive thoughts such as, “Look how far you made it”, and “The harness keeps you from falling”.”—Esmeralda Navarro ’21

“My Scholar Coach, a fellow Scholar and I had a choice of picking a more moderate path or the extreme path, so we picked the extreme path. On this course, we had to cross a gap on swinging ropes which really concerned me, but while I was on them, it was actually pretty fun! This thought made me feel unstressed about the next obstacle we were going to do. Another thought that I had was, “This zip-line is really fun!” This thought encouraged me to move on to the next obstacle because once I was done with that part of the stage, I was one step closer to getting to the zip line.”—Daisy Montoya ’20

Halfway through our time in the trees, it started raining and the wind picked up!

“The most challenging aspect of the zip lining experience was that it was an independent experience. There were supervisors walking around but it was up to the climber to figure out the courses for themselves. I made it through, however, because there were people behind me, Schuler peers and Scholar coaches that encouraged me to keep going.  I liked the actual zip lining part because it's just you gliding through the air and not having to try. All you have to do is let go. I originally thought that I couldn’t do it. At some parts of it I thought “My leg can’t reach that far” or “It’s swinging” and at one point I wanted to stop. I was clinging onto a net wall and the net was swinging in the wind and I was by myself. Nobody was there except for me. I don’t have the best upper strength and I was struggling, but, finally, I told myself that I’m almost there and I can’t stop. I told myself I was close and that it was going to be worth it in the end; and I was right. It was worth it when I zip lined in the rain and felt alive. I learned that my fellow Scholars make a terrible situation (wind and rain) into a good one. They find the best in things and I want to see that too.” –Esmeralda Garcia ’21

“When the rain and wind started, there were three of us on the platform, taking turns getting through the unstable obstacle course. The wind made the tree sway, which freaked us out a bit, but we made sure to keep calm. Everyone was really supportive towards the person currently getting through the obstacle course. We would shout words of encouragement, such as: “You’re almost there!” and “You got this!” It was nice to have support when making it through the course. It allowed me to build up a bit more confidence in the moment. Around the time it started raining, I had made it to one specific element that was held up by only ropes from above. The wind made this obstacle course really unstable, and the rain made it slippery, so crossing this element took patience. I couldn’t really rush through it considering everything that was going on around me, so to push through this challenge; I focused on the task at hand: crossing the obstacle course. I tried my best to ignore the rain and wind, and sure enough, I made it to the other end. Even though the harness was keeping me from falling, I didn’t want to rely on it too much. I wanted to be able to make it through the obstacle without having to pull myself across while allowing the harness to do all the work.” –Azucena Navarro ’19

All-in-all, the wind and rain just added an extra challenge, and the Scholar and staff made the best out of a dreary situation!

“I think that overall everything was exciting: the zip lines, the challenges, seeing others doing it at the same time as you and also conquering their own fears. Some of my thoughts were “I can’t do this”, “I’m scared”, and “I’m going to fall”. But at the same time I also had thoughts of “I can do this”, “this is so much fun”, “I want to finish this” and “I want to come back”. There were some positive and negative thoughts but I actually think that the negative thoughts encouraged me to continue and not give up. I learned that I wasn’t the only one facing my fears and scared and that we all grew as a group and as individuals.” –Claudia Mendez-Flores ’20

“I learned that not everyone is so ready and willing to venture past their comfort zone. I also learned that I should be supportive and ready to help them.” –Joel Anguiano ’19

“I learned that my fellow Scholars have very different comfort zones. Some shared my level of excitement, and others were really nervous to participate.” –Zachery Szekely ’19

“I had an amazing time on the zip lining Exposure. I felt as though I really grew as a person and I learned many things about myself. I learned that I am stronger thought and I can overcome my fears if I work hard. I challenged myself in an area I don’t experience much and it resulted in a great outcome. It was exciting because it was a new experience for me and many others. I’m very proud that I had the opportunity to finish all five sites, and learned that by pushing and encouraging each other, we Scholars grew closer and stronger.” –Kaityln Gallegos ’20

Afterwards, each participant received a certificate reading “YES! I WENT APE” in celebration of their conquering of the obstacle courses, scary heights, onslaught of wind and rain, and the fear that comes with jumping off of platforms several feet in the air. Also, as a sort of symbolic celebration, the strong rain led an enormous double rainbow viewable by all of Western Chicago. Check out our Instagram for pictures and videos of this Exposure!