🌲🧗♀️🤝 During the crucial middle school years, collaboration and courage help define growth, and North Buncombe Middle School (NBMS) seventh graders got a chance to embrace both at the Adventure Center of Asheville.
Groups of students took to the trees for challenging ropes courses and played teambuilding games on the ground during a day packed full of fun. The field trip was part of the school’s beginning-of-year focus on collaboration and community. Students faced their fears together on wobbly bridges and leap-off platforms, learning that encouragement can be just as important as strength.
“Teamwork means calming people down and helping them get over their fears,” said Dominique, a seventh grader. “They helped me when I was scared to jump, and then I helped somebody else. That made it easier for both of us.”
“Jumping off the platform was scary, but I was proud when I got to the bottom,” added fellow seventh grader Mason.
Kerri Hampton, who teaches English language arts and science at NMBS, said the trip mixes kids from different backgrounds and friend groups, encouraging them to develop people skills and trust in their peers.
“When they’re out here, they encourage each other, take risks, and surprise themselves,” she said. “You can really see them grow in confidence and in how they support one another. Watching students overcome a challenge, especially one they were hesitant to try, reminds us why experiences like this matter.”