Animas High School ninth-grade students negotiate a ropes course Wednesday in an exercise designed to build trust. Younger students from the school have done this for several years in an effort to build trust and collaboration among the students.
Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
Animas High School ninth-grade students belay a classmate at the On The Edge Productions’ ropes course in eastern La Plata County on Wednesday. “Ultimately we are trying to build stronger projects at our school. Projects are opportunities for our students to take risks, work together with people that maybe they wouldn’t work with,” Humanities Instructor Stephen Sellers said.
Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
Phil Bryson, president of On The Edge Productions, checks Annabelle Mick’s climbing ropes and hardware. Mick is one of the Animas High School ninth-grade students who climbed the ropes course Wednesday.
Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
An Animas High School student prepares to jump off a trimmed tree at the On The Edge Productions’ ropes course Wednesday. About 90 students participated in the activity that helps builds trust.
Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
Animas High School ninth-grade students practice before climbing the rope course at On The Edge Productions in eastern La Plata County on Wednesday. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
Animas High School ninth-grade student Annabelle Mick peers upward at a classmate high in a tree as she belays them at the rope course on Wednesday. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
Animas High School ninth-grade student Calvin Chase checks ropes from high in a tree as classmates belay him at the rope course on Wednesday. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
Animas High School ninth-grade students belay a classmate on the rope course at On The Edge Productions in eastern La Plata County on Wednesday. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
In an exercise to build bonds of trust, Animas High School ninth-grade students negotiate a rope course on Wednesday. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
Phil Bryson of On The Edge Productions checks climbing ropes and equipment for Animas High School ninth-grade student Greta Cahill before climbing the rope course Wednesday. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
An Animas High School ninth-grade student stands on a trimmed tree before jumping off while negotiating the rope course at On The Edge Productions’ course on Wednesday. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
Phil Bryson with On The Edge Productions checks climbing ropes and equipment for Animas High School ninth-grade student Annabelle Mick before climbing in the firm’s rope course Wednesday. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
Animas High School ninth-grade students belay a classmate on the rope course at On The Edge Productions course in eastern La Plata County on Wednesday. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
Animas High School ninth-grade student Annabelle Mick climbs the rope course at On The Edge Productions rope course Wednesday. “This will help me in High School to learn to take a leap of faith and to trust my surroundings and peers,” said Mick after completing the course. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
Animas High School ninth-grade students negotiate a rope course at On The Edge Productions’ rope course on Wednesday. The exercise is designed to build trust and collaboration among the participants. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
Animas High School students gathered in the treetops for class Wednesday to learn about trust, team building and perseverance.
About 90 freshmen spent the day at a ropes course in eastern La Plata County as guests of Phil Bryson, a founder of Animas High School and president of On The Edge Productions, a team-building company.
“This will help me in high school to learn to take a leap of faith and to trust my surroundings and peers,” student Annabelle Mick said after completing a challenge.
“As you enter into high school, it’s scary, and you have some doubts,” Bryson said. “The whole idea today is to build up their feeling that they can do it.”
AHS students have done the exercise for a few years, and it helps introduce them to the school’s culture, which focuses on building skills, including collaboration and communication. The first week of school was dedicated to similar activities, including a school-wide scavenger hunt at Fort Lewis College.
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