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Sources:
Emily Lehning, 785-532-6237, lehning@k-state.edu;
and Tim Stoecklein, 785-532-6980, tstoeckl@k-state.edu
Monday,
February 12, 2006
K-STATE
CHALLENGE COURSE TO PUT LEADERSHIP, COMMUNICATION AND TEAM-BUILDING
SKILLS TO THE TEST
MANHATTAN
-- Kansas State University is getting ready to put leadership skills
on a course for success.
No
books will be required to master the new K-State Challenge Course,
now in the early stages of development, but sneakers and a variety
of mental and physical skills will come in handy.
The
course, being built on a site north of K-State's Hoeflin Stone House
Child Care Center, will include customized challenges to help individuals
and teams further develop their leadership, communication and team-building
skills, said Emily Lehning, assistant dean of student life at K-State.
A
challenge course, sometimes referred to as a ropes course, offers
a combination of physical and mental tasks that range in difficulty,
Lehning said.
"Customized
participation plans will allow group leaders to define the experiential
education experience for their groups," Lehning said. "Every
challenge course experience is different. Our trained staff will
be ready to work with individuals at their level of ability and
comfort. We will operate under a 'challenge by choice' philosophy."
Participants
in challenge courses often report they develop group cohesion and
increased productivity, Lehning said.
"The
challenge course experience allows individuals and groups to solve
problems and address challenges in a safe environment," she
said. "Course facilitators are able to help participants reflect
on their experiences and find new insights for application in their
lives. Properly facilitated challenge course experiences can be
amazingly powerful in improving individual and group effectiveness."
The
course is a project of K-State's new student services and is made
possible through a student fee bond surplus allocation by the K-State
Student Governing Association.
Initial
work on the course began in November 2006 by clearing and preparing
the site for its grassy field. Members of K-State's student chapter
of the Associated General Contractors donated the labor for clearing
and grading the site. The chapter also worked in cooperation with
Midwest Concrete Materials, which has donated labor and materials
for the project.
"Throughout
the design and implementation process for the course, we are focused
on preserving its natural setting and creating a course where participants
will feel they are having a 'get away' experience, even though they
are still on the K-State campus," Lehning said. "We feel
there is a demand for the opportunity to work with others in a unique
setting where safety is a priority and individual and team skills
are developed."
The
course will feature a variety of structures, called elements, that
can be on the ground, close to the ground or several feet in the
air. Properly trained facilitators and safety systems are used for
all elements, regardless of height or difficulty, Lehning said.
The
course will be open to K-State students, faculty and staff. The
general public may participate by scheduling in advance.
Installation of the elements will begin this spring and a ribbon-cutting
ceremony is planned for late spring when the course is completed.
Tim
Stoecklein, assistant director of K-State recreational services,
has taken on additional duties as the interim course coordinator
for new student services. Stoecklein will assist with the delivery
of the challenge course program. He will serve as the on-site coordinator
of experiential leadership development and learning activities for
participating groups. He also will recruit, train and supervise
course facilitators.
Stoecklein
has several years of experience working on a challenge course at
Ferris State University.
More
information on the new K-State Challenge Course is available by
e-mail to challeng@k-state.edu
or by calling 785-532-6237. A Web site for the course will be launched
in March.
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