Schools use adventure curriculum to inspire kids

Laura Carroll/VIEWMiller Middle School students climb indoor rock walls at Nevada Climbing Centers, 3065 E. Patrick Lane, Feb. 10. Advertisement

Mackenzie Piascik scaled the beige wall immediately upon being released. The sixth-grader slithered up the man-made structure with ease. She's done this before.

"I love rock climbing," Mackenzie said.

Supported by fellow sixth-grader Jessica Snyder, Mackenzie moved up and down the indoor rock wall at Nevada Climbing Centers, 3065 E. Patrick Lane, like an old pro. Just before she climbed the faux mountain, Mackenzie and about 24 other sixth- and seventh-graders received activity instruction from a UNLV Public Lands Institute volunteer, which included how to safely climb the wall and support one another.

The all-girl group from Miller Middle School, 2400 Cozy Hill Circle, was at the climbing center along with their physical education teacher Mary Ann Hopper as part of an adventure program that the Clark County School District is sponsoring.

Hayden Ross, the district's secondary physical education facilitator, said the public school system received $10,000 from the Michael Jordan Foundation and $3,000 from the Junior League of Las Vegas to support the use of adventure-related curriculum in physical education classes.

Four schools are using the adventure curriculum this year, and all of them were chosen based on an application process. Each selected campus received adventure activity guides and equipment, in addition to pedometers. Each school was then able to choose kayaking, hiking, rock climbing or fishing for a field trip. The Public Lands Institute volunteered to provide instruction for the outings.

The 25 students from Miller were chosen from the girls' physical education classes for their rock climbing field trip based on a lottery system.

"Tomorrow, they'll learn they have muscles that they didn't know they had before," Hopper said.

Jessica and Mackenzie agreed that climbing would help strengthen their muscles and add flexibility, but they also said it was just plain fun.

With feet firmly planted on the concrete floors at Nevada Climbing Centers, the middle school students donned their black harnesses before testing their skills at climbing the gray, beige and rust-colored walls.

Seventh-grader Genesis Levit and sixth-grader Brittany Armas both attempted to scale the structure. Brittany made it to the top, and Genesis said that although she didn't, she'd keep trying until she was able to reach her goal of climbing to the highest point on the wall.

Daphne Sewing, project manager for the Public Lands Institute, said, "It gets the kids out of their comfort zone, and it gets them moving. The program is designed to connect the students with nature in the hope they will appreciate public lands when they're older."

Contact View education reporter Laura Carroll at lcarroll@viewnews.com or 380-4588.