WVU Country Roads started the fall semester on a positive note as participants took an adventurous detour from the typical classroom orientation, opting for a day of education in the great outdoors as the WVU Outdoor Education Center hosted students and staff for a day of challenging and rewarding team building activities.
Led by graduate teaching assistant Justin-Ray Dutton, the inclusive class offered students a “Challenge by Choice,” a concept that involves students deciding on their own, without teacher or peer pressure, to take on a challenge.
Participants also found success in honoring the “full-value contract,” a group agreement to find positive value in the efforts of all members through encouragement, goal setting and group discussion. Students worked together in this supportive learning environment to solve life-size puzzles and find balance as a team on a large seesaw called the “Whale Watch.”
The activities supported the mission of the Country Roads Program by providing students with transferable life skills in building confidence, respecting boundaries and active listening.
“It was rewarding to watch the students bond through their accomplishments,” Melina Danko, communications officer at the WVU Center for Excellence in Disabilities, said. "The students learned the importance of teamwork, communication and stepping out of their comfort zones."
"The OEC was the perfect way to break the ice and build rapport. We can’t wait to go back,” Danko added.
The OEC, located in the WVU Research Forest, hosts groups from WVU and the surrounding community for adventure programming and team development needs.
Lesley Cottrell, CED director who was also in attendance, expressed the value of the OEC’s unique learning environment.
“I thought the experience was unique to our typical classroom orientation and adventures,” Cottrell said. “We enjoyed the company, learned about the WVU farmland, and were challenged to work as a team. It was a success.”
An on-campus program designed for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, Country Roads serves participants by providing academic courses, social engagement and real-world work experiences to foster feelings of independence in a supportive learning environment.
Learn more about the program through its virtual open house.