It’s been about a month since we hosted our first Climbing and Confidence Course. As we continue guiding teens toward reaching their goals, I wanted to share three highlights from our day together.

Wilmington Rock Gym
While we’ve roped up at the base of Shining Rock before, this was EWoW’s first time taking students to Wilmington Rock Gym. It’s a great spot for teens who want to go far—right here in Wilmington. They supplied all the gear, safe instruction, and buckets of positive vibes. A super dyno to all of this is that our Climbing Fairy Godfather made the connection and sponsored our time at the gym!

Step Up Wilmington
Another first for EWoW. We work with a lot of organizations (Ocean Cure, Carousel Center, and Yoga Village, to name a few), but this was our debut at their great space in the Brooklyn Arts District. It was outside our comfort zone, yet completely aligned with our goals to help teens improve communication, decision-making, insight, and self-esteem. Taking time to identify what “I am” helped our students see what they have to offer the workforce and gave them concrete steps toward employment. Our students left with new insight, new confidence, and—let’s be honest—a deep appreciation for Step Up’s legendary snack stash. (Teens run on pretzels.)

Teens Will Leave the House for Snacks & a Harness
All but two students attended—that’s a huge win, the best win really. It’s hard to “show up” these days. There’s so much heavy stuff, and sometimes it’s hard to go. This is especially true for our EWoW students. We all know the pitfalls of being 13 to 18 years old… add lack of transportation, living in a two-bedroom home with six people, no HVAC, or debilitating anxiety. Despite these barriers, all but two made it! It’s proof that when you invest in teens, they rise. They show up. They climb.

What’s Next: Intro to Backpacking
This spring break, we’ll head into Eno River State Park for our next course: Intro to Backpacking. Three days, packs on our backs, trails under our feet, and a group of teens ready to discover what they’re capable of when the only way forward is step by step.