HDF 190: FLITE (FIRST-YEAR LEADERS INSPIRED TO EXCELLENCE)

URI MINOR IN LEADERSHIP STUDIES, CENTER FOR STUDENT LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

CORE REQUIREMENT FOR THE LEADERSHIP MINOR
SPRING 2016

SERVICE LEARNING & LEADERSHIP CONTRACT DRAFT

Goal: To identify and utilize my Top 5 VIA Strengths of Teamwork, Love of Learning,
Perseverance, Appreciation of Beauty & Excellence, and Creativity in an
organizational/interpersonal setting that aligns with the mission, vision, values and
sponsored programs and activities of URIs Center for Student Leadership Development.
In order to accomplish this goal, I attended challenge course facilitator training for the
North Woods Challenge Course on March 12th-13th, 2016.
Activity: For my Learning Contract, I decided to attend weekend training for becoming a
facilitator at the North Woods Challenge Course at the top of campus on March 11th13th, 2016. I had intentions to improve and further develop my facilitation skills since I
have two years of past experience with adventure courses through Project Adventure.
Evidence: A photo of me being levitated through a hole of the Spiders Web element by
other facilitators during training is attached at the bottom of this document. In addition,
my photo evidence can be found on this page of my website.
Annotation: I began my Learning Contract by signing up to attend facilitator training at
the North Woods Challenge Course for the weekend of March 11th-13th, 2016. The first
day of training served as an informational session to educate new trainees on the mission
and goal of the NWCC. I initially had already intended on becoming a challenge course
facilitator during the beginning of Fall Semester 2015. During the Leadership Institute, I
had a conversation with one of the co-managers of the NWCC, Dan Levesque, about my
past experience with Project Adventure and attending the Adventure Park at Long Island.
After speaking to Dan, he suggested that I speak to Alison Jackson Frasier about
becoming a facilitator for the NWCC. In November 2015, I attended a brief facilitator
training session. Facilitators-in-training are required to shadow another facilitator during
a program after completing training. Therefore, I was already familiar with the mission
and goal of the North Woods Challenge Course from my experience with the staff and
course in the fall, so I wasnt expected to attend the first day of spring training.
On the second day of training, March 12th, 2016, all of the managers, facilitators,
and facilitator trainees arrived on the course early in the morning. Throughout the day,
those of us who were training served as participants as the managers and other facilitators
facilitated different elements. While participating, we were also expected to observe how
the managers and other facilitators went about facilitating, such as introducing the
element, describing the objective, and going over the safety rules. After completing each
element, the facilitators led a de-briefing period where participants were encouraged to
verbalize what we thought went well or didnt go well when trying to accomplish the
objective, and how effectively we felt we were heard when giving suggestions. The

facilitators also departed from being a facilitator in order to explain to the trainees the
different styles of facilitating certain elements and points to include or be watchful of.
During the second day of training, the trainees were divided into different groups
depending on their skill level. Since I had past experience with rope climbing and
belaying through being involved with Project Adventure, Alison Jackson Frazier
requested that I join her group to review my belaying and rope tying techniques. After we
broke for lunch, I joined Dans group to review how to facilitate certain elements. Before
we departed after the second day of training had ended, Allie paired us up to co-facilitate
and lead our own mock program together with the other trainees.
On the third and last day of training, March 13th, 2016, the trainees arrived to the
course nervous and anxious to get the day started. The managers and other facilitators
warned us the day before that were going to need to be on our toes the next day. The day
began by each of us, the trainees, introducing ourselves and then breaking into smaller
groups to do an energizer. We then rejoined into a larger group to complete a name game,
Bust a Move, to learn everyones name. After, the trainees divided up the roles of
explaining the 4 Values of the North Woods Challenge Course which are Play Hard, Play
Fair, Play Safe, and Have Fun. Before dividing into our smaller groups, we went over the
significance of Challenge by Choice which encourages participants to push themselves
beyond their comfort zones, but not to a point where they are panicking and
uncomfortable. The trainees also worked together in leading trust sequencing and Wind in
the Willows. One of the comments I received was that I kept using the term falling
instead of leaning which will lead some participants to panic that theyre going to be
falling on the elements. The trainees then divided up into our smaller groups to begin our
elements. Each of us was paired with another trainee to co-facilitate an element we were
designated. I was assigned to co-facilitate TP Shuffle with Rachel. Throughout our
mock program, the managers and Allie were filling out evaluations for each of us as
well as sharing constructive criticism and feedback with us during each de-briefing
period after each element was completed. The hardest part of our own mock program
together was being aware of the little things that managers were doing to misbehave. As a
challenge course facilitator, you have to accept that not ever program is going to run
perfectly or smoothly. There are going to be groups who dont listen to directions, are not
engaged in the element, are on their phones the entire time, or disrespectful to their group
and facilitators. But ultimately, by the end of training, it was rewarding to know that I
was now certified to facilitate groups in the future and aid them in their personal growth
and growth as a team.
Overall, I applied my Top 5 VIA Strengths of Teamwork, Love of Learning,
Perseverance, Appreciation of Beauty & Excellence, and Creatively through my
experience of training to become a challenge course facilitator. I noticed myself utilize
my value of Teamwork because I did my share of being in the group by completing the
parts my group delegated me to such as going over trust sequencing and Wind in the
Willows. I also accepted and listened to my other team members suggestions and input
by acknowledging the constructive criticism and feedback I received from Allie and the
other managers. I also saw myself apply my value of the Love of Learning considering I
had the desire to continue to grow as a challenge course facilitator by attempting to
master new skills and techniques as well as utilize the new information I learned about
facilitating throughout the entire weekend. In addition, my value of Perseverance

prevailed because I encouraged the participants not quit or give up on a task even though
there were several obstacles that they were facing. I, as well, did not quit or give up on
completing training whenever the participants were misbehaving and giving us a hard
time. Being outside in the woods all weekend and appreciating the obstacles that nature
has to offer was an example of how I identified with my 4th value of the Appreciation of
Beauty and Excellence. Finally, I utilized my 5th value of Creativity by thinking of
creative ways to include a story to each element such as toxic peanut and being on an
island with cannibals. I also had to be creative when coming up with repercussions
whenever a participant touched the ground or spoke out of turn.
Furthermore, I was able to truly identify and utilize my Top 5 VIA Strengths
during my training to become a facilitator for the North Woods Challenge Course. To me,
being certified to become a challenge course facilitator was more than just completing a
Learning Contract for FLITE. It served as an opportunity for me to personally grow and
improve on my facilitation techniques that I originally learned from my involvement with
Project Adventure.

Instructor Signature: ____________________________________________

*Will sign once they have reviewed your draft idea due 2/16/16.
Student Signature: ______________________________________________