WDTN Channel 2

We were a feature story on Channel 2 News in Dayton, Ohio. This story aired on Tuesday, September 22, 2009. The exerpt below is taken from the WDTN website (an NBC affiliate).

Click to VIEW VIDEORopes course challenges students
Updated: Tuesday, 22 Sep 2009, 4:01 PM EDT
Published : Tuesday, 22 Sep 2009, 3:58 PM EDT

By Dan Edwards, WDTN
BEAVERCREEK,Ohio (WDTN) - In it's first year [at Ferguson Middle School] the Rock and Rope challenge hopes to teach these Ferguson Middle School seventh graders to reach higher by scaling a 30 foot rock wall while walking the tight-rope of life via a portable hydraullicly lifted ropes course some 40 feet off the ground.

"It's teaching me to keep going and not give up also it's really, really hard." exclaimed Ferguson Middle School 7th grader Hannah Linkhart.

It's a real life, real fun way to teach character education said Physical Education teacher Kristen Wren. "If you pay attention the kids around them are cheering them on and showing caring which is one of the pillars of character and thats a real positive for them."

The mobile rock and rope course, run by the non-profit, Columbus based group Vehicle for Change, challenges over 30 thousand kids each year, many of whom would never have this opportunity.

Vehicle for Change manager Wesley Foster said, "With budget cuts, transportation, missing a whole day of school we can bring this here. we can bring the kids out for 45 minutes do the activity and then back into the school so they're not missing all day."