JCC to Introduce Low Ropes Challenge Course
Published: August 12, 2015
Course enhances offerings at Howell Woods.
Johnston Community College recently installed a low ropes challenge course and is holding an information session to introduce the course to the community on Sept. 1.
The course, which is located at the College's Howell Woods Environmental Learning Center, was a project funded by Johnston County open space funds.
Kelly Williams, physical education instructor and a trained facilitator for the course, said the course provides team development activities for college faculty, staff, students and the community. Participants learn team building skills such as listening, leadership, planning, and communication while on a challenging adventure.
"We really appreciate the county commissioners for choosing us for this recreation and open space project," she said. "We believe it will be a real asset to our physical education program at JCC as well as excellent community enrichment opportunity for youth, civic and corporate groups."
Jordan Astoske, director of Howell Woods, said the course is a nice enhancement to the menu of activities community members can participate in at the 2,800-acre natural resource located near Four Oaks.
"Howell Woods is such a unique environment with all the activities like camping, fishing, geo caching, kayaking and canoeing that individuals can enjoy and the low ropes course is something we've wanted for a while and makes us even more unique," Astoske said.
The course contains many different initiatives, such as a spider web, a 12-foot climbing wall, and a nitro crossing, that test a person's ability to trust themselves and others. Recently, the college's new group of student ambassadors tried their skills on the low ropes course as an opportunity to get to know each other.
"I think some of them were really surprised at how far they were able to push themselves, work with their peers, and accomplish things as individuals and as a group," Astoske said.
The information session is designed to explain the low ropes course to corporate professional development team leaders, church youth leaders, civic group leaders, and others interested in scheduling the course for a retreat. The session is free and will be held from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at Howell Woods, 6601 Devil's Racetrack Road, Four Oaks, NC 27524.
For more information about the low ropes course, please contact Astoske at (919) 938-0115 or e-mail him at jtastoske@johnstoncc.edu.
Cut line: Student ambassadors work together to complete the spider web on the new low ropes challenge course at Howell Woods.