The Spark Q1 2019 : Limitations

When was the last time you said to yourself, 'I Can't.'

For me, it was last week. I was in Philadelphia for our national development conference. After an afternoon of talking about fundraising with my Outward Bound network counterparts, I was eager to have some hands on program experience. Then I found myself 30-feet off the ground on Philadelphia Outward Bound School's (POBS) new indoor rock wall. My legs were shaking, my arms were limp and I had a sick feeling of doubt in the pit of my stomach.

When you work for Outward Bound you sometimes think you're above the 'I Can't' feeling. You're constantly surrounded by amazing people doing amazing things... and yet there I was, hanging in a harness with my own ‘I Can’t.’ I started to think of excuses to shout down to the enthusiastic instructor belaying me below. "I'm a lot weaker than I thought...I just had a baby four months ago...I made it as far as I can go..."

I looked down, and simply shouted, "I think I'm good...," my words a little shaky. The POBS instructor smiled back and encouragingly shouted, "You're great!" I know she heard me, and I know she knew I was admitting defeat. I also knew, she wasn't accepting my 'I Can't.' "Why don't you take a little break!" she offered. "Then you can try again, you're almost to the top!"

I looked up. She was right. I made it almost 30-feet already... and had less than ten to go. So I breathed through my shaky legs, and my noodly arms, and grabbed another hold in the wall above my head. Before I knew it my 'I Can't' turned into 'I Can' as I reached the top.

This moment of 'I Can' is what it means to be Outward Bound. Our founder, Kurt Hahn, knew what he was talking about. "There IS more in you than you know."

In honor of International Women’s Day this week (Friday, March 8th,) I wanted to share some ‘I Can’ moments from some of our female staff and students. For more ‘I Can’ stories of women going Outward Bound, click here to visit our blog. If you have a story about how Outward Bound has changed an 'I Can't' to an 'I Can' for you, I’d love to hear about it! Please contact me by email or phone below.

Thank you for your support, because of you, ‘I Can’ moments for our students happen every day, on course, and after.

Courtney Kupsch
Director of Development
courtney.kupsch@vobs.org
(651) 401-0635

Always Learning
An Interview with VOBS Instructor, Emmy Ferguson

What is your favorite part about instructing?
I love the really unbelievably tough moments, when people are utterly convinced they aren’t capable of overcoming the challenge they are faced with and it all seems like too much. For instance, when you’re trying to get through a marsh with all your canoes and gear and you keep sinking into the mud up to your armpits, or when it’s the first night on course sleeping out in the wilderness and the temps are -40° F. For me there is nothing more rewarding than seeing people push past their perceived limits and come out the other side more aware of the strength they didn’t know they possessed. Those moments are the ones that sink in. They are the ones you remember next time you’re faced with hardship that remind you that you have persevered before and that you can do it again.

What surprised you most about becoming an instructor?
I think the thing that surprised me on my first course was that I could say something and people would do it! That probably sounds silly but it was so funny to have a group of people looking to me to learn how to survive and thrive in the woods because I had learned it all myself a mere two months before. So to then being the expert was a big jump. But I realized I knew much more than I thought, and of course I am also reminded that sometimes I think I know more than I do. This job is all at once empowering and humbling. It will always teach you something you need to learn.

What does it mean to be a female instructor?

The atmosphere at Outward Bound is pretty great for female instructors. There is so much intention and support in our community that empowers the women who work here. So much of our leadership right now is female, and I have some of the best female role models I could ever ask for. It’s an amazing thing to be surrounded by so many amazing, powerful, capable women, and to get to go out into the woods and show people that women can be strong and rugged and badass. I love getting to break down some of the stereotypes of gender roles. Men cry and get vulnerable, women carry heavy loads and grow body hair and fart. We are all humans at our most human out in the woods. I love getting to be a positive female role model for all my students, to show them that it’s okay to be themselves - whoever that is.

Best advice you've received and from who?
One piece of advice that has stuck with me comes from the head of our summer program here at VOBS - Dan Blessing. He passed on wisdom he learned from his mentor when he was a young instructor: "Students will never care how much you know until they know how much you care." I have found that above all making a human connection with people, being authentic with them, and showing them that you truly care about them as a person, is the most important part of being a good instructor.

Your best advice?
You are the author of your story, so be intentional about how you write it.

Why would you recommend Outward Bound?
Outward Bound gets you out of your comfort zone and pushes you to engage with the world, and with others in new ways. It asks you to be vulnerable, to dig deep, to be present, and to bring your full self. In a world that has so many distractions, it takes you to the here and now. It asks you to live to the fullest by doing something unexpected and challenging. There just isn’t anything like it. No matter what you expect, it’s always more than you bargained for.

Emmy recently finished instructing her third 50-day long course, Fall Intercept Semester (Intermester). As Emmy puts it, "Intermester [courses] continue to inspire me. It calls me back every year because it is one of the most impactful experiences I get to be a part of here at VOBS."

To read about Emmy's recent course adventures with our students, click here to visit our blog. For more information about our Intermester courses, click here, to visit our course page.

JEAN REPLINGER SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Over 50 years ago, Jean Replinger proposed that Outward Bound courses be available for girls. Voyageur Outward Bound School is proud to be the first Outward Bound school in the United States to make that dream a reality.

In honor of Jean Replinger and her legacy of equity and empowerment, we’ve launched a scholarship program in her name.

At the Voyageur Outward Bound School, we are committed to providing equal access to our programs. Please consider making a donation today to the Jean Replinger Scholarship Fund and give the gift of challenge and discovery for future female and non-binary leaders.
Click here to learn more.

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