Project Climb Youth Rock Climbing Program
Spending time in the great outdoors reduces stress, improves mood, and increases focus. Better yet, participating in an outdoor sport like rock climbing improves muscle strength and hand-eye coordination, all while allowing you to have fun and enjoy nature with friends. As a Utah-based 501c3 non-profit organization, Elevated Mountain Guides (EMG) strives to make outdoor recreation accessible and inclusive. With a focus on making rock climbing equitable for children, EMG is seeking ways to grow our youth rock climbing program, Project Climb. Through Project Climb, EMG is able to provide the mentorship, guidance, and encouragement needed to help children begin on their rock climbing journey.
What is Project Climb?
Founded in 2018, Project Climb is a local community collaboration in Utah that provides rock climbing courses and classes to underserved youth. As EMG’s domestic program, Project Climb aims to help children gain access to the benefits of outdoor experiences, find an appreciation for nature, and learn how to advocate for the environment. Project Climb supplies dependable rock climbing gear, professional coaching, and reliable transportation at no cost to students or their families. Additionally, EMG’s partnerships with Momentum Indoor Climbing and The University of Utah provide parents peace of mind that their children are practicing in inclusive training facilities.
EMG’s support from Momentum Indoor Climbing and the Boys and Girls Club aided Project Climb in beginning an indoor program. By starting indoors, kids are able to become acquainted with climbing gear and build trust on the wall. Project Climb has been able to safely transition to an outdoor setting with the assistance of their additional affiliate partners: SOS Outreach, Salt Lake County Youth Services, local adult recovery groups, and local Title 1 Elementary Schools. Since its inception, approximately 242 students have benefitted from the program.
What are the Benefits of Rock Climbing for Kids?
While rock climbing is a great form of exercise, studies have also shown that the activity benefits childhood development in more ways than we realize. Luckey LLC’s article, 4 Ways Climbing Boosts Kids' Mental & Social Development, reported that climbing helps develop spatial awareness, behavior, memory, and motor skills. The article cited a 2015 study conducted by psychologists from the University of North Florida that discovered “‘proprioceptively dynamic activities like climbing’ can dramatically, and quickly, improve core executive functions like working memory.”
The article also found that student climbers show a higher level of academic performance. EMG Founder and Executive Director, Nikki McGee, has experienced this firsthand. When asked what her favorite memory has been in her time developing the Project Climb program, Nikki recalled working with a sixth grader that was experiencing behavioral issues in school. Nikki explained that “he was constantly in the principals’ office and was on the brink of getting kicked out of school. After beginning the program, he was killing it. Doing his homework and making friends.”
Zach Kohler is the Director of Project Climb. In Elevated Mountain Guides’ Project Climb video, he acknowledges that “the kids benefit from our program in a number of ways, and a lot of times it translates into the classroom. It translates into other activities that they do. Their counselors, their teachers, the people they interact with in the club will see that they are willing to try things outside of their comfort zone.” Project Climb allows participants to learn how to complete challenges and overcome obstacles in a positive way. This sentiment is also echoed in Luckey LLC’s article, as it states that climbing promotes problem-solving skills – “Your brain treats climbing structures like a series of problems that you need to overcome. Climbing at an early age teaches kids to adapt to new or unknown environments, and encourages goal-setting, determination, and planning.”
As a team sport, rock climbing also promotes social development. Project Climb meets frequently, and students build trust in the enduring friendships they create in the program. Climbing provides the type of team building that bolsters the same set of cooperative skills that we use in friendships, at school, and in professional settings. Rock climbing can help participants learn to be able to confidently rely on their peers and reciprocate the same gesture in return. Trust is a crucial step in psychosocial development, and Project Climb facilitates healthy mentors, friendships, and avenues for children to acquire this vital, subconscious knowledge.
Conclusion
Elevated Mountain Guides’ vision is to foster an equitable and inclusive outdoor community. Programs like Project Climb have a direct impact on the lives of the children involved. Climbing is an enriching activity, and with non-profit organizations like EMG breaking barriers to outdoor access, there’s no telling the incredible heights our youth will be climbing to next.
Your generosity has a sincere impact on the lives of our participants, staff, and volunteers. Your contributions help us expand our programs and increase outdoor access to those who benefit from it most. We can’t do it without you!