Rising to the Challenge

At first, tackling the Spider Web seems like an almost impossible feat. The goal for the Menlo Oaks Middle School students is to pass their peers through several openings in the 6-foot-by-6-foot contraption without touching the bungee cords and string that make up the web. But after a few tries and much concentrated effort, the kids finish with a sense of elation, some of them shouting, “We conquered it!”

For 10 years, the Challenge Learning Center, in Mountain View, Cal., has been holding hands-on outdoor exercises like this one for kids aged 11 to 18.

The center was founded by Jim Bronson and his wife, Merrily. At the time, Ms. Bronson — who died in 1995 — was battling breast cancer. She hoped the center would help kids gain the skills to meet whatever challenges they may come up against — such as battling a life-threatening illness or overcoming the pressure to join a gang. So far, more than 15,200 kids have participated in the center’s outdoor classrooms.

Like the Spider Web, the center’s other “challenge courses” help kids become more confident, more willing to trust others, and less likely to see each other as stereotypes, says Barry Tonge, the center’s executive director.

“The problem built into the Spider Web is that you can’t do it alone,” Mr. Tonge says. “It takes effort, focus, and everybody’s cooperation all the time, which can be pretty frustrating — and not typically the easiest thing for a seventh grader.”

A key lesson for students, he adds, is that failure leads to success. Says Mr. Tonge, “It’s important for them to be resilient when they face a crisis.”