R.O.C.K. Star Volunteer

By Sarah Meike, R.O.C.K. Special Projects Coordinator

Jordan has been volunteering with R.O.C.K.’s Student Adult Leadership Training (S.A.L.T.) for four years. What keeps Jordan coming back is the impact he sees R.O.C.K. inspire in students. S.A.L.T. was created to provide an adult mentor relationship for students in middle school and high school.  But when Jordan volunteers, it’s as if a role reversal occurs.  Sometimes being an adult in the school of R.O.C.K. means learning more from the students.

On multiple occasions, the S.A.L.T. program has brought participants to the ropes course at Fort Miley.  One of the obstacles at the ropes course involves climbing a tall tree and walking across a wire while 20 feet in the air.  A participant named Daniel was particularly afraid of heights.  He got a few feet out on the wire and froze with fear.  As Daniel stood there struck with panic, all of the kids below started yelling out encouragement and motivation.  After several minutes of terror, he eventually pressed forward and made it to the other side.  After that, Daniel was able to complete the other events with ease, knowing that the group had his back.  Watching this occur, Jordan learned so much from the experience.

Although Jordan was there to provide adult mentorship to the children, the kids knew exactly how to lead Daniel across the wire. Jordan stated, “It seemed that Daniel really went home with a sense of pride and accomplishment that day. It’s great to see the youth growing and overcoming their fears as part of S.A.L.T.”  It is lessons like this one that keeps Jordan coming back to learn more from the children of R.O.C.K.