The four folds are at the core of all AYF youth programming, whether camp or the many students visiting Merrowvista for community school programs. These folds are physical, mental, religious, and social.
Recently, many villages have been working on their physical and mental folds on the high-challenge ropes course in the activity center. During this period, youth are challenged to push themselves outside their comfort zone and into their growth zone.
All facilitators encourage youth to try something that helps them grow their mental capacity while respecting their ability to participate in the challenge by their own choice.
The activity center is home to half a dozen high-challenge elements youth can tackle with heights as high as 45 feet. An individual can accomplish some of the elements, and others require working with a partner or team.
This summer, Four Trails villages took on the giant ladder, which consists of wooden beams strung with wires. The beams are spaced further apart as they rise, stretching 6 feet apart at the highest furthest levels. Youth must work with a climbing partner to help boost each other up to the beams.
One of the most popular climbing elements is the skywalk. Participants climb up a ladder to a platform from which they cross the length of the activity center in the sky on various obstacles like swings, logs, and a scooter.
As we enter the last week of Session B, we are about to kick off the Four Fold Tournament with a lot of fun Night’s Doings for the community.