River's Way is all about "I cans." When you are up on a ropes course, or just facing a simple problem you have to say “I can” if you want to succeed. Everyone has a point where they say “I can’t” but now that moment for me is very rare. River’s Way showed me that if the first word out of my mouth is I can, I will do it. Seventh Grade Student, Damascus Middle School

River’s Way helped me learn to have confidence in myself and in others. My opinion about River’s Way is that it’s a great experience for me and all my friends. I feel that after the period of time that I have participated in River’s Way, my school work has seemed to be less difficult. When I go to work with a partner in class, I feel that we can get the job done. I think that River’s Way should be a necessity in all schools. Your obstacles have shown me you can do more than you think you can. Seventh Grade Student, Damascus Middle School

Students at New Horizons Alternative School are all at-risk students.  The majority have not been successful in the classroom.  They lack strong foundations, both academically and socially.  For the most part, these students do not have strong support systems that help them to make good choices.  They have not found the adults in their lives to be very trustworthy.

 The programs offered by Rivers Way give us an opportunity to challenge our students in a way that demands that they use strategic reasoning, perseverance and creativity while completing the task at hand.  They are forced to communicate effectively with one another while working  together as a team.  Only rarely in the classroom setting can we, as teachers, give them the opportunity to truly work through a problem with no time constraints and over which they have complete control.  Rivers Way gives them this, and more, in every activity.  It stretches them in ways that are sometimes comical, occasionally shocking, and always revealing of the potential that lies in each and every one of them.  We have treasured the opportunity to partner with Rivers Way and are hopeful that this relationship can grow as we both move forward. Kim Hoffman, Teacher at New Horizons Alternate School

This program made me happier throughout the day and I did more work.

I look at challenges from more angles now.

Teams work best when they listen to each other.

It taught me to stick with things even when they are difficult

I stay calm and focused and I follow through

I am better at working and listening to others

It helped our class to become very close. We are all friends now.

I learned to listen to everyone’s ideas and to try everything.

I’ve learned my leadership qualities and how everyone else contributed to those qualities.  It was a lot of fun!

I keep going even if I don’t want to or even if I thought I couldn’t.

Business Class Students from Tennessee High School

The River’s Way Program has impacted my business students at Tennessee High School in numerous ways.  The students have learned to respect each other and to listen to other’s ideas.  One student mentioned in class that she actually knew everyone’s name in my class and that it was the only class where she had got to know her classmates.  With team work being such a crucial part of the work environment, my students have had the opportunity to jump ahead of a lot of high school students by the challenges that River’s Way have provided them in their team work activities.  My students have definitely grown as a group but more importantly, they have grown as individuals because of the River’s Way experience in my classroom. Thanks for Everything!Gill Payne, Business Instructor, Tennessee High School