Fifteen Decatur students. Each with personal strengths and personal challenges.

To overcome these challenges, the 8th graders signed up for Outward Bound, a program that teaches peer support, informed risk taking and leadership.

Funded by a $1,500 grant from the Decatur Education Foundation, the experience gave them a new perspective – and left them better prepared for high school.

Here’s what some of the students had to say about their experience:

“I talk a lot… I mean a lot. But today I realized how all that talking meant I wasn’t listening, and all that not listening means that I am probably missing some information that I need.”

“One of my greatest strengths is that I sit back and observe. One of my greatest challenges is that I sit back and observe. Participating in Outward Bound is helping me realize when I need to ‘sit back’ and when I need to jump right in.”

“I learned that I am afraid of being successful. That somehow I believe that success is not for people like me.”

“Just being selected by my teachers to participate in Outward Bound made me feel like they see my potential and are willing to push me to reach it.”

“This whole process made me think about how you can’t skip over steps when you are trying to get at something.”

“I learned that I am a quiet leader. That’s a lot of responsibility.”