Story by Maggie Liddell
Photos Courtesy of Orenda Springs
It’s early morning on a brisk fall day in Marcellus, New York. A young girl is hoisted into the air by six of her classmates in climbing harnesses, clipped to a rope like sled dogs. That same rope is attached to her two harnesses: one secured around her shoulders, the other, around her waist and hips. She looks like a rag doll as she levitates into the canopy of the forest.
There's a small pull cord dangling next to her shoulder, much like a parachute. When pulled, it will detach from the rope secured to her pull team, leaving her swinging from another rope attached to a line above. She looks nervous. Not paralyzed, but stiff. She was buzzing with excitement when it was her turn to take on the Peregrine Falcon, a high ropes course element at Orenda Springs that is not for the faint of heart. Soon after she was clipped in, her energy changed.
The pull team reaches half way down the hill, the girl is about 50 feet off the ground. One of the staff members at the head of the pull team realizes her nervousness and shouts...
"Would you like to go higher?"
Silence.
The staff member exclaimes, "Let me hear it for our friend in the sky!"
Her peers shout encouraging words from the ground below.
"Come on, you got it!"
"Just a little higher!"
"Imagine the view!"
The staff member shouts again to the girl in the sky, "Would you like to go higher?"
"Yes," says the girl, with no hesitation nor quiver in her voice.
She reaches the canopy and her peers count down.
"Three. Two. One."
She free falls and swoops right above the ground. Then, flies back into the sky. She becomes a Peregrine Falcon, the fastest flying bird in the world.
You could hear her laughing over the uproar of cheers and applause of her classmates.
Adventure at the Springs
At Orenda Springs Experiential Learning Center, individuals gather from near and far with the common interest of outdoor adventure. The learning center attracts all types of groups including school field trips, homeschool group outings, staff development retreats, youth groups, and so much more.
During their visit to Orenda Springs, participants embark on a thrilling journey, engaging in activities like zip-lining, hiking, and horseback riding. Throughout the day, they are encouraged to step out of their comfort zones, both physically and mentally, tapping into hidden reservoirs of personal resilience. The staff of Orenda Springs guide participants though personal development exercises as well as team building activities throughout their visit. They encourage participants to push each other in positive ways, building each other up to take on the ropes course with confidence. This process fosters strong bonds among peers as they embark on these transformative adventures together.
Outdoors for All
Experiential learning is an effective mode of building relationships with the natural world. In a survey of research conducted by Frontiers in Psychology, they found that nature experiences played a key role in the development of pro-environmental behavior, particularly by fostering an emotional connection to nature. These trends were revealed in over fifty studies.
That's what it's all about at Orenda Springs. Their goal is to provide space and activities to people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds; for the purpose of learning more about themselves as well as the natural world, all while participating in team building adventures.
Orenda Springs was founded by Olga and John Powers, who also goes by JP. Both of whom embarked on this venture with a shared vision of creating a haven for outdoor enthusiasts to revel in the thrill of adventure—a passion they had cultivated during their college years.
They met at the Syracuse University Outing Club (SUOC) in college, where they went on adventures in the local environment as well as in the Adirondack State Park. Here, they learned firsthand that outdoor experiences can expand your appreciation and connection to the world around you.
“JP really spent more time with SUOC than in the classroom. We like to say that he majored in Adventure and minored in Club Frisbee,” Olga Powers said as her husband smiled at her from across the table and nodded
When they graduated, they both entered the teaching field. JP was a science teacher at Grant Middle school in the City of Syracuse. Olga went to Melbourne Australia to work in an institution for disabled individuals as an educator.
Lack of access to green-scapes is a reality that communities of color unfortunately experience. This robs individuals of positive the benefits of outdoor experiences.
This includes communities like those in inner city Syracuse, where John Powers taught. Many of his students at the time lived in the wake of redlining and were economically depressed. According to Powers, his students had a disproportionate lack of access to green-scapes than students who lived in nearby suburban or rural areas.
Addressing Access
The majority of green spaces remain physically inaccessible to those with mobility and vision impairments, particularly in the case of more 'natural' areas characterized by uneven terrain. Additionally, some individuals with developmental and learning disabilities encounter adverse sensory and social encounters in these green spaces, leading them to experience a sense of exclusion and unwelcomeness, which may discourage their return visits.
Given that a substantial portion of the U.S. population lives with a disability (approximately one in five individuals), it is imperative to address the accessibility requirements for so that everyone can enjoy them.
Orenda Springs addresses this issue by taking the time to comprehensively understand the abilities and requirements of visiting groups. This means planing and collaborating with the organizations that come out to the nature center. They prioritize tailoring experiences for groups to ensuring that their preferences and participation choices are respected and accommodated.
Bonds Within
Olga and John Powers make it their mission to provide a space for individuals to learn more about themselves as well as the personal benefits that one experiences in outdoors spaces. So together, they created Orenda Springs—an experiential learning center dedicated to rekindling the bond between humanity, the earth, and the inner self.
Curious about their passion for this work, I inquired about their favorite aspect of it. They both shared that the most rewarding part was witnessing people embark on a journey of self-discovery, where they start to believe in themselves in entirely new ways.
As individuals complete their Orenda Springs experience, they depart not only with a sense of accomplishment but also with a newfound confidence that can transform their lives. As the sun sets behind the trees, the Powers both observe participants wrapping up the day with an expanded connection to the natural world.