By Kinga Blando

From climbing on a rock wall, to standing on a 16-foot pole, students are challenging themselves to take a step higher in “Adventure Education,” a physical education class taught by Ryan Farwell. Students who are shy or wanting to meet new friends should consider taking this class.

“It’s a character development class, so it’s a noncompetitive classroom,” Farwell said. “It’s meant to create a sense of disequilibrium and to put students into unique situations.”

It’s a class to feel comfortable in and put as much effort as one can.

In this class students will learn how to “work with others in any environment, how to trust, cooperate, communicate with many different types of groups, they will also learn how to use belay skills on rope skills elements” Farwell said.

This class teaches a lot of socialization skills and how to work well with others.

The class also helps students “learn how to help individuals and groups reflect and learn from their experiences,”according to Plymouth State University.

Students will also learn how skills that are useful in certain situations that can prevent danger.

“I learned how to belay and tie knots because I was never in girl scouts so I didn’t get to learn when I was younger,” said Laura Mainzinger, one of Farwell’s former students.

This class has been available to take since the first term of 2015, and has been taught eight times since then. Farwell is experienced and taught this class as a GA (general assistance) many times at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

Many students enjoy this class because of how different it is compared to the regular general gym.

“I like how are the units are different, my favorite unit is the problem-solving unit because it’s different than what is offered in any other class,” Mainzinger said.

Students who enjoy competing against others and winning would not get the thrill that they thrive for.