Team Captains from our Take the Lead program kicked off the start of the new school year with the first retreat of 2014. Over 50 captains from all over the city came together at Nathanael Greene Elementary, in the McKinley Park neighborhood, to build upon their leadership skills.
The day started with a few icebreakers and lots of laughing. Once the captains had gotten to know one another, we moved into our soccer tournament. Captains sharpened their skills to prepare for the upcoming Work to Play season, where they’ll be called upon to help teach their younger teammates.
Team skis, giant Jenga, balance blocks, and balloon skyscrapers reinforced the themes of teamwork and time management. Captains counted in unison, trying to lead their team to victory in team skis. Some groups even employed coaches (other captains) to analyze and help resolve some of their shortcomings. In giant Jenga, the groups worked out strategies together to best ensure the stability of the feeble block tower, and in the balance blocks, captains came up with creative ways to fit everyone on tiny blocks.
But, the highlight of the day was the building of balloon skyscrapers. With a limited amount of time, team captains needed to properly manage their time in order to build the tallest skyscraper possible. To say the least, there were some interesting designs. In all, the captains left ready to TAKE THE LEAD at their practices and in their schools.
