Climb the Wall is an indoor rock climbing program for students with learning disabilities (LD). We aim to foster personal agency and promote self-discovery through innovative after-school programs that incorporate rock climbing, yoga and mindfulness meditation.

A 2014 report from the National Center for Learning Disabilities indicates that transition planning support from high school through college, and beyond, is greatly lacking among LD students. While 55% of students with learning disabilities have transition plans, disability services personnel from two and four year institutions are sought out only 26% of the time. As a result, students are at risk of dropping out. There is a great need to empower and teach students the language of self-advocacy.

Climb the Wall bridges the opportunity gap by offering experiential programs with structured and unstructured activities that provide students with time for self-discovery as they explore their strengths and develop coping mechanisms for their disabilities. Reflection time allows students to process their experience to gain self-knowledge and map new goals. Over six weeks students receive individualized climbing instruction in a safe and supervised environment where students learn the fundamentals of climbing and leave program with a belayer certification and much much more.

A video of our first program is available here: https://youtu.be/9AEgoEwbl7w