Conscious Choice Seattle: Rock Solid

May 2006 | Feature Story

Rock Solid

The Passages Northwest programs lifts up the spirits and psyches of young girls in more ways than one.

By Heather Nordell

A small, 12-year-old girl moves methodically up the 60-foot rock face. Carefully assessing each move, she wedges her toe in a crack as she prepares to reach for the next handhold.

“Up rope!” she shouts to her belay partner. She wants to feel the extra security of a tight rope just in case she falls.
The girl takes a breath and extends her arm as she moves her foot up to the next small feature. Her fingers successfully grab the handhold that she thought was beyond her reach. She has made it to the top.

She takes a moment to absorb the quiet and scenic beauty from her vantage-point and peers down at her mentor below. With a smile of satisfaction, she shouts “Take!” to her belay partner and instructor, letting her know she is ready to be lowered down. She sits back in her harness and trusts the rope.

Her partner lowers her to safety and to cheers from her new friends.

Somewhere between the bottom and top of that rock face, the girl has tapped into the steady supply of “physical, creative and inquisitive courage” fostered by the Northwest Passages program. In some ways, she has climbed more than 60 feet. She is scaling beyond to believe in herself and trust others more.

“Passages Northwest allows girls to take healthy, positive risks,” says Katie Hultquist, executive director. “Our programs are metaphors for life.”

When women first learn about the girls’ outdoor programs of Passages Northwest, you can almost see them experience the “aha” moment. Women can imagine how the personal victories of the outdoors—remember the 12-year-old’s smile at the top of the rock—overcome the typical fears and uncertainties faced by adolescent girls.

“When girls become adolescents, many experience a loss of courage,” Hultquist says. “They start questioning their physical and intellectual capacity.”

For many girls, the bridge from childhood to adolescence is marked with a dramatic drop in self-esteem. While it is a time of struggle for both sexes, girls are more likely than boys to experience depression during adolescence. As pressure from peers intensifies, healthy support systems for girls are often weakest at this point in their lives.

The 2004 Washington State Healthy Youth Survey conducted by RMC Corporation reported that 36 percent of girls, compared with 22 percent of boys, in the eighth grade felt sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more in a row. What’s more, a major study in the American Journal of Public Health found that one in five high school girls is physically or sexually abused by a dating partner. And the National Eating Disorder Association says girls and young women account for 90 percent of all eating disorder cases.

Charting a healthier path

Passages Northwest provides opportunities for girls to chart a different course. It creates journeys for girls and women—primarily middle school and adolescent girls. The recipe: the great outdoors, athletics, arts, service, diversity, communication, mentorship and leadership.

Rock climbing, kayaking, hiking, snow shoeing, ropes course and camping bring girls into the natural world where they learn to overcome fears, build new skills and express their feelings. Whether communicating with a belay partner from a rock face or sharing secrets and dreams around the campfire, the girls learn to trust themselves and others. They dig deep and find their true selves.

Passages Northwest was started in the fall of 1996 by Annie Lareau and Jane Bierman Seibel. Jane worked as director of the Rural Girls in Science program for the University of Washington and Annie received her masters in education from Harvard University. Together they combined their knowledge to form Passages Northwest.

“We created Passages Northwest to fill a need that didn’t exist 10 years ago,” says Seibel. “We had seen how powerful the right experiences at this critical time could be in helping inspire courage in young women.”

Passages girls make positive connections with one another and their mentors. The program teaches them about surviving the outdoors, getting in touch with their feelings and beliefs and expressing them. They engage in an environment that promotes a love of curiosity and learning.

The girls develop responsibility and healthy decision-making. They are exposed to nature and taught to be stewards of our environment.

The varying programs have a profound impact on students. When Rachel joined her first Passages adventure, she was 13 and severely anorexic. She had been in and out of hospitals, and doctors put her on strict diet to prevent further weight loss.

Her mother, Deb recalls, “At that time, our family was just worn out.”

Deb heard about Passages Northwest and thought it could be good for Rachel. Despite the apprehension from the young teen’s doctors, Deb decided to send Rachel into the wilderness to get her mind off of her food-centric and body-conscious world.

Passages’ counselors assured Deb they were familiar with eating disorders. They created a special meal plan and watched Rachel like a hawk. When Rachel returned eight days later, she hadn’t lost a single pound even through the rigorous hiking, rock climbing and camping.

Now 17, Rachel reflects on her experience.

“It gave me a new sense of courage and confidence,” she says. “I did things I wasn’t sure if I could do. I also made great friendships.”

1,000 participants per year

In 2006, Passages Northwest celebrates its10th anniversary. Their programs now attract 1,000 girls and women per year and offer a generous supply of scholarships. The financial aid helps attract a highly diverse cultural and socio-economic group, which is one of the organization’s primary goals.

In 2005, 41 percent of participants were girls and women of color. The Passages Northwest leadership team believes that the opportunity for girls and women to interact across lines of race and class is rare and valuable—it breaks down stereotypes and offers a richer learning experience.

The coming-of-age stories are the best part of Passages Northwest.

Twelve-year-old Elena, now 19, was an extremely shy girl from Romania who was living in a group home when she joined the Passages Northwest “Girls Rock!” after-school rock climbing and mentoring program. Elena subsequently went on every summer climbing, hiking, backpacking, kayaking and camping program.

“Passages strengthened my communication skills and that helped me to connect with my peers,” says Elena. “I was able to learn to express my feelings and build confidence in who I am. Passages Northwest changed my life.”

Today, Elena is a mentor at Passages. Leadership development is an important aspect of their program. Alumnae serve on the Girls Advisory Board, which helps shape future programs, cultivate connections with other alumnae and raise funds for scholarships. Several alumnae have returned as interns, volunteer mentors or instructors.

“To me the stories that each girl tells from her Passages experience, be it one year after or 10 years later, are always a powerful surprise,” says Seibel. “It has been fascinating to see some of the participants return year after year to our programs and literally grow up with PNW taking on roles of leadership.”

Passages Northwest offers year-round programs for girls ages 10 to 17, parents and daughters, women, plus schools or organizations. Please go to www.passagesnw.org or call (206) 286-8601 for more information.

Heather Nordell is a regular contributor to Seattle Conscious Choice.

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