2026 HSLP: Day 2
High School Leaders Program Class of 2026
Day 2: Sunday, July 12th
Reported By: Tayyib Ali (Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School) and Louise Wang (Grafton High School)
Our first full day of the HSLP was all about coming together as a class to develop teamwork and prepare us for the intense week ahead. We started the day off with breakfast at O-Hill and then headed to a ropes course on campus for today’s activity:
Surrounded by nature, we started off in a large circle and played two icebreaker games: knee-tag and blind dodgeball. Both were games intended to get us comfortable and out of our comfort zones with peers. After icebreakers, we participated in five activities to help us bond as peers and experience themes of trust, leadership, and communication.
One of the five activities was the commitment bridge. Groups formed pairs that held on to each other to make their way down two diverging tightropes. We saw much more success when we straightened out and completely leaned into each other, emphasizing the need for trust with our partner.
The most mentally challenging activity was the Island game. We were given 3 boards and asked to cross each island (small wooden platforms) until everyone reached the last, and smallest, island. To win, every person had to fit either onto the island, or the board connected to the island. Success came from effectively communicating strategies and listening to every idea that was thrown into the air.
Our final activity was a giant ladder made of spaced out wooden rungs. Volunteers attempted to make their way to the top of the ladder while classmates acted as belayers, holding the ropes attached to the climbers’ harness. Through communication and by putting their trust in the belayers, many of the climbers succeeded in ringing the bell at the top rung of the ladder.
After the ropes course, we were caught in an impromptu rainstorm while walking back to Echols for a couple of hours of free time. We braved the continuing downpour to head to O-Hill for dinner, where we enjoyed a wide spread of food options. Overall, we ended today closer as a cohort and ready to take on what the rest of the program has to offer.