Art teacher Bryan Kyser leads the new student-created climbing club, an opportunity for students to challenge themselves and explore new heights.
Kyser said the climbing club is designed to be inclusive, allowing all students regardless of skill level to participate and grow together. Kyser said he has mentioned that the climbing club is about more than just learning climbing techniques.
“I think you might assume that it’d be a stressful, kind of intimidating thing that maybe you don’t know how to join, especially if you don’t know anybody,” Kyser said. “But we’re not really looking down at anybody or thinking that way. It’s not really the expectation that you’re just going to be this profound climber. We just want everybody to show up and have a good time and just try to get better.”
Kyser said he wanted to focus on fun and improvement helps make the club a welcoming place for all students, even those who have no prior climbing experience. For Kyser, the idea of starting the club came from wanting to offer students an opportunity to stay active and involved in a different kind of sport.
“We decided to start a climbing club because we thought it’d be beneficial for any student, but really, especially students who aren’t as involved, maybe with different sports and athletics,” Kyser said. “It’s just a nice opportunity to do something, get involved and get active in the community.”
Kyser’s goal was to create an inclusive space where everyone, no matter their athletic background, could participate and enjoy physical activity. Building a sense of community is also a big part of Kyser’s mission for the club.
“We hope to build up a nice culture and get a nice community going, really get a nice group of people that want to get out there and just get better,” Kyser said.
The emphasis that Kyser puts on creating a positive, encouraging environment has already helped the club grow into a place where students support each other as they improve their climbing skills. The student leaders of the club also appreciate the structure and motivation Kyser brings to the group.
“He motivates us to be on it about everything, like making sure that we’re organized and stuff like that,” senior Taylor Ralston, a student leader in the club, said.