YOU HAVE WORKED ON BOTH COLLEGIATE AND PARK EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. WHY ARE OUTDOOR PRO- GRAMS LIKE THESE VALUABLE? It’s a great co-curricular opportunity. It builds resilience, drives a sense of belonging, and has clearly demonstrated that it drives both overall school retention rates and academic success. COULD YOU SHARE A “THIS IS WHY I DO THIS” MOMENT? Recently in our adaptive programming, we created an oppor - tunity on the ropes course for everyone of just about every ability to be able to come out and do it. I can tell you, it is such a cool experience for us—the staff—to see all this cool stuff happen at height. WHAT WOULD YOU TELL A CHILD OR YOUNG ADULT CON- SIDERING THIS FIELD? I’d give them a lot of encouragement. There’s a lot of opportunity here, and it’s very rewarding work. And then there’s using the outdoors as a workplace. That’s what drew me in. It’s a fantastic way to work … and live.
and neighboring counties apply for and receive grant funding through the North Carolina Youth Outdoor Engagement Com - mission to support their outdoor field trips to Miracle Heights. He has also been a trailblazer in developing adaptive aerial adventure programming in the state, says a nominator: “Pe - ter—in partnership with a dozen local organizations, working with and led by people with disabilities—has helped create the infrastructure and procedures necessary for MHA (Miracle Heights Adventure) to be able to offer adaptive programming, which is potentially the first/only program of its kind in the state.” WHAT LED YOU TO THIS CAREER? I grew up in Scouting, where I did amazing outdoor activities as a youth. I took part in outdoor programs like ropes and whitewater rafting in college, and it was just always such a joy. But as much as it was a joy for me to experience, it was even more joyful to share it. It was a no brainer: this was what I wanted to do.
HANNAH BRUNCK Field Trainer, U.S. National Whitewater Center, N.C.
S ometimes the thing you truly think you cannot do ends up being the thing you do so very well. Just ask Hannah Brunck. When she came across an adventure park job by chance in her college years, her first thought was, “But I’m wildly afraid of heights.” Her second thought—“Why not give it a try?”—led to her not just overcoming (or perhaps learning to lean into and live with) her fears, but to her becoming a “beloved field trainer,” says a nominator, who can take anyone, even those as scared as she once was, and transform them into aerial adventure rock stars. As a field trainer at the U.S. National Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., Hannah “is highly respected and sought after by her peers, and she has a deep love for seeing her cowork - ers succeed,” says a nominator, adding, “I have never met anyone in this industry quite like Hannah. I’m so excited to see where her career takes her.” HOW DOES YOUR FEAR OF HEIGHTS INFORM YOU AS A TRAINER AND ADVENTURE PARK EMPLOYEE? I was incredibly nervous and scared of heights when I started, so I’d just be all “I love heights!” under my breathe and in my head. I wouldn’t say my fear went away; I just learned to get past it. And through that fear and that process, I realized I was better at under - standing that fear in everyone else. Which led me to stay in this field. I have a knack—from personal experience—for calming people down, which is often needed in training for this work. DO YOU HAVE A MENTOR/SUPPORTER WHO REALLY STEPS UP FOR YOU? Oh, yes. Greg Rich, [director of inspections and training] with Beanstalk Builders. He did my original training.
He understood my hesitation and knew just how to help me see that I’ve got this, I can do this, and I can do awesome things. We are still close and stay in touch. I joke that I’m his extra child. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE AVERAGE WORK DAY? I like training people, helping them feel confident and secure. I like to get to know each person. Are they Type A or B? Are they verbal or written learners? And then adapt the training for them. It’s an interesting process, and I get to see the results first-hand. >> continued
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