Upward and downward for Outward

SELF-CONFIDENCE. Courage. Mental toughness. Pride. Anyone who's trained hard in pursuit of a big physical challenge knows that ripped abs are the least of the rewards.

It's in that spirit that I salute Outward Bound Philadelphia this week.

More than a gonzo outdoor adventure, the program has inspired more than 20,000 Philadelphia students in the past two decades to challenge themselves by stepping out of their comfort zones and literally pushing them to go that extra mile.

Those lucky participants have tackled their fears, learned the value of teamwork and more. "The wilderness is our classroom," executive director Katie Newsom Pastuszek told me. "But the takeaway is leadership, environmental responsibility and giving back to others."

Some program graduates will pay it forward next week when they and other Outward Bound backers - including some local bold-faced names - participate in a fundraising, 31-story rappel down the face of the One Logan Square skyscraper. Funds from the Building Adventure 2013 event are especially critical since school district cuts have hit Outward Bound hard this year.

Hayley Boyle, a 23-year-old who grew up in Collingswood, N.J., and now lives and works in Philadelphia, will be one of the Outward Bound alumni participants. After losing her father at age 9 and her brother during high school, Boyle was referred by a guidance counselor to an Outward Bound teen-bereavement program.

"It was intimidating at first - no technology, no creature comforts, no home-cooked meals," she said. Also intimidating: rock climbing while trusting someone else to belay you.

"But once you overcome those fears, you let yourself be present and you take away a whole new outlook on life," said Boyle, who now works at the Philadelphia World Affairs Council.

About 100 fundraising rappellers will join her on Oct. 18. Mayor Nutter, who took the plunge last year, is again likely to be among them, said Outward Bound's development director, Nadia Stadnycki.

State Sen. Vincent Hughes (D-Phila.) plans to go over the edge sometime in the morning.

It's not too late to get involved, either as a participant or a supporter. Call 215-232-9130, ext. 2326, or click on the "events" tab at outwardboundphiladelphia.org.

And remember to treat yourself to some outdoor adventure, even if it's just an easy ramble along a path at a local nature center. Fall is the perfect season for us all to nurture our bodies and our souls exploring the natural world around us.