Some of the most important lessons students learn don’t happen in classrooms.
This year, Armstrong High School seniors serving as Big Brothers and Big Sisters spent time building meaningful relationships with Little Brothers from Fairfield Court Elementary and Little Sisters from Woodville Elementary. Through shared experiences, conversations, and simply showing up for one another, what started as a program slowly became something more: friendships rooted in trust and connection.
As the school year came to a close, students celebrated all they had built together with a ropes course experience through our partners at Challenge Discovery at the University of Richmond. The course challenged students to do more than climb. It asked them to trust. To encourage. To lead. To lean on one another.
And they did. And it was not always the bigs encouraging the littles.
As students faced obstacles high above the ground, they relied on the very things they had been building all year: confidence, teamwork, and relationships. Older students cheered younger students on. Younger students trusted the support around them. Site Coordinators showing up authentically, showing their fears, making connections. Voices from below became reminders to keep going, keep trying, and not give up.
What made the day special wasn’t just completing the course. It was watching students put their relationships into action.
By the end of the day, one thing stood out:
Not a single person was left on the ground.
Because that’s what connection can do. At CIS, we know that when students feel seen, supported, and connected, they gain the courage to try something hard—and the confidence to keep going. This Tiny Win wasn’t just about finishing a ropes course. It was about watching students lift each other up and discovering what’s possible when no one climbs alone.
