At the beginning of every school year, the Upland Heights Elementary second-grade team works to engage the students in a team-building activity. The goal is to show the students the importance of working together and treating each other like family.  

This year they decided on the cup challenge. In this activity, students work together as a team to build a cup pyramid using a string and rubber band tool. The only rule is they cannot use their hands or other parts of their body to stack the cups. 

Karry McGinty, a second-grade teacher at Upland Heights, stated that at first the students object and say, "This is going to be impossible!" and "There's no way!". The teachers reminded the students they could help each other and lean on each other when things get hard and challenging. 

“Their eyes widen with excitement at this new challenge and then there is a determined look that splashes across their faces,” said McGinty. “They literally say ‘challenge accepted!’ It got loud, and exciting, and was so amazing to watch how the kids overcame the challenge.” 

The second-grade teachers at Upland Heights consistently rise to the challenge of engaging their students each year by incorporating team-building activities, like the cup challenge, that prepare them to navigate life's challenges. 

“By allowing students to participate in these types of engaging activities,” said McGinty. “We are empowering them to be critical thinkers, problem solvers, to gain lifelong leadership skills, and to have perseverance.” 

During the challenge, the students' natural leadership skills arise as they work together to stack the cups, and then unstack them. When the students overcome the challenge, the teachers agree that the best part is watching their faces light up when they realize they achieved the goal.