When you think about Bear Grylls, you probably picture him climbing a mountain, jumping out of an airplane, or even chopping his way through a jungle in South America. As an adventurer, he’s known for his television show about surviving in the wilderness, but he’s still afraid of one thing: cocktail parties full of strangers. Grylls recently admitted this fear at an educational conference, though it isn’t the fear that lead him to being the adventurer we all know so well.
The Fear That Turned Grylls Into The Adventurer He Is Today
Bear Grylls always had the adventurous spirit running through his veins. In his early 20s the call of adventure lead him to Africa where he jumped out of an airplane. Only, his chute malfunctioned and the young Grylls broke his back in 3 places. While these injuries eventually became the springboard for his later ambitions, his first thoughts were dark and full of fear. Understandably, Grylls was worried he wouldn’t walk again, but true to his philosophy of pushing through fears, he used his accident to launch even more adventure, “I might be a bit crook and a bit scarred, but I’m OK and I’m really going to claw my way back – and I really want to do something with my life.”
What Grylls Had To Say On His Early Education
When it came to discussing his own education, Grylls admitted school wasn’t his strongest attribute, “I wasn’t very good at school – and I struggled a lot with confidence.” But, he urged the educators in attendance to allow the struggles their students face to become the preperation for their future success. He says, out of this struggle comes strength, tenacity, and determination. Grylls’ own spirit of adventure and curiosity was built on his experiences with risk. He says encouraging young students who are shy and lack confidence is what educators should be focusing on. “If you strip risk out of young people’s lives, you kill that spirit. Risk is all around us and you empower kids if you teach them how to manage that risk.”
Empowering Students Through Science And Adventure
At StratoStar, we’re all about empowering kids through STEM education. The team at StratoStar works with educators every day to create curriculum based on high-altitude weather balloons and high-altitude science experiments. With your class of students, you’ll create an experiment to send to the edge of space. Throughout the curriculum, you’ll talk hypothesizing, testing, and the entire scientific process. Your students will be thrilled to get hands-on learning and send something to space!
Are you ready to get started? Contact StratoStar!
