Fearless SCHers Go ‘Over the Edge’ for Philadelphia Outward Bound School

Last Friday, three fearless SCHers—Emma Hannigan ’27, Teddy Giannone ’27, and Maggie Mutch from the Development Office—quite literally went over the edge for a great cause! The trio strapped securely in, jumped off the roof of a 30-story building, and rappelled 315 feet down the side of Commerce Square in Center City. The event, Building Adventure, was hosted by the Philadelphia Outward Bound School (POBS) and is the year’s largest fundraiser for the organization that supports outdoor education for students across the region.

Joining them on the ground (and on the mic!) was Head of Upper School Matt Norcini, who emceed the event in his role as POBS Board Chair, cheering on participants and sharing the spirit of adventure with the crowd.

All three SCH participants are no strangers to Outward Bound, having completed leadership training or an expedition previously. Reflecting on the experience, Hannigan shared, “Even if something seems hard or scary, you can push yourself through it and surprise yourself. We are all capable of way more than we think.” Giannone added that his Outward Bound experiences taught him “the true meaning of teamwork and how to be resilient.”

Their words echo SCH’s own commitment to outdoor education, in particular the 9th-grade Outward Bound Expedition, which challenges students to grow in confidence, cooperation, and courage as they begin their high school years.

Proceeds from Building Adventure support outdoor education opportunities for more than 7,000 public and charter school students in the Philadelphia area, helping thousands of students experience the transformative power of experiential learning.

The event was captured in full with a livestream video of the participants' descent.

Photo caption: ​Safe on the ground again are the three intrepid SCHers who participated in Philadelphia Outward Bound's Building Adventure and rappelled 315 feet down Commerce Square in Center City. Pictured here are Maggie Mutch, from the school's development office, and Teddy Giannone, along with SCH Head of Upper School and POBS board chair Matt Norcini, fellow rappeller Emma Hannigan and her sister Grace. Grace came to cheer on the crew after rappelling herself in 2021.