Alex Honnold’s recent free solo climb of the Taipei 101 tower has sparked the island’s interest in extreme climbing, but for years, the Ershui Junior High School in Changhua County has been requiring students to become great climbers to get their graduation certificates signed.
The Ershui Junior High School grounds host the highest climbing wall in Taiwan, and it’s not just for show. Students here take six climbing lessons every week, and have to be able to scale the 15-meter-high rock wall in order to get their graduation certificates. This unique graduation requirement not only challenges students’ limits but also cultivates their focus, balance, and physical coordination.
Equivalent to a five-story building, the rock wall at Ershui Junior High School looks intimidating for most adults, but the young students here need to master it if they want their graduation certificate signed. However, the youths don’t see it as something to be scared of. They love rock climbing, and some even team up with their parents to climb in their free time.
