I believe that to achieve and experience anything ‘extraordinary’ in our lives, we need to be able to step outside of our comfort zone.
What I learnt from my near-death Mt. Ruapehu experience was, when you’re faced with challenge and change, success or failure comes down to one thing – whether you are already prepared to step outside your comfort zone – or whether you’re not.
So, when the chance came up to build a programme that helps young New Zealanders step outside their comfort zones, I jumped at it! ‐ William
Challenge presents itself
William Pike’s love of exploring New Zealand’s great outdoors began at a young age and was developed further at Westlake Boys’ High School where he was a keen sportsman – a three-time national water polo champion – and developed a passion for outdoor pursuits. In 2006, William graduated with a Bachelor of Education with first-class honours and began a fulfilling career as a primary school teacher in Auckland.
On September 25, 2007, a year after he started teaching, William climbed Mt Ruapehu with a friend, James Christie. On their way back down, in fading light they decided to spend the night in the Dome Shelter. That evening, Mt Ruapehu erupted. The maunga shot an epic amount of rocks, water, and mud down its slopes, crashing violently into their hut. Crushed and critically injured, William hung onto life while James ran down the mountain in the dark to get help.
Challenge presents itself
William Pike’s love of exploring New Zealand’s great outdoors began at a young age and was developed further at Westlake Boys’ High School where he was a keen sportsman – a three-time national water polo champion – and developed a passion for outdoor pursuits. In 2006, William graduated with a Bachelor of Education with first-class honours and began a fulfilling career as a primary school teacher in Auckland.
On September 25, 2007, a year after he started teaching, William climbed Mt Ruapehu with a friend, James Christie. On their way back down, in fading light they decided to spend the night in the Dome Shelter. That evening, Mt Ruapehu erupted. The maunga shot an epic amount of rocks, water, and mud down its slopes, crashing violently into their hut. Crushed and critically injured, William hung onto life while James ran down the mountain in the dark to get help.
Survival
Almost 24 hours later, William woke up in Waikato Hospital and although he survived, his right leg had to be amputated below the knee and he faced a long, gruelling rehabilitation process.
William learned to walk again with a prosthetic limb, returned to teaching, returned to Mt. Ruapehu and now lives a life full of adventure. What William eventually learnt from his Mount Ruapehu experience was, when you’re faced with challenge and change, success or failure comes down to one thing – whether you are already prepared to step outside your comfort zone – or whether you’re not.
“People often say ‘you did so well’ to overcome the challenges you faced after the Ruapehu accident. On the outside, it may have almost looked easy for me to get to where I am now. But I wasn’t born that way. The truth is, from a young age, I was doing stuff that would ultimately prepare me to deal with my biggest challenge to date – Ruapehu. I was prepared for life by my involvement in the great outdoors, team sport, pushing my physical limits, finding great mates, being encouraged to achieve my personal best. In doing so,I was building a bank of resilience, confidence and life skills that were imperative to my survival.”
– William Pike
Founding the
William Pike Challenge
Since founding the William Pike Challenge in 2010, the programme has grown to involve nearly 130 schools from around New Zealand in 2024 and impacting the lives of more than 30,000 Year 6 – 13 tamariki who have taken part.
The annual programme encourages young people to develop 21st-century skills by stepping outside of their comfort zone to achieve and experience extraordinary things.
William says, “I was fortunate to have experiences in my teenage years, such as tramping, sports, and giving back in my community that I believe prepared me to overcome big challenges and shape me into the person I am today. After returning to the classroom as a teacher, I questioned whether the students in my class were prepared to step into their world with confidence and reach their full potential. I was not convinced. So, I had a wild vision; to get students into the outdoors, into their community and trying new stuff.
“For about 12 months I had my ‘radar’ on, looking for opportunities to bring my vision to life. I ended up connected with a school in Taupo and together we collaborated on the idea. After 12 months, they asked if they could call the initiative the ‘William Pike Challenge’. I initially said no, but they twisted my arm and the rest is history.”
How does the Challenge work?
We provide the support, online platform, and inspiration to help you create and deliver an exceptional EOTC programme tailored to your community and ākonga (Year 6+). Over the school calendar year, student ‘Challengers’ work through three pillars under the guidance of their teachers.
Passion
Project
20 Hours
Community
Services
20 Hours
Outdoor
Activities
20 Hours
Our bespoke online platform allows Challengers to track, measure, and reflect on their journey. Equally, teachers can support, approve, and monitor Challengers’ progress. The William Pike centralised resource hub enables both teachers and students to access guidance and inspiration at any time.
Book William Pike as an inspirational speaker
William Pike is a highly sought-after inspirational speaker for corporate and school audiences throughout New Zealand. He retells his story of surviving the freak Mount Ruapehu eruption and the importance of stepping outside of your comfort zone to experience the extraordinary.
Inspire and motivate your team with William Pike.