Adventure on the high seas

“Spirit was the most amazing experience. My favourite part was forming new friendships with people from Dio and getting to know more about my own team members, as well as those from other schools in New Zealand. The team-building challenges were such a lot of fun. I will never forget this experience.”

Sophie

“I had the time of my life on the Spirit of Adventure! I not only learnt how to sail a ship, but how to form strong connections with other people, some of whom I had never met before. I learnt so many life skills and tried lots of new things - all of which I loved doing. Through the many great activities I learnt valuable lessons that I can now bring into my everyday life, like how to make any situation fun, and to have more self-confidence. I would definitely recommend doing this in Year 10!”

Lilly

ADVENTURE

on the high seas

“The Spirit of Adventure Challenge taught me to enter every opportunity with an open mind and a positive attitude. Don’t assume that you can’t do something. I also learnt not to be afraid to talk to people I don’t know. People often form the wrong first impression of others – find the courage to talk to others and you might surprise yourself at the strong friendships that can develop!”

Holly

Towards the end of Term 3, 10 Year 10 students took part in a ‘trophy voyage’ on the tall ship Spirit of Adventure. Sophie Armstrong, Holly Barker, Tyler Butler, Eliza East, Olive Kirk, Lilly Lang, Caroline McNally, Coco Pett, Isabella Roberts-Yanez and Emma Wilson were selected on leadership qualities and their willingness to work in a team. Ms Tessa Lambert was the teacher-incharge who accompanied them.

This programme is run by the Spirit of Adventure Trust, in which teams of 10 students from four schools compete against each other. The events include teamwork, problem solving, debate, ship’s handling and aquatic sports in and on the water. Filled with fun and excitement, the teams completed tasks involving teamwork, ingenuity and leadership.

“Initially a little nervous and not knowing what to expect, I soon found that there was no need to worry and the five days on the Spirit of Adventure were undoubtedly some of the best of my life. Every day was filled with opportunities to work and grow as a team and push ourselves beyond our comfort zones. We did lots of sailing and rafting, saw dolphins and shared sunrise swims, and incredible friendships were formed that will remain with us. It was the people that really made the trip for me, each person encouraging the other and always with smiles on their faces. I am so grateful that I got the opportunity to go on the Spirit of Adventure.”

Emma

Each year, the Diocesan Old Girls’ League supports five girls to join a voyage, with the help of a 50% scholarship. For the girls who are interviewed, there is no talk of academic, sporting or performing arts success – it is all about fulfilling their potential and seeking their personal best. The League committee members say that the only thing more heartwarming than being involved in the interviews is hearing the girls’ stories and reading their notes of thanks when they return.

Our girls had the most amazing time and worked incredibly well together, making the most of each other’s individual strengths. The Diocesan team was overall winner of the challenge and was awarded the Spirit Trophy to take back to school.

SIR PETER BLAKE YOUNG LEADER AWARD

Blake Award winners Boh Curran (left) and Poppy Donald (right). Sir Peter Blake believed in the incredible potential of young people to achieve great things. The BLAKE Young Leader Award recognises young New Zealanders (Years 5-8) who show commitment to leading positive change in their communities that leads to a sustainable future for Aotearoa. At a recent full school assembly, two Dio students received these awards.

Poppy Donald (6J3) is a natural leader, quiet and understated in the way she inspires others to create positive change. She strives for excellence in all aspects of school life. Poppy is humble in her success and actively seeks feedback in order to improve. She is a good communicator, listens carefully to others and responds with empathy and compassion. She is also an effective decision-maker and has the ability to think critically about the outcome of possible actions and then act accordingly.

Boh Curran is a widely respected member of Year 8 who consistently demonstrates a motivated and compassionate approach to life, both in and out of school. She is an excellent communicator who shows empathy for those around her and her warm nature is appreciated by her friends and teachers alike. Boh likes to make the most of opportunities that are afforded to her and she has participated in a wide range of activities since she joined the school in Year 7.

Boh recently worked as a Year 8 Changemaker and in her application for this role she was able to propose an initiative that placed the wellbeing of her year level front and centre – an example of Boh’s empathic nature and inclination to empower others; hallmarks of an emerging leader.

GOLD DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARDS

Despite the additional challenges presented by COVID-19, three students were successful in completing their Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Awards this year: Deborah Huang, Chielin Xu and Chloé Hickin. Deborah will be presented with hers at an official ceremony in November and the others at a later date. There were another seven Year 13 girls doing the Gold Award, but unfortunately the lockdowns prevented them finishing before the cut-off date.

Chloé Hickin says of the ‘D of E’ experience: “When I started the Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award, I had no tramping experience at all. Fair to say, six tramps later, I have learnt a lot!

“However, there is more to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award than tramping. Each level has a skills section, physical recreation section and the service section. At the Gold Level, there is also the Residential Project. For my Residential Project, I went to the 2020 Rotary National Science and Technology Forum at the University of Auckland, Massey University, and AUT. It was an amazing two weeks, meeting so many new people and it inspired me further to have a career in science. For the skills section, I have grown my musical skills through learning guitar and being a member of the Senior Choir, and for the physical recreation section, I have played netball and been accountable for making progress in my running and strength at the gym. For the service section, I have looked after Sophia who has Down’s syndrome for going on five years now, and it is the best way to spend a Sunday morning. Find something that you enjoy, and it will be rewarding – every time I leave after seeing Sophia, I have a smile on my face and feel I have done something meaningful that day.

Deborah Huang, Chielin Xu and Chloé Hickin with Duke of Edinburgh co-ordinator Kate Pilkington.

“I have gained many important life skills. I know how to set a meaningful goal and work towards it. I have gained independence, organising gear for tramps, sorting out a residential project, and keeping on top of my logs. I have also formed relationships with many people I didn’t know before – as we check gear together as strangers at the start of the tramp, we come out of the track at the other end good friends who have faced a challenge together.

“I highly encourage everyone to give the award a go, and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I have. It really has been one of the biggest things that has shaped me as a person, and I have such a passion for adventure now – I am excited to keep exploring the world!”