Take the LEAP! JOIN US AT VISION VALLEY FOR OUR CO-ED RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM
SUNDAY 5 MAY – FRIDAY 31 MAY 2024
Hey Churchie!
So, you're thinking about joining Pymble’s Year 9 Residential Program at Vision Valley next year? We’re here to tell you not to think about it too hard – just do it!
Annabelle
When we look back at our time at The Valley, it’s such a cool memory. Living away from home for four weeks with other girls in our year who we didn’t know so well – as well as boys we had never met before – was even better than we imagined.
Everything is different here, in a good way. Say goodbye to normal classrooms for four weeks. Lessons are often outdoors and might involve the lake, rocks and bushland around you or, on some nights, the stars above you.
Addison
You try things you’ve never tried before (like navigating through the bush with actual maps) and learn new skills (like making fire from sticks). You become more independent but with the safety net of staff here to guide you.
But the best thing is that it’s so much easier to make new friends here than it is in normal life. Phones are banned but you won’t miss yours because you’ll be so busy camping out overnight on expeditions, playing basketball, mountain biking, bulking up if that’s your thing and – wait for it – talking to other girls and boys in person.
JoJo
Seriously, the no phone rule is a relief. It gives you a break from social media and takes away all the awkward of connecting with people around you. Through this program we’ve all made new friends who are still our friends today, and you will too. Even though some of us were really nervous and unsure of what to expect at the beginning we would do it again in a heartbeat. but it’s your turn now. Don’t wait, jump in! You won’t regret it.
Rosa
THE
BEST BITS
There are a couple of expeditions which help you to get to know more people and learn new skills, like planning your hiking and transport routes, reading actual maps, cooking outdoors on gas stoves and sparking fire from sticks. Some are pretty challenging, but the camp leaders give you the support you need and you feel so proud of yourself at the end.
“The night before the program, I didn’t sleep. I was so nervous and didn’t know what I was getting into. When we got there we had a meeting which calmed our nerves. Then we were introduced to everyone and had games. By the end of that day, I was like, “I’ve made a good choice” and by the end of the four weeks I literally did not want to leave. I could have done it all over again.” – ADDISON
Here’s your home for four weeks. Newly renovated and stocked with all the Milo you can drink. Our lodge went through four giant tins in four weeks. It is so good to get out of normal classrooms for a while and learn outdoors. You think differently and have control over your own learning.
You won’t go hungry here. The food is amazing, and forget seconds – you can have eights if you really want! Schnitty night is always the hot favourite.
The boys love the mountain bikes – they have so much fun, showing off the whole time. There’s also a beach volleyball court and a basketball hoop, which is used every day at lunch. We don’t know how one hoop can bring so much joy but it does.
“When it was time to do my solo camping, I felt like I needed some space so I was glad to spend 24 hours by myself. Surviving overnight on my own felt like a YouTube challenge. I was so proud of myself and went back to the main camp so happy to see others again.” – ROSA
“Our beach expedition was hard. We walked 8km a day, up so many flights of stairs. At times you think, I can’t do this, but everyone helps each other make it through. At the end, you look back and think, ‘Hey, I did that – and with a 20kg backpack on!’.” – ANNABELLE
You keep up your fitness with all the outdoor activities, gym and hikes. The VV3 at 6.00am is a good start to the morning. Running 3km through bushland at The Valley makes you feel good for the day. The guys love getting competitive and try to run it in record time.
Don’t waste time being shy. Talk to everyone from the start. Put yourself out there, go play a round of basketball, and you’ll see what we mean about it being easier than normal to meet new people and make new friends here.
We always had music playing in our lodge and there was singing all time. Movie nights are fun and you can just relax and not talk for a while if you need to. We’d hook up a teacher’s phone to the speakers and lose our voices singing on bus trips to the expeditions. It felt like a concert on wheels.
“Being away made me realise how much our parents do for us. When I said this to my mum, she told me I should hang out with boys more often. That’s what VV has allowed me to do. I’m now really close to some of the boys on the camp and have also made new friends at school who I would never have spoken to before." – JOJO
“On our expedition, our camp leaders said here’s a map, here’s a compass, we’re here and we need to get there in five days. We planned leaders for each day and had to work out our route. We messed up sometimes but no one got upset. We’d stop, think again and then get up and keep hiking. At the end of it we knew how to read the time and where we were by the sun, which is pretty cool.” – ADDISON “Is it weird to say doing my own washing was fun? I liked being independent.” – JOJO “Getting letters from home was a buzz – as exciting as online shopping arriving on your doorstep. I’m not joking.” – ROSA “Initially I thought it would be good to get away from my siblings, then I missed them. – JOJO
"Yeah, everyone was so nice to us when we got back. I think they missed us too.” – ROSA
ut ugh abo a l l l ’ u o y e! The bits y... we promis a d one
All the boys in my group who got a leech would make this high-pitched scream – it was hilarious. We got them too, you just have to suck it up. LOL.
There’s no pretty way to say this, but on some expeds we have to dig our own loo because we are right out in the bush. You end up feeling pretty proud of yourself that you can overcome any preciousness and just go with the flow…
We did the guys’ hair one day. We’d been mucking around in the pool for a couple of hours and afterwards, as we were drying off, we decided to do little pig tails in their hair. We tried to do braids, too, but unfortunately their hair was too short.
This is n e w B F D o u g , yo u r F on ex peds.
JUST A TYPICAL
VISION VALLEY DAY (WHEN WE'RE NOT ON EXPEDS)
0600-0630
0630-0730
0730-0900
0900-1030
1030-1100
Rise
Exercise/showers
Breakfast/duties
Learning/activity block
Break
1500-1530
1330-1500
1230-1330
1100-1230
Break
Learning/activity block
Break
Learning/activity block
1530-1730
1730-1830
1830-1930
1930-2100
2100-2200
Recreation/ projects/ academic intensives
Free time/dinner duties
Dinner/dinner duties
Evening activity/ study/downtime
Bedtime
www.pymblelc.nsw.edu.au/year-9-residential-stay 7 Vision Valley Road Arcadia NSW 2159 Australia +61 2 9855 7788 visionvalley@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au A SCHOOL OF THE UNITING CHURCH
2023-VV-CHU-1V1
ACN 645 100 670 | CRICOS 03288K