SCHOOL CAMPS

Year 7 and Year 8

Mr Mitchell O’Brien - Year 7 Leader & Mr Luke Wilson - Year 8 Leader

“Students were also encouraged to live the values of compassion throughout the camp and staff could not have been more proud of these young men. ”

St Gregory’s College has been extremely proud of the way the young men in both Year 7 and Year 8 have started the school year.

Year 7 Camp

After spending the first term getting to know each other, the Marist values and ethos of the school, the students eagerly awaited their next challenge. Year 7 Camp provided an opportunity for the young men to continue to develop their relationships with peers and staff, whilst also pushing their understanding of comfort zones. There was an element of anxiety in the lead up to the event about the upcoming days away from home, but this was immediately dissipated upon arrival by the excitement and enthusiasm that new opportunities provided.

At Narrabeen, the students participated in a variety of engaging activities that helped them grow both individually and as a team. These activities were each designed to cater to every student, keeping them all challenged and motivated to achieve to their best. The water sports were an instant hit with all students, as they fearlessly participated in kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding and raft building. The opportunity for students to put on their bright orange vests and get into the unknown waters of Narrabeen required no convincing from the team leaders. There was no shortage of fun and excitement outside of the waters, as students were involved in a range of activities such as archery, bush walking, and initiative games. These mentally and physically challenging games kept students busy until the night-time activities and welldeserved dinner breaks.

A focal point of camp was to continue to develop the Agile Learner within each of the young men. The young men were encouraged to ‘make the effort’ with all activities and with supporting each other through the ups and downs, to ensure a grounded and relational approach, which we hope will carry on into their personal lives. After a term of discussing what it means to be responsible, camp allowed a practical approach to put these newly acquired skills into practice. An additional supporting factor was the guidance and support offered by our senior students, who willingly gave up their time to act as role models and mentors to our Year 7

cohort. Tuesday night’s Liturgy was a high point with students exploring the ideas of responsibility and relational development through a spiritually centred approach. Students were also encouraged to live the values of compassion throughout the camp and staff could not have been more proud of these young men. I hope all the young men came away with a great learning experience and spent some quality time talking to their family about the trip.

Year 8 Camp

The impact of the pandemic on 2020 was well documented. The 2020 Year 7 Camp was cancelled and rescheduled for early 2021 with an excited group of boys now in Year 8. The influence of the pandemic continued to interfere with regular camp management. Restrictions around social distancing and infection control meant that regular and much anticipated camp activities such as High Ropes, Abseiling and the Flying Fox were all unable to go ahead in 2021. Accommodation requirements saw half the number of boys were assigned to each cabin meaning we effectively had boys sleeping in all three separate accommodation centres at Narrabeen spanning the breadth of the Sydney Academy Campus. In typical fashion, the students continued to show an admirable level of flexibility in facing these changes.

Activities such as Raft Building, Bushwalking, Damper Making, Stand Up Paddle Boarding and the Escape Room were new activities instituted by the Academy staff which brought a freshness to Camp which was enjoyed by boys and staff alike. Lake Narrabeen provides an impressive backdrop for the many water activities enjoyed by the boys. We enjoyed the best of February’s weather with long days of warm summer sun.

We were fortunate to have a dedicated group of Homeroom staff who showed a great level of dedication to this camp. The staff were presented with many additional challenges when coping with new activities and managing a large group of boys spread over several cabins and activities. Their support of the 2021 Camp was much appreciated by the boys and by me.

Another important addition to the 2021 Camp was a Liturgy that was conducted by the College’s Director of Mission, Mrs Cathie Clarke. The Liturgy focussed on our camp theme of Kindness and encouraged the boys to act with kindness towards each other and to witness acts of kindness in others. The Liturgy finished late on the second night and gave the Senior students who accompanied staff on camp an opportunity to lead some aspects of the ceremony which they did with distinction.

The camp session finished at lunchtime on Wednesday. There were many boys who, without prompting, approached staff members, and thanked them for their support at camp. It was pleasing to witness these moments of appreciation and kindness reinforcing the goodness which abounds in the hearts and minds of many of the young men in Year 8.