12 minute read

Outdoor Camps

CAMPS

EUREKA! YEAR 5 CAMP STRIKE GOLD YEAR 6 CAMP

Year 5 students struck gold on their camp to Sovereign Hill in Ballarat. Confectionery making, gold pouring, a tour of a mineshaft and the opportunity to role play historical gold miners was on offer. The wet, soggy and cold weather was also a reminder of the conditions experienced by the old prospectors during the Gold Rush. After fortunes were found on the goldfields, the students experienced three days immersed in nature. This included bushwalks, competitive hut building, geocaching, archery, rock climbing and low ropes. The highlight of the trip was the brilliant sound and light night show at Sovereign Hill. This brought the Gold Rush alive right before our eyes before burning it all down in the name of the Eureka Rebellion. One of the highlights of the year for our Year 6 students is the trip to our nation’s capital, Canberra. Our students were engaged in all there is to learn and enjoy, visiting prominent landmarks and educational sites including the National Gallery of Australia, the Electoral Education Centre, Questacon, Parliament House and the War Memorial. A spontaneous visit to the Aboriginal Tent Embassy provided an opportunity to listen to a presentation during Reconciliation Week. Thank you to our wonderful staff for providing a full week of exploration for our students and taking such good care of them! We hope you enjoy the following reflection from Lori Padowitz who attended the camp:

Taryn Stark and Gideon Sharp Year 6 Camp will definitely be a highlight this year. It was very political and interesting but with a twist of some fun, active activities. We got to go on a bike ride across a park and pond and then go rock climbing, and then to Questacon which was super fun and got to explore many things there. They were the most fun activities I participated in all camp. But I won’t exclude the most interesting topics we explored on camp. We got to visit Parliament House and got to go to the actual room of the Senate and House of Representatives, and then as a treat we got frozen yogurt! We also went on a variety of tours that mostly consisted of memorials but also took a trip to the National Gallery of Australia and to the Australian Mint. The only frustrating thing was the cold rain was hard to bear but other than that I definitely recommend Year 6 Camp.

Lori Padowitz (Year 6)

YEAR 8 CAMP

Our Year 8 students spent 9 days in Central Australia on a culturally immersive camp experience, learning about country and ancient practices of the Anangu and Arrernte people of Uluru and Alice Springs. This authentic and unique opportunity for our students included a dynamic and engaging range of activities. Highlights included a guided tour around Uluru at sunrise, Shabbat in a magnificent camp setting overlooking the East MacDonnell ranges and star gazing with expert guides and a fully equipped observatory at the camp site. The exquisite site also featured its own wind and solar energy and focused on sustainability and climate change awareness. Hiking in the magnificent MacDonnell Ranges uncovered magnificent viewpoints and areas that are sacred to the world’s oldest living culture. This experience has no doubt encouraged our students to appreciate the preciousness of life for all the world’s inhabitants. Enjoy the following reflections from two of our students.

Year 8 camp this year was a real treat! We spent over a week bonding, learning and taking in the sites of beautiful Central Australia. We were in the Red Centre for a total of nine days and eight nights across two spectacular campsites. With our dedicated staff, knowledgeable and friendly guides, talented cooks and the two brothers who ran the whole operation, Tom and Danny, we were well taken care of! After a layover in Sydney, we finally arrived in Yulara (the town outside the Uluru Kata-Tjuta National Park). We settled in our tents for two days. We got to experience an amazing sunset at Uluru and Kata-Tjuta. We enjoyed the fresh air and the dazzling colours. Our peers also experienced sleeping in a swag for the first time (a swag is like a one-person tent and acts as an outer layer for your sleeping bag). It allowed us to sleep under the enchanting Milky Way and wake up to the colourful and beautiful sunrise. Our time at the Uluru campsite was filled with fun and eventful activities. We woke up early for sunrise and went to local museums where we learnt about Aboriginal art and culture. We did the base trek around Uluru and rode camels through the desert. We had delicious meals, put on all our warmest gear at night and sat around a bonfire. One night, we went to a lookout, lay down and looked at the stars in the vast night sky while listening to a didgeridoo. Our guide pointed out many constellations like the Southern Cross. Now nobody should get lost because we all know how to navigate using the stars. Shabbat was also a highlight. We had a Friday night service under the gorgeous setting sun to welcome in Shabbat (thanks to Jade and Nina!). It was full of beautiful tefillot and great community vibes. Then we had a Shabbat morning service and a Havdalah service to farewell Shabbat. After a long 5 hour bus ride we arrived at the amazing Earth Sanctuary in Alice Springs. We kept our legs moving by going on long distance and challenging hikes. We walked many trails and went to lots of scenic locations such as Emily’s and Jessie’s Gaps, Standley Chasm, different parts of the Larapinta trail and more. At the stunning Ormiston Gorge we hiked up a mountaintop and looked down at spectacular hills and lakes. After a long yet exciting camp, it was time to go home. A final delicious meal and expert packing, we were off to Melbourne. This camp had been a series of ups and downs but it was filled with great memories too. Every little detail was organised by Russell Newman and the KDS staff and to them we are indebted. So once again thank you guys for giving us the privilege of an amazing outback adventure!

Giselle Berman & Lennox Burstin-Irwin (Year 8)

YEAR 9 CAMP

Year 9 students enjoyed a peak outdoor education experience on camp in Term 2. In the first week, they hiked in groups, sleeping in tents and cooking their own meals. They then gathered to spend Shabbat together. In the following week, they learned cooking skills with the on-site chef, regenerative farming with a local farmer, woodwork with Tom Skinner, and explored the local history from the geological past to the First Nations People, to the colonial times and the current era, led by a local whose family has lived in the area since the 1890s. They also experienced archery, rock climbing, abseiling, canoeing and the high ropes course. Enjoy the following reflection from Ava Boulton Webb:

Over 11 days of Year 9 camp, I was pushed out of my comfort zone both physically and mentally. Coming back from the trip, I have found myself to have a different perspective on the people in my year level, as well as the privilege to live more than ‘simple living’. At the start of week one, when the groups were announced, our group was the only group that was entirely mixed between friend groups. The majority of the people in my camp group to which I would be with for the next five days, were people I wasn’t close with or hadn’t really talked to. This changed at the end of the week and I was glad that I had made new connections/started conversations with those people.

I loved the Friday dinner when we first got back to the base camp. This was because I hadn’t seen most of my friends for a week. We all had new stories to tell. As well as the fact that we had meat for the first time in five days. Another highlight was scouting out town and visiting Ants regenerative farm. This was because it was nice to get out of the usual campsite, as well as an opportunity to be more independent during those activities.

Overall, I enjoyed this year’s camp. I loved the freedom of the first week and the regrouping of the second week. If I had to do this camp again, I would make sure to bring a pillow and ugg boots. If I had to change one thing, I would want to go canoeing earlier in the week; that way our shoes would have time to dry. I’m glad I went both weeks, and I’m very sure that the connections we all made will last.

Ava Boulton - Webb (Year 9)

YEAR 12 SHABBATON

Facilitated by Tzevet Lev (Jewish Life team), a Year 12 Shabbaton was held at Queenscliffe in June, with the aim of the camp for students to experience a meaningful Shabbat together and reflect on their time at school. Students explored their connection with the Jewish community and their Jewish identities and discussed what they want this to look like after school. This was a bittersweet experience as this will be the last time the cohort experiences time away together on a KDS camp. The following are student reflections from Mia Wald and Mitch Langer.

The Year 12 Shabbaton was the bittersweet summation to the five wonderful KDS camps I have attended. Unlike the others, which taught me how to cook rice on a trangia or challenged my canoeing or surfing abilities, this camp was unique - it taught me about myself and my relationships with others. I will never forget the unity and friendship bolstered from singing around the campfire, or the tears and attachments brought by individually reminiscing about our schooling to the whole cohort. It provided the rare opportunity to thank my classmates about their impact on my warm King David experience through written notes, allowing me to communicate with people I don’t speak to on a regular school day. Overall, the Shabbaton was the perfect final school camp to help us enjoy our last few months we all have together.

Mia Wald (Year 12)

During the lead-up to the Year 12 Shabbaton, I was extremely sad and to be honest a little disappointed to have only a three-day Shabbaton as my final camp. Despite my prior thoughts and feelings, this camp challenged my expectations and was definitely one of the most memorable and enjoyable camps I’ve experienced. The whole Year 12 cohort was faced with difficult and uncomfortable situations but managed to become stronger and more united as a group and individually. I was blessed with the opportunity to develop closer relationships with my peers, as I reminisced with each and everyone about a special connection that we shared throughout our schooling. I would like to thank the School for all the amazing opportunities and experiences it has provided for me over the past 15 years of my life.

Mitch Langer (Year 12)

FOSTERING WELLBEING ON CAMPS

David Opat

Vice Principal Wellbeing and Head of Junior School

Of course it is great to see the natural world, be out of the urban environment and off in wild surroundings. Perhaps we go on camps for new culinary experiences, maybe we go on camps to live in awkward communal situations. Whilst these are all good reasons to go on camp, I believe that the main reason we go on camp is to psychologically grow as people. Living with other people who are not family members calls upon students to develop greater tolerance and understanding. Bunking with eight other people or sharing a tent requires students to manage their impulses and not respond to things that may cause them annoyance. Attempting activities which are out of one’s comfort zone like rock climbing, full-day hikes and orienteering builds selfbelief and can lead to the development of resilience. On camp, at times students are given materials and are asked to work as a group to build a raft and cross a body of water. At other times, students need to work as a group to sail a boat, or play team building games where the group succeeds only when everyone works together. These are crucial micro skills that help students understand the process of contributing ideas, listening to others and displaying flexibility. These are the attributes needed in every workplace. Our outdoor education programs include a wide range of places and they are for varying lengths of time. Stamina is often the trait that is needed the most. In our normal lives, the fridge is close by, our phone is at hand and we can always take a break. On camp, we need to be strong and keep on going past what we think we can achieve. One of the most rewarding things to see on camp is the combination of exhaustion and surprise that students show at the end of an activity. They have achieved more that they thought possible. So, why go on camp? Because outdoor education is often where a great deal of real learning happens beyond the important academic skills we learn in our normal day. Happy camping.

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