Year 7 The Year 7 cohort of 2013 made a successful transition into the Middle School at Trinity College. From the first Orientation Day of 2012, to the final day of 2013, it is apparent that the boys have grown in confidence and resilience, having picked up valuable experience along their journey as Year 7 students.
Mr Andrew Osnain Head of Year 7
The year began in earnest with a ‘crash course’ on how to tackle the busy life of a Trinity student. Students were expected to apply themselves wholeheartedly to a range of College activities and set high standards in a way that befits a true Trinity College student. During Week 4 of Term 1 the Year 7 students went to Dwellingup, where they took part in the Becoming Brothers Retreat at Camp Kelly. The Becoming Brothers Retreat aims to welcome the students into the Trinity College community, providing them with an appreciation of the culture and expectations of the College.
The retreat and the camp are integrated, with the objective being to demonstrate to the students that God lives within each of us and walks by our side throughout our journey. These everyday values and attitudes can help guide us in life. Working alongside the Year 7 students during orientation day, on their first day and within pastoral care each morning were the Year 12 Senior Ministers. These senior boys had been selected as role models to help mentor their younger peers and accompany and guide their ‘little brother’ through the retreat. In reality they were the ‘big brothers’ on camp. The retreat introduced the Year 7s to the Four Pillars of the College. These Four Pillars – Spiritual, Cultural, Academia and Sport – are what the College is based on. The foundations for the retreat were based around the message, the ‘Rules for Christian Living’, from St Paul’s Letter to the Romans, Chapter 12: “Be sincere in your love for each other. Learn to avoid evil and hold to everything that is good. Love each other as brothers and honour others more than you would yourself. Never give up. Eagerly follow the Holy Spirit and serve the Lord. Let your hope make you glad. Be patient in times of trouble and never stop praying. Take care of people less fortunate than yourself and welcome strangers into your community. Ask God to bless everyone who mistreats you. Learn to forgive and not curse them. When others are happy, be happy with them. When others are sad, be sad with them. Be friendly with everyone. Don’t be proud and feel that you are more clever or stronger than your brothers. Make friends with ordinary people. Don’t mistreat someone who has mistreated you. But try to earn the respect of others and do your best to live at peace with everyone.” The purpose of choosing this reading is to provide the Year 7 students with a guide as to how to develop themselves and become a part of Trinity’s Christian community. 95
