Year 9 camp

Just got back from three days in the bush with seventeen year 9 boys (plus a year 12 mentor and two camp leaders). Can you imagine spending three days with a group of teenage boys and no showers?

It was actually quite fun. The camp was at Meebunn-bia (which means “in the company of an eagle”) near Rathdowney, and the place is run as an adventure camp. Our year 9 cohort was split into five groups (three of boys and two of girls). My group did quite a bit of hiking, as well as a hoop pine climb, belayed-climb-based obstacle course, high ropes courses and a 150 metre flying fox. Many of the boys found it quite challenging—facing their fears as much as the physical aspects. Camping overnight meant making tents out of two tarps and a rope between trees, and preparing and cooking dinner with food they'd carried up on their backs. Toilets were a mix of hole-in-the-ground and composting toilets.

It was good to see some of the boys really growing as they faced and overcame their fears.

Open Day 2007

Well yesterday was Open Day. I was surprised at the number of people who came. Even some of my students who left to attend other schools during the year! Obviously this is quite a community event.

I'd love to post some photos, but unfortunately the only ones I have are of some of my students.

I climbed the climbing tower! Well, I didn't quite make it all the way to the top. You get about three quarters of the way up and then suddenly it's like, I have to put my foot where? It was not a question of strength, but of inexperience with knowing how to get from here to there. Two of my smallest students were also the best climbers: up they shot like little monkeys, ring the bell, even turning around and waving, and hanging off the wall facing out.

The fireworks at the end were pretty impressive.