Experiential Learning Update | Year 9 Camp & Service Learning
Year 9 Camp
Next week the Year 9 students will be out on their Outdoor Education experience from Tues 6 – Fri 9 Aug. The Year 9 camp is a different style of camp to all of the other experiences students take part in at St Paul’s and is probably the camp that students enjoy the most. This is not because it is easy, or like going on a holiday; in fact it is very physically demanding and requires students to engage in a series of team based challenges which are difficult on both a physical and problem solving level.
The camp is designed to build a sense of team work and belonging within the year level and builds on the skills of independence and resilience that the students have learned across their Year 8 and 7 experiences.
The camp is facilitated by the Emu Gully Adventures group and is situated at the foot of the Toowomba Range at Helidon. The camp is based upon Australian military history and each of the activities the students complete is linked to a significant piece of Australia’s Military legacy. The activities are keyed toward working positively together as a team. The camp is structured in a way that requires the students take individual and group responsibility for the organization of their camp areas and their meal preparation, so this builds a sense of independence within each student and their group. It is a fantastic camp and comes at the ideal time in the development of these young people. The students return with a greater confidence in their ability to take charge of their own lives and develop self-reliance, a quality that is increasingly missing in society as a whole.
Service Learning
On the Service Learning front, last week our students continued their strong support for our Eat Up program. This initiative sees our team prepare lunch packs for students in primary schools whose families are experiencing distress and are not able to provide adequate lunches for their children. Last week the Service learning team provided 100 lunch packs to two primary schools within our local community. We continued our support of our nearest neighbour, Bald Hills State School, and for the first time we made up packs for students at Lawnton State School.
This is a fantastic initiative and enables our School to network in a positive way with local learning communities. This initial contact through the Eat Up program is the first step in building a mutually beneficial relationship with our neighbouring schools. This can then grow into a situation where the connections made between staff and students allow our communities to learn from the other, sharing our strengths and developing mutually beneficial programs together. So, from little things big things can grow.
Any students wishing to get involved with the work of the Service Learning Committee simply need to attend the committee meetings held each even week on Monday lunchtimes at the Sutton Theatre.
Mr Cameron Howes
Head of Experiential Learning Development
