Our Outdoor Programme aims to assist in the slow and gentle journey from young child to young adult and the journey will involve a transition from dependence to independence. From being totally directed to needing initiative. From comfort to some discomfort. From working as an individual to needing to be part of a team.
In an age when every piece of the curriculum puzzle is scrutinised and many schools are avoiding the challenge of an Outdoor Programme, the value is consistently reaffirmed through the obvious growth from the students in their brief time away.
Three nights from home can be a little disconcerting for some of our young students. I have a suspicion that student’s homesickness is sometimes outweighed by parents missing their children. It is always comforting when a student feels the pangs of anxiety, that a quick phone call home, followed by a little loving support from Mrs Rowe has the students smiling again and ready to embrace another night away from their comfy beds.
Hopefully by Thursday last week, our new students felt like they have been at Somerset forever and our older students feel like they’ve made some new friends.
Based on their engagement in the activities I certainly couldn’t tell who was new and who were the existing students. One new student made a point of telling me, “... everyone at Somerset is so friendly.”
I guess starting at a new school can be a stressful time and I'm proud of our students when I see them make everyone feel so welcome.
The weather gods shone on us this year, with warm days and cool evenings to make sleep more possible.
From the start on Monday (where setting up a tent and sharing that tiny space with a new friend is a big challenge), to the adventure based activity days on Monday afternoon, Tuesday and Wednesday, through to our House activity day on Thursday (where the student leaders join us in a day of activity), all students embraced the challenges with good humour through sleep deprivation and tiredness that would have challenged an SAS recruit.
For students whose ages range from 11 to 12, the prospect of leaping from a perfectly solid platform, 8-metres off the ground into thin air, on the 'Leap of Faith'. Or allowing yourself to be hoisted high above the ground to self- release on the Giant Swing, can be met with catatonic fear, yet this year all students gave every activity an attempt and many overcame extreme fears to undertake the challenges on offer, whether that be archery, mountain biking or damper making.
It isn’t just the tree climbing activities that provide avenues for growth. While adventure activities challenge students to overcome fear and ultimately gain a real sense of accomplishment without the stress of competition. It’s often the small things that provide some of the most valuable life lessons. Students setting the table for others, cleaning off their plates, pouring drinks for their table, cleaning the bathrooms, assisting others with their tents, planning their own clothes for the week, organising their toiletries, etcetera. While these skills are simple, they are often taken for granted yet they do need to be learnt at some point. Often the consequences of being lackadaisical at home are not critical but on camp the consequences can cause real discomfort and a lesson not easily forgotten.
This cohort of Year 7 were outstanding in their willingness to work together, undertake new challenges and embrace the camp experience.
Congratulations Year 7. You are delightful group and I look forward to enjoying your company for the next six years.
This will be incorporated with the operations of clubs and committees, providing students with the tools to thrive with a busy life.
Using the Lord’s guidance, we hope to create new traditions in Somerset Colleges Chaplaincy programmes; encouraging and supporting all students. We plan to help our peers grow, learn and uplift one another, to create positive relationships that can last a lifetime. By understanding the importance of coming together in worship, we strive to become positive leaders, who are approachable and can lead by example.
If you have any ideas or would like to be involved throughout the year, please see us in the BLC or send us an email!
Whether it is joining a committee, being a part of a House Fundraiser or partaking in one of the organised local or national service-learning projects, there are countless service activities to get involved with. The amazing experiences offered to Somerset students provide a chance to give back to our community and create meaningful impact and change.
Together, by committing to service, we can understand, share, explore and learn more about each other and the world we live in. Service is known to have benefits on one’s own wellbeing as we look beyond ourselves and learn about the responsibility we have when living in a community. Especially in the past year, we have been reminded of the power of compassion and how this sense of humanity can help us create a better global community.
The 6,000+ hours of service that student volunteers accumulated last year and approximately $40,000 raised by our entire community is testament to the generous and thoughtful nature of students, staff, parents and friends. By committing to service, both inside and outside the College, we all learn important skills and challenge ourselves. From planning, to engaging, meeting new people, learning new things, developing empathy for others and international mindedness there is something everyone can get involved and have fun with. These opportunities are highlighted in our IMPACT booklet here.
This year, we hope to have lots of fun new experiences, build new friendships and make a difference both within and outside the Somerset community.
We both look forward to working with everyone on their service journey as we come together in 2021 to serve our community with those in need.
Importantly, the workshops included activities to develop 21st century skills like innovation, ideation, creativity and collaboration, which are at the heart of the Queensland and International Baccalaureate curriculums.
A big thank you must go to the University of Queensland and to Study Queensland for their support of the workshops. More information about these workshops can be found by visiting the Study Queensland website.
The students had the following to say about their experience:
Parents within our community who celebrate Lunar New Year came and joined our special celebration. They also helped decorate our classroom with lots of 福 (Fú, meaning ‘fortune’ or ‘good luck’) and golden nuggets. Students enjoyed watching the lion dance performance on Lunar New Year Day last Friday. An aquarium has been set up in the Mandarin classroom with some goldfish for extra good luck in the new year!
May the Year of Ox bring good fortune and prosperity to everyone in our community!
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