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Year 7 CampJune 24 - June 28 2024
Message from the Head of Secondary Outdoor Education Programs are an extremely important facet of a school’s curriculum. These programs are most effective when students are removed from their typical environment. The camps are designed to build resilience, stamina and a newfound understanding of independence. Sometimes during the experience, a couple of children will find it challenging and it isn’t until they return to the comfort of their own home that they realise how much they have gained from the experience. Our Outdoor Education programs – or as we like to refer to it here at Alphington Grammar School; our Experiential Learning Programs – provides our students with a raft of developmental skills which help them foster a new understanding of the world in which they live.The programs provide them with the competencies to navigate an ever-changing global landscape and gives them the confidence to find their own pathway within it. The educational philosophy that underpins the Years 7 and 8 camps leads directly into the Global Gateways Program in Years 9 and 10, where students continue to develop emotionally, academically, and socially. They learn to respect and value diversity and eventually see themselves as citizens who can contribute to a more peaceful and sustainable world. With its emphasis not only on developing knowledge and skills but also on promoting positive values and participation, experiential education is relevant across all learning areas and developmental stages, including: Personal qualities: energy, assertiveness, independence, perseverance, open-mindedness, enterprise, maturity, initiatives etc.Understanding of self: self-control, self-confidence, self-reliance, self-management, personal balance.Adaptability: interacting in multiple and challenging contexts, awareness and understanding empathy for different ideas and ways of doing things, managing change and uncertainty, flexibility, resourcefulness, and tolerance.Critical thinking: problem solving, ability to make decisions.Community: gaining a sense of community and cross-cultural ethics.Communication skills: ability to influence others, negotiate, language and communication skills. Teamwork: collaboration, cooperativeness, working with others, trusting others.Leadership: leadership capabilities, foresight, responsibility.Competitiveness: goal oriented, achievement focused, taking calculated risks, showing entrepreneurial spirit.I would like to congratulate the Year 7 students on completing the first step towards their Global Gateways Experience. They were resilient, strong, and determined. They worked well as a group and supported each other through the challenges that come with living away from home for a week. Mr Lukas Silver Assistant Principal, Head of Secondary
Message from the Head of Secondary Outdoor Education Programs are an extremely important facet of a school’s curriculum. These programs are most effective when students are removed from their typical environment. The camps are designed to build resilience, stamina and a newfound understanding of independence. Sometimes during the experience, a couple of children will find it challenging and it isn’t until they return to the comfort of their own home that they realise how much they have gained from the experience. Our Outdoor Education programs – or as we like to refer to it here at Alphington Grammar School; our Experiential Learning Programs – provides our students with a raft of developmental skills which help them foster a new understanding of the world in which they live.The programs provide them with the competencies to navigate an ever-changing global landscape and gives them the confidence to find their own pathway within it. The educational philosophy that underpins the Years 7 and 8 camps leads directly into the Global Gateways Program in Years 9 and 10, where students continue to develop emotionally, academically, and socially. They learn to respect and value diversity and eventually see themselves as citizens who can contribute to a more peaceful and sustainable world. With its emphasis not only on developing knowledge and skills but also on promoting positive values and participation, experiential education is relevant across all learning areas and developmental stages, including: Personal qualities: energy, assertiveness, independence, perseverance, open-mindedness, enterprise, maturity, initiatives etc.Understanding of self: self-control, self-confidence, self-reliance, self-management, personal balance.Adaptability: interacting in multiple and challenging contexts, awareness and understanding empathy for different ideas and ways of doing things, managing change and uncertainty, flexibility, resourcefulness, and tolerance.Critical thinking: problem solving, ability to make decisions.Community: gaining a sense of community and cross-cultural ethics.Communication skills: ability to influence others, negotiate, language and communication skills. Teamwork: collaboration, cooperativeness, working with others, trusting others.Leadership: leadership capabilities, foresight, responsibility.Competitiveness: goal oriented, achievement focused, taking calculated risks, showing entrepreneurial spirit.I would like to congratulate the Year 7 students on completing the first step towards their Global Gateways Experience. They were resilient, strong, and determined. They worked well as a group and supported each other through the challenges that come with living away from home for a week. Mr Lukas Silver Assistant Principal, Head of Secondary
Message from the Year 7 CoordinatorOur Year 7s enjoyed a brilliant week at Camp Marysville. We were really lucky that the weather was on our side and students could spend quality time outside where they challenged themselves, learnt new skills, and had opportunities to build both resilience and new friendships.Activities were designed to foster teamwork and it was wonderful to witness students shouting cheers of encouragement to each other as they pushed themselves to go further, or to keep trying. This was particularly evident during the Giant’s Ladder and Crate Stacking activities, where students were climbing high with only the support of their high ropes, harnesses and the belaying of staff, supported by students. During challenges that required strategy, it was interesting to watch how decisions were made, and then refined with more input from peers.Competitiveness and sheer will-power were displayed during the bouldering activity as students engaged in competitions after having a chance to familiarise themselves on the bouldering wall. Support for each other was one of the key skills learnt on the low ropes, and learning to work together was critical for successful canoeing. Duos who managed to work together could then put their paddling skills on display as they competed in ball sports on the water.From what I could hear, every group was looking forward to their time to Grow it, Cook it – here leaders talked with our students about sustainability and this session ended with students making their own wood-fired pizzas with toppings sourced from the garden. Even the age-old debate of pineapple on pizza could be heard as students discovered that pineapple sage smelled and tasted just like pineapple!Many students eagerly waited for their turn at the cycling session, where after being given instructions on how to check their bikes, they could hone their riding skills on the practice track. A few laps of this, and those confident with riding were off on a muddy mountain bike trail.Listening to student reflections at the end of camp, the collective highlights were snow day and the
Message from the Year 7 CoordinatorOur Year 7s enjoyed a brilliant week at Camp Marysville. We were really lucky that the weather was on our side and students could spend quality time outside where they challenged themselves, learnt new skills, and had opportunities to build both resilience and new friendships.Activities were designed to foster teamwork and it was wonderful to witness students shouting cheers of encouragement to each other as they pushed themselves to go further, or to keep trying. This was particularly evident during the Giant’s Ladder and Crate Stacking activities, where students were climbing high with only the support of their high ropes, harnesses and the belaying of staff, supported by students. During challenges that required strategy, it was interesting to watch how decisions were made, and then refined with more input from peers.Competitiveness and sheer will-power were displayed during the bouldering activity as students engaged in competitions after having a chance to familiarise themselves on the bouldering wall. Support for each other was one of the key skills learnt on the low ropes, and learning to work together was critical for successful canoeing. Duos who managed to work together could then put their paddling skills on display as they competed in ball sports on the water.From what I could hear, every group was looking forward to their time to Grow it, Cook it – here leaders talked with our students about sustainability and this session ended with students making their own wood-fired pizzas with toppings sourced from the garden. Even the age-old debate of pineapple on pizza could be heard as students discovered that pineapple sage smelled and tasted just like pineapple!Many students eagerly waited for their turn at the cycling session, where after being given instructions on how to check their bikes, they could hone their riding skills on the practice track. A few laps of this, and those confident with riding were off on a muddy mountain bike trail.Listening to student reflections at the end of camp, the collective highlights were snow day and the
brownies for afternoon tea! Our day at Lake Mountain was an incredible experience to have shared as a year group. It took some time to ensure everyone was kitted out with the correct footwear and enough clothing to keep warm and dry. However, once this was done, we managed to spend the rest of the day playing in the snow, engaging in snowball fights or racing each other in toboggans.The ski instructors were patient and great at explaining how to safely get around on skis, and by the end of ski school, students took to the slope. I loved how it was totally fine to crash, stack or roll out of your toboggan.Some of us even skied into a pole or two (thankfully without any photographic evidence!). Embedded in the day of fun was a valuable life lesson – one of not giving up if it does not go as expected the first time around, always remembering that it is totally fine to get up, dust yourself off and try again!Some parts of camp become legendary as stories filter down to different year levels. The trip to the lolly shop was one such moment, adding a lightness to balance the harshness of the fire museum showing how devastating the fires were to this community. Free time again saw students race to the legendary ga-ga-ball arena to test out their skills. Once again, ga-ga-ball will remain immortalised in the retelling of camp stories for many years to come.For many students, the Year 7 Camp offered many ‘firsts’ – for some it was their first time away from home, for others, the first time in snow, or skiing. All students were challenged to some extent, and it was wonderful to witness their determination to complete challenges and enjoy time together. I felt incredibly privileged to be able to have fun alongside them and get to know them better.Dr Sam HockeyYear 7 Coordinator
brownies for afternoon tea! Our day at Lake Mountain was an incredible experience to have shared as a year group. It took some time to ensure everyone was kitted out with the correct footwear and enough clothing to keep warm and dry. However, once this was done, we managed to spend the rest of the day playing in the snow, engaging in snowball fights or racing each other in toboggans.The ski instructors were patient and great at explaining how to safely get around on skis, and by the end of ski school, students took to the slope. I loved how it was totally fine to crash, stack or roll out of your toboggan.Some of us even skied into a pole or two (thankfully without any photographic evidence!). Embedded in the day of fun was a valuable life lesson – one of not giving up if it does not go as expected the first time around, always remembering that it is totally fine to get up, dust yourself off and try again!Some parts of camp become legendary as stories filter down to different year levels. The trip to the lolly shop was one such moment, adding a lightness to balance the harshness of the fire museum showing how devastating the fires were to this community. Free time again saw students race to the legendary ga-ga-ball arena to test out their skills. Once again, ga-ga-ball will remain immortalised in the retelling of camp stories for many years to come.For many students, the Year 7 Camp offered many ‘firsts’ – for some it was their first time away from home, for others, the first time in snow, or skiing. All students were challenged to some extent, and it was wonderful to witness their determination to complete challenges and enjoy time together. I felt incredibly privileged to be able to have fun alongside them and get to know them better.Dr Sam HockeyYear 7 Coordinator