Year 9 The Calling
Posted on March 6, 2024
The first Year 9 Program event, ‘The Calling’ was an overnight experience focussed on promoting community, connection and providing students with an opportunity to get to know each other better. This experience also enables students to connect with nature, specifically the sunrise and mountain (kunanyi). They also gained skills in food preparation, letting go of resentment, reflection and gratitude of the past as well as hope for the future and a chance to consider the kinds of global citizens they wish to be.
Students began their experience by completing various refelctive activities at the Senior School campus, including preparing and cooking a Mexican dinner and a creative sharing experience called HHH, where they were asked to reflect upon a Hero, a Highlight and a Hardship from their lives. Another key aspect of The Calling looked at ‘Letting Go’ of something from the student’s childhood that may hold them back as they progress into adulthood. Students were asked to write things they wanted to ‘let go’ on flax leaves, before using origami-like skills to make something from these leaves. These creations will be buried at the School and a tree will be planted to symbolise letting go and the growth for our students. At the end of the night, students were divided into teams and completed a number of activities which focused on fun and teamwork.
After an overnight stay at the School for our 140 Year 9 students, the alarms went off at 4.30am and they packed their bags before boarding the 5.15am buses to the summit of kunanyi. While it was a beautiful sunrise on kunanyi, the wind was very chilly, so students and staff bunkered in the pinnacle observation shelter. Students then enjoyed breakfast at the Springs, before preparing for the trek back to school. Upon their return, the Year 10 Food Class prepared each student a hamburger, which was very much enjoyed.
Overall, the experience aimed to build community, give the students the space and place to connect, help the students display gratitude and overall signify a key time in their lives when they can start to take more responsibility for their actions, think about their impact on others and the world and appreciate the blessed lives they live.
You can enjoy more photos from the excursion below.
