During our whole school Term 4 assembly this week, we had a number of students share their experiences in Outdoor Education this year.
Year 10 student Letiya, provided an update about some of the amazing opportunities she and her peers have had this year to step outside of the classroom and into nature. This has included surfing, rock climbing at Mt Arapiles, hiking through rugged trails around Mt Sumaria, and even braving downhill skiing, mountain biking, canoeing, and white-water rafting. Each camp was a new adventure and pushed students to face new challenges.
Letiya said one of the biggest things students learnt was how to work as a team.
鈥淥ut in the environment, you really need each other. Whether we were spotting each other while rock climbing or paddling together in a canoe, teamwork has been essential,鈥 she said.
鈥淲e had to communicate well, rely on each other's strengths, and support each other, especially when things got tough, or the weather didn鈥檛 go our way. Working together in these real situations has given us experiences that go beyond what we learn in class.鈥
Year 9 students Cruz and Brendan spoke about how Outdoor Ed has taught them about the power of collaboration and problem-solving.
鈥淪ometimes things didn鈥檛 go as planned. We faced problems like figuring out how to stay warm when camping in the mountains, navigating trails when we weren't sure which way to go, or figuring out how to paddle against a strong river current,鈥 he said.
鈥淲e had to come up with creative solutions on the spot and work together to make decisions.鈥
Cruz added that these experiences taught students how to trust each other, listen to everyone鈥檚 ideas, and look for ways to solve problems without giving up.
鈥淟earning to solve problems outdoors has helped us build resilience, and it鈥檚 made us more confident. Plus, it was really rewarding to see our teamwork pay off, whether we reached the top of a mountain or safely navigated through rapids,鈥 he said.
鈥淲e鈥檝e also built strong connections with each other and deepened our understanding of the different natural environments around Victoria. Each place taught us something new, and we鈥檝e gained a lot of respect for the environments we visited.鈥
Year 11 student Abbey Bennett reflected on the skills students learned.
鈥淪kills like leadership, responsibility, patience, and resilience are things that will help us, not just in school but in life,鈥 she said.
鈥淲orking as a team has shown us how to communicate better and respect each other鈥檚 ideas, which will be important in any career or community we鈥檙e part of.
鈥淥utdoor Education has taught us how to connect with each other and with nature, reminding us of the importance of preserving these beautiful environments. The friendships and memories we鈥檝e made are things we鈥檒l never forget. Thank you to all the teachers and staff who made these experiences possible. We鈥檙e grateful for the adventures, the challenges, and the life lessons we鈥檝e learned along the way. We can鈥檛 wait to see what future Outdoor Ed students will experience and discover.鈥
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