Throughout Year 9 our students undertake an innovative program within Compass called The Rite Journey. This program combines the Health and Personal Development and the Religious and Values Education courses.
The program was created to complement the role of parents in guiding their child into young adulthood. It provides students with the opportunity to participate in a year-long rite of passage experience in separate boys’ and girls’ classes. Many cultures have their own version of a rite of passage designed specifically for this age group.
Learning how to be an adult in any society requires guidance, mentoring and a great many conversations. In our society today, young people often turn to their peers, the internet and the media to source their knowledge and guidance. During The Rite Journey, students have important conversations about what it is to be a respectful and responsible young adult in society.
Last week, we launched the program with students and parents invited to attend 'The Calling' Ceremony at Lillydale Lake. The ceremony provided students and parents with the opportunity to reflect on their child’s journey from childhood into adulthood. After discussing their childhoods with their parents and offering a letter of gratitude, they wrote on a gum leaf what they wanted to let go of and they symbolically farewelled their childhoods by releasing the leaves into the water as the sun set.
After the ceremony our Mercy — Catherine's Cafe van provided families with a hot drink.
