Throughout the week of 20-24 March we were lucky enough to send our Year 9 students to the Summit Adventure Camp in Trafalgar East, where they were were able to spend three days immersed in activities designed to extend, stretch and super stretch their beliefs in what they could actually achieve.
It was amazing to see the students be challenged and grow as individuals while at the camp. The Summit staff guided our students in making the most of every opportunity and the energy they presented with was truly infectious. The Summit provides everything we need as a school to ensure a highly successful camp — outstanding facilities, skillful and motivated instructors and a genuine commitment to achieving the target outcomes set by our school ethos. And the students absolutely loved it — from the leap of faith, the summit window to the sky bridge and the monster night mud run.
Our students learned to look after themselves and one another. Each group created a special bond and in the end they rewarded one of their group members as their champion. Their champion was then given a hot lap in the Camp's WWI tank.
Overall, we thank our predecessors that understood the value of this camp and were the forefathers of the MLMC camp legacy that we were able to enjoy. The developmental growth in our students was on display and it is our hope that they will carry this on in their daily life in our community.
Student reflections of Year 9 camp:
At the camp, we learnt about challenging and stretching ourselves. We participated in activities such as the giant swing, the flying fox, the leap of faith, summit window. All of the activities pushed us. On Wednesday night we participated in breaking wooden boards, on one side we wrote limiting beliefs and on the other side supporting beliefs. We then broke the boards in half.
The camp tested our limits and helped us be the best person we can be. During camp, there were coaches for each group. Your coaches would vary on what activity you were doing. The coaches taught us about believing in ourselves and the step to achieve the activities. The camp was about learning life lessons that we can apply in life, however it was also about teamwork. Definitely, I connected a lot more with my class throughout camp. We got to work as a team and help each other no matter the circumstance. The environment of the Summit Camp was amazing and we got to surprise ourselves with what we can do.
My camp experience was absolutely amazing. I had so much fun while learning to overcome my fears and doubts and to push past my limits. Activities such as the leap of faith and giant swing opened my eyes towards a new approach to obstacles/challenges in my life.
Camp was a great experience we did many activities. Camp was meant to be outside of your comfort zone and I did that. I am scared of heights and I still did the summit window.
Camp was something different and challenging. I found it easier to get out of my comfort zone when the whole team cheered and supported me.
I went to camp with a fixed mindset, one of the things being that I wouldn't do the leap of faith. We did a workshop that night that talked about growth mindset and how our beliefs dictate the way we think, and that helped me to reconsider the thoughts I had. When I was climbing the ladder and ready to jump, I remember thinking about my goal instead of the worst-case scenario. The Summit Camp really helped me develop a better growth mindset and it taught me to give things a try and push past my limits even if I am uncomfortable.
I had a great time from swinging side to side in the air with a friend, to getting dirty in the mud helping the team along the mud run. My favourite part was probably the laser skirmish, and least favourite being the scavenger hunt.
My experience of the Summit Camp was a very different experience to all my other camps that I've ever done in my life. The mud run was the highlight of my camp experience and I was very glad that I did it. It was a good way to get to know other people in my class. Now I feel more comfortable to communicate with them.
