YEAR 11 PDHPE CAMP
In the second half of week four, this term, John Therry Catholic College had 36 year 11 PDHPE students take on a challenging camp experience in the Royal National Park. The camp was designed to build resilience and test character with multiple physical and mental challenges. The first involved, after leaving school at lunch time, a 9km hike with all their gear. This included backpacks containing sleeping bags, food, cooking equipment, tents and a lot of unnecessary comforts. The tracks were very wet and muddy and while some students did manage to find themselves on the ground they picked themselves back up and pushed on. The day concluded with students setting up their tents in the dark and having a well deserved self cooked meal which they had planned for during PDHPE lessons in the weeks prior to departure.
The second day involved more exhausting challenges with a 17km hike. One group set off from the Big Marley track which was pleasantly dry while the other marched through the mud for the first 3 km from the Curra Moors loop track. Both groups ended up meeting perfectly on time at Wattamolla for a quick regroup and a boost in morale. Both groups finished strongly even with a wrong turn here and there. The day concluded with initiative games which focused on leadership and teamwork amongst the groups. A challenging day for all students with blisters and bruises but students persevered and rose to the challenge.
For our final day of great weather, students had a slower morning packing up their campsites and ensuring we left the environment as we found it. Our last activity was a small walk along Jibbon Beach to Aboriginal engravings which are over 1000 years old. Amongst a special and sacred site the students reflected on their camp experience and showed true gratitude for the experience they had all shared.
The camp proved a metaphor for the students’ upcoming challenges towards their academic goals. In the same way that achievement in their studies is the first step on a pathway to continued success, when on a long and tiring expedition the next step is always the hardest. But, finding the way to make that step is the only way to progress.
Well done to everyone who attended and a special thanks to the staff who attended and ensured the experience was the best it could be.
From the PDHPE team
Here are some of the students reflections on our camping experience:
"I pushed the boys to participate in all the games when they really didn't want to and had no effort to continue but they ended up doing it and having fun".
"On our hike and camp, there were many ethical considerations that needed to be taken into account when walking through the National Park. Many, which revolved around locality and having respect for the area in which we were in, this was highly important to ensure that we are not damaging the native vegetation, as well as the local wildlife. It was also necessary to recognise the importance of respecting the land that we were on to acknowledge that we were there to appreciate outdoor recreation and the location".
"A time when someone enhance group cohesion was when Mrs White turned music on in the bus. Everyone was singing along to the songs played and having a good time made everyone happier".
"The puzzle during the initiative game required us to communicate and work together to find the correct positions for each piece, on the walk when we switched bags to manage the weight and load one person was carrying at a time to reduce the difficulty of the first 9km, and when the other group we collaborated with could not start their gas cooker so we gave them a demonstration and helped them begin cooking".
