On the 15th of February Year 7 students along with their Year 10 Peer Support Leaders spent 3 very busy days at The Great Aussie Bush Camp learning new skills and experiencing new challenges. (This camp is part of our intensive Wellbeing for Learning Program as we recognise the need to tailor our learning experience to reflect the interests and needs of each student.)
The Year 7 camp had a myriad of benefits for those who attended. It provided an opportunity to strengthen and forge new bonds within the cohort, especially for students who have just joined the All Saints Grammar family. Aside from individual perceptions of capabilities and possibilities being extended, students also learnt about the value of teamwork. It was heartening to see the steady improvements afforded by encouragement and burgeoning team spirit with specific reference to our Year 10 Peer Support Team, they must be commended for the way they accepted the responsibility of mentoring the Year 7 students – thank you!
This camp was key in providing ASG students with the means to flourish and develop life-long insight too*. This is because participation in sports and outdoor activities by children and adolescents is associated with a range of documented physical, emotional, social, educational, and other benefits that can last into adulthood. In fact, organised sport activities help children develop and improve cognitive skills (Piche, 2014). Additionally, physical group activities have proven to enhance the academic behavior of students through benefits such as heightened concentration which in turn, improves classroom behavior (GAO, 2012).Therefore whether a student challenged herself or himself on the High Ropes, Abseiling, Flying Fox, The Giant Swing or Leap of Faith, by participating in these activities together we positively influenced their outlook to help them reach their full potential.
More importantly though, camp is about having fun! This was most evident in the Lost Island challenge which gave students ample opportunity to cover each other and their teachers in mud, whilst overcoming the difficulties of a military style obstacle course. They also learnt how to sail, swam at the beach and built rafts.
*high school athletes and physically active students are more likely than non-athletes to attend college and get degrees (US Dept. of Education, 2005).
