Over the coming weeks students in year 8 and 9 will be engaged in their education through the school camp experience. Year 8 students take part in a three day/ two night adventure experience at Anglesea while our year 9 students enjoy a four night/ five day hiking and camping experience in commencing at Charnwood (near Benella). I am grateful for the work camp Coordinator Paul Briody has put in place preparing for these camps and for the many staff who have taken time away from from their family to support these programs.
Over the last couple of years there has been a concerning volume of students who have been reluctant to take part in these compulsory experiences. Granted camping out for some of us clearly puts us outside our comfort zone. Being subject to the elements, spending time away from family, mixing with others who we do not know and attempting activities that challenge us can make us feel uncomfortable and even vulnerable. However there are clear benefits in putting ourselves in the zone of being uncomfortable. Comfort can lead to self-absorption, boredom, and discontent. You can either be comfortable and stagnate or stretch yourself  —  become uncomfortable  —  and grow.
Dr. Elizabeth Lombardo, Psychologist and author of Better Than Perfect, says ‘people who regularly seek out fresh experiences tend to be more creative and emotionally resilient than those who remain stuck in routine.’ Essentially when challenged, you are asked to become more than you were. That means creating new perspectives, acquiring new skills and pushing boundaries.
Our Damascus College community has been on a journey in developing Social and Emotional Learning Skills acknowledging that growth in these competencies leads to improved levels of wellbeing and learning outcomes. Camping activities go well beyond the experience. Camping provides students opportunities to become resilient, to persevere (I will get that camping bivvy set up, I can stand up on that surf board), to demonstrate confidence, to be organised and to engage in positive relationships with those around us. Students will return from camp demonstrating the acquisition of new skills.
I look forward to hearing of the many stories of student growth over the coming weeks.