Retreat and Commissioning at Camp Manyung 2024

The Year 12 Retreat is complete, and the school now has the newly commissioned Year 12 students as leaders of the student body.

The students spent three days on Retreat, in a beach setting in Mt Eliza. The focus was on the students looking at themselves as young adults and imagining how they can make a difference in the world.

The first activity was based on a story about the infinite nature of love. The students really enjoyed make their folders to hold affirmations that others had written about them.

It was also an opportunity for students to think about their relationships with one another, their teachers, family, and how they could connect with others through writing or receiving affirmations.

Receiving their folders with notes and affirmations inside was a highlight at the end of the retreat.

We also took time to look at our values for 2025. Living Mercy for the Year 12 students is about Courage and Service.

As the new Year 12, the aim is for them to see themselves as leaders in the school and to think about how they can be agents of change. They were asked to think about what they are passionate about and then think about how to take action. They were encouraged to take up the challenge and live life to full.

Another highlight was an activity developed and led by the students. The idea was to give up past habits by forging a new path forward. The students wrote a message on a paper plate and then threw them into a fire to symbolize letting go of the things holding them back. It was quite spectacular to witness.

The time at the beach was also time to relax and have fun. The activities run by the YMCA provided fun and challenge as the students rotated through their activities. Whilst the weather didn’t permit swimming in the ocean, the students certainly enjoyed the beach activities, the sand, and the beautiful sunset that only a beach environment can provide.