Year 7

Camp Manyung - Tree Top Challenge

Amarah, Lily, Des, Winston, Emma, Ryan, Malakai, Mahkylah, Munyari and I we went to the Tree Top Challenge with Ms. Tara and Mr. Jayden. We met a guy named Sam who showed us how to put a harness on so we could move around and for safety. 

After he did some instructions we all started to put them on and make them tight until they got a little uncomfortable, but I still had to leave it on anyway. Then we went to a practice course so we would know how to swap the straps when we get to another tree. 

Me, Ryan and Malakai were the ones that were in front, everyone else was scared so they were slow.  The first bit of the tree tops was okay because I ziplined to a cubby house and it was fun inside, I kind of struggled to get up because it was small and I got a little claustrophobic. 

But then we had to zipline to another tree. The part where I was scared was when I had to jump into a barrel thing and then I had to pull myself the rest of the way. Then I had to clip myself to a rope that I had to jump down, luckily it went down slowly. I got down and had to take the harness off and gloves and my helmet then I was waiting with Ryan and Malakai for everyone else to come down and help them with their harness.

It was a challenge but I really enjoyed the activity!

By Hoanna Grantham

Camp Manyung - Coastal Walk

We were getting ready to set off for our 3.5km coastal work when I realised I didn't have socks on and my shoes were soaking wet and covered in sand. I knew my feet were going to pay the price for not being organised but I continued anyway. 

We were walking and I was a long way in front of most people, I could hear them screaming stuff like “get it away from me” and “no I'm wet.” I could also faintly hear two girls screaming the song “umbrella!” 

It was strange but I continued walking trying to zone out the sounds of screaming and shouting. I was semi successful until I heard people screaming out the word “stingray!” 

I rushed over to get revenge for Steve Irwin. I walked in the water and was about to grab it when I got hoisted back by one of the other students.

So I kept walking and two minutes later I found myself jumping from rock to rock. Then I jumped to a slippery rock and knew I made a mistake. I tried to stop myself but it was too late. Then “slip” “gasp” I was terrified with both my legs on either side of the tall, slippery rock. 

I was waiting for the agonising pain to commence until I realised I was just a few centimetres tall enough to miss the rock. 

I was relieved. 

My foot was a bit sore, I think I sprained it, but that didn't matter. I shook it off and kept walking. 

By the time we were back on the sand and off the rocks my feet were killing but I was happy to stop walking and relax.

By Ryan McLean

NBL Game

‘Let's go Phoenix’ said the crowd when we entered the building. The building was shaking like an earthquake. The commentator was screaming for the fans to chant. We could smell the buttery popcorn when we sat down. Watching the game we were waiting for someone to dunk. It kept going back and forth and all the Phoenix fans were worried. 

In the second quarter everyone was hungry so we went and got food. By the time we got back we saw Ryan with a humongous popcorn tub. Most of us were craving popcorn when Ryan got back we could hear all the crunching on the popcorn. Then we all got up, by the time we got there we could smell all the salty and buttery popcorn. We all spent over ten dollars on our food but it was worth the salty buttery popcorn in our mouth.

It was a very close game, when it was the second quarter all the little kids jumped on the court and started playing until the NBL players were not puffed out. Then the commentator played a little game called show us your kicks/shoes. Ryan was waving his shoes that he got from Culture Kings waiting for the camera to turn on him. But the camera never turned on him and he was a little disappointed. 

By the time it was 4th quarter mostly everyone was on their phones until all the fans kept clapping with their toys. Olivia and Amarah kept dancing because they wanted to get attention from the camera. When it was over every Phoenix fan was disappointed because they lost, but it was a really fun game to watch.  

By Zaya Hood and Malakai Ritchie

Meeting Sydney, Marlion and Shai

At recess a few weeks ago the MITS kids met three Richmond players, Marlion Pickett, Shai Bolton and Sydney Stack. We got our memberships, they passed them out to us. 

We were super excited and shortly after we all got into three different groups and asked some questions about them like, how old they were when they got drafted, who is their favourite football player etc.

They let us take some photos with them, and we got our shoes signed. A few of us played markers up with Marlion while the rest were asking other questions to Sydney and Shai, and getting their signatures on their membership cards. 

Sydney had to go so Shai came over to the kids that were playing markers up and kicked another football for some others. It was such a good experience we hope to do it again.

By Nariah Hood and Amarah Bidingal

UrbnSurf

As all of us students drove past the Essendon Football Club and Olivia and Soraya and I screamed “can we go there after urban surf please Mr Brad?"

We arrived at the Urbnsurf and walked through the gates and we got the wetsuits before going to the change rooms. It was so hard to get the wetsuit on and it was really annoying me. 

Before hitting the water we learnt how to stand up on the boards. After ten minutes we went and got the surf boards and we got in the water. It was cold on my feet. I had to wait a long time until I had my surf. When I was paddling I was about to stand up. The nose went in the water and the board went on top of me. I quickly swam forward. I went back in line and waited for my turn. 

After an hour I still didn’t stand on the board and catch a wave but lots of others did. More time passed and it was my second last surf, a person took me out to the wave and I swam out of the wave and I caught the  wave and stood up, I screamed, "yes!" 

I came to my last surf and I didn’t stand up sadly but I still had fun and that was my goal for the day .

After surfing me and the girls and Mr Brad went to the Essendon Football Club and we saw them training. Oliva, Soraya and I started crying and we went into their trophy room and me, Zaya, Soraya, Mr Michael and Olivia got a photo in front of the premiership cups and we went outside and we we just got around the other side and we saw the players go past. They were waving at us and we waved back. After we left, I asked if we could go there again because I barrack for the Bombers!

By Lily-Grace Hood