Experiential Learning & Round Square

Duke of Edinburgh Award for Felix Kairaitis

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award is a voluntary self-development program available to all young people. Offered at Kinross Wolaroi School, it encourages students to set and achieve personal goals that align with their abilities and aspirations.

We extend our congratulations to Felix Kairaitis who has been awarded the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award which is a tremendous achievement.

The following is a reflective statement of his journey:

My journey through the Duke of Edinburgh Award has allowed me to learn, grow and challenge myself in many different ways. The service I have undertaken through Cadets and Sony Camp has helped me develop my leadership skills and, importantly, understand the value of caring for and supporting others in our community.

Playing the saxophone and hockey has also provided me with many great memories and opportunities to develop my skills. Looking back, I am proud of the growth and improvement I have achieved along the way.

Completing the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award has been both a fun and challenging journey, and I am incredibly grateful for the experiences, friendships and lessons I have gained throughout the process. It is an achievement that I will be proud of for many years to come.

Orienteering at Kinross Wolaroi

In the spirit of the Round Square IDEAL of Adventure, Kinross Wolaroi School was proud to host the Orange Goldseekers Orienteering Club for the NSW Interschools Orienteering event on Sunday, 16 August. The event provided students and competitors with an opportunity to challenge themselves both physically and mentally while navigating the newly developed orienteering course across the Wolaroi Campus.

The winter weather was outstanding, providing ideal conditions for competitors to explore the course, test their navigation skills and enjoy the challenge of finding their way through a variety of terrain and multi-level checkpoints.

The program included a range of individual orienteering events, where competitors raced against the clock to successfully navigate the course, as well as an exciting 2.7 km relay sprint event. The relay added another dimension to the competition, requiring teams to combine speed, communication, decision-making and accurate navigation.

Kinross Wolaroi students, Skye Napier and Anna Childs, were excellent competitors throughout the day, demonstrating enthusiasm and determination as they tackled the course. In a moment that captured the fun and challenge of orienteering, both were jokingly quoted as having “got lost in their own school!” Clearly, even knowing the Kinross Wolaroi grounds does not necessarily guarantee success when the map and compass come out!

The event was a fantastic opportunity to showcase the Wolaroi Campus and its potential as a venue for outdoor education, adventure and navigation activities.

Keep an eye out for a short recap of the event on local Seven News, which will showcase some of the action from the day.

The school would like to thank the Orange Goldseekers club for this exciting new partnership.

Students interested in having a go at orienteering are encouraged to keep an eye on The Hub for future opportunities to participate in upcoming events and activities.

Year 8 National Exchange Program

From Mrs Kate Anderson, National Exchange Coordinator

Year 8 students have an opportunity to attend an exchange at another Round Square school in Australia. Recently Hamish Glasgow and Tom Rourke found themselves at Scotch College in Perth for two weeks. Below are some comments from Hamish Glasgow:

Q. Why did you apply for exchange?

A. I applied for exchange to explore a part of Australia that I have never been to and also to meet and make a new friend across Australia that I wouldn’t have met otherwise.

Q. What were you nervous about?

A. I was mainly nervous about how I would blend in and make friends at the other school but I was lucky that I got a very good class and they were very accepting.

Q. What did you enjoy doing?

A.Doing all the sightseer things such as going to Rottnest island or going north of Perth to the lanceolin sand dunes which were both really fun.

Q. What did you learn about yourself while you were away?

A. I learned how independent that I could be and that its always good to try new things and step out of your comfort zone.

Q. What advice would you give other people going on exchange this year?

A. I would say to try everything, introduce yourself to everyone and just make the most of it as it is a once in a lifetime opportunity for some people.

International Student Exchange Program

Dear Year 9 students and parents,

You are invited to our annual Student International Exchange Program (SIEP) Information session for Year 9 / Year 10 2027 to learn about the international exchange opportunities for your year group and how the application process works.

When: Monday, 14 September from 6:00 to 7:00pm

Where: KWS Library

Online: a Teams link for online participation will be added here closer to the date

In the lead-up to the meeting, please explore exchange related info – initial process, our partner schools and our students’ exchange reflections – at:

The Hub - International Student Exchange (kws.nsw.edu.au).

Please come along if you are interested in going on an international exchange in 2027 as a Year 10 student and bring all the questions that you have!

See you there,

Dr Ernist