Year 12 Camp

Year 12 Camp - Camp Howqua

Wednesday the 28th of February, marked the beginning of what was going to be a memorable three days for the Year 12 students that attended camp at Camp Howqua. Filled with excitement, many of the students were eager to see what the camp had in store for them – our Year 12 students would be sure to say that their time on camp did not disappoint. 

With students participating in a study session, flying fox, high ropes, archery & water slide - there was plenty of fun to be had! Horse-riding was a highlight with many of the students seizing the opportunity to ride a horse, some for the very first time. The survivor course was undeniably voted the students’ favourite activity on camp. Whilst at first many of them were overwhelmed by the enormity of the course, they did not shy away from the challenge of competing against one another climbing over walls and nets, walking along the tightrope, crawling through the sand tunnel and swimming their way through the mud pit. The bravery, teamwork and encouragement for one another was a testament to how much their relationships had developed with each other in such a short time. 

A competitive Trivia evening showcased our students talents in question rounds and mini games including testing the skills of balloon popping and the vocal talents with students belting out tunes on the mic! Our student leaders run a successful session of team building activities – including balloon races, charades, hula hoop races & karaoke - filling the night with lots of fun and laughter! 

The students enjoyed the opportunity to develop and build friendships with their peers and teachers. There is no doubt that the friendships and memories created during the three days at Camp Howqua will be cherished and remembered for a long time to come. 

A big thank you to our TLSC staff that joined and supported the Year 12s on their camp adventure- it would not have been possible without all of your hard work and support! 

Melissa Tarquinio & Joe Laganga

Year 12 Level Leaders

Student testimonials:

Camp Howqua was a very valuable experience as it taught me to be more confident and face my fears. The camp strengthened the relationships I share with both my peers and teachers and helped me build my own character. Over the three days, each group got to participate across six different activities - with the survivor challenge being my personal favourite - that taught us how to communicate, work as a team, and support each other when faced with difficult challenges or fears. Another highlight of my camp was playing table tennis during our free time. It brought out my competitive nature and it was always a good laugh. A special shoutout to Mr Williams, Mr Hunter and Mr Karipoglou for being the toughest competitors!

With the lack of or no internet, everyone was able to share genuine connections and be present in every moment which really made this camp one to remember.

Sam D

Camp Howqua was an amazing experience for our year level! We were able to form new meaningful relationships with our fellow peers and teachers and learn new skills by going out of our comfort zone. It was a valuable learning experience, allowing us to gain confidence and develop new skills including collaboration, teamwork, and independence. Personally, it was astonishing to see all our peers encouraging and supporting one another, whether it was through various camp activities or trivia night. 

After our long three-hour bus drive, our three days at camp comprised of many fun activities. Without a doubt, we all pushed our limits and built bravery. This included conquering our fears of heights on the high ropes or the flying fox, challenging our physical capabilities in the muddy survivor challenge, going on the water slide, playing a competitive game of volleyball, learning archery, and going on a relaxing horse-riding trip. These events were so enjoyable, and I loved seeing my peers working together to face any problems present and using their teamwork skills to encourage one another. My favourite activity was horse-riding and also going out of my comfort zone and singing karaoke in front of the whole cohort! 

Without a doubt, the camp was a beyond-amazing experience! I had so much fun, made new friends, went out of my comfort zone, and gained new individual skills to continue my growth. 

Cristian C

Everyone was really excited to begin our last school camp as we left early in the morning on Wednesday the 28th of February. After a long bus ride, we arrived at Camp Howqua excited to begin our activities and have some fun together. We started off with a horse riding where we met and learnt how to ride our horses before completing a scenic trail ride as a group which was something new that everyone enjoyed. This was then followed with a Survivor mud course, with the Survivor theme music playing behind us everyone worked together to complete obstacles and help each other as a team to complete the course. Everyone cheered each other on as we climbed walls, crawled through tunnels, made it out of the mud pit and down the waterslide to victory. Even when it was difficult everyone banded together and helped each other to finish the course before we went swimming in the lake. On the first night at camp everyone teamed up for a very entertaining trivia night, with questions from different categories that allowed each team member to contribute as well as hilarious minigames featuring karaoke, donut on a string challenge and limbo where everyone had a great time. Everyone was looking forward to trying the other activities at camp over the next two days including archery where we really enjoyed the challenge and saw a lot of improvement in our group, flying fox and high ropes as people faced their fears as we took to the sky and the waterslide - everyone had a great time racing each other down the slide and running back up again. On the second night we participated in activities run by the student leaders including balloon races, toilet paper dress up and more karaoke, before we all got comfy with our snacks and pyjamas to watch a movie. Everyone had an amazing time at camp where we enjoyed new activities and strengthened our friendships with our peers.

Sienna B