YEAR 5 & 6 CAMP

BY STEPHEN ROBERTS (Learning Assistant)

It was the last Wednesday of August and the atmosphere was practically buzzing with excitement as we weaved past the piles of luggage, pillows and sleeping bags on the way to the classroom. The clamour of gleefully chattering students was almost enough to drown out the last minute parental hugs and goodbyes. Today, instead of the regular Maths and English lessons, the Year 5s & 6s would be departing for Camp.

The bus drive was long (and involved far too much singing) as we winded through vibrant green hills and arrived at the stunningly scenic CYC Forest Edge campsite where we would be staying for the next few days.

After a quick lunch we broke into groups and scattered across the area to have fun with the first of many activities we would enjoy during our time here. From camp staples such as archery and disc golf to some that were entirely new. We burned damper over fire, sunk arrows deep into the targets, hiked through the occasionally leech occupied bushland, and threw frisbees into trees and creeks and generally everywhere but the goals.

The weather on that first day did grace us with a bit of an interruption, and I was perhaps a little too amused watching out the window as a particularly drenched group came sprinting up the hill in search of shelter, but for the rest of our stay it would be a brightly sunlit, if slightly chilly time.

One activity in particular that stood out was the community service that saw our students help give back to the natural beauty of the environment we were staying in. Our camp theme was ‘Growing Stronger Together’ and through this activity, students were able to put that theme into practice. The ‘Maintenance Man’ of Forest Edge was Ross and he shared his immense gratitude to the students on the last day, while also sharing his heart, that Jesus has called him to be of service to others and that our students had been of service to him and the team at Forest Edge.

After dinner we proceeded to the main event of our first night at camp. The talent show blew away every expectation, not just with the bravery our students showed in performing before a packed crowd but also in the amazing talent that they showed. There was singing and dancing and musical instruments, magic and comedy shows as well. Several times our panel of impartial judges were rendered irrelevant in the face of a full crowd chanting “10! 10! 10! 10!”

The second day saw a horde of strangely quieter students (who would never be so irresponsible as to stay up all night talking after lights out) head off for another set of activities. Mountain boarding saw us zooming downhill on large, off-road skateboard like contraptions while the low ropes course saw us wobbling around as we desperately tried not to fall off to the amusement of the kookaburra laughing the whole time.

The flying fox was easily one of the stars of the show, the exhilarating rush as you hurtled downward, the wind rushing in your ears as you flew far faster than you expected to go. (And yes Mrs Whittingham we all saw the photo of your turn, you showed it to everyone, several times in fact!)

Then once the sun had set and the night came out to play, a host of strange colourful characters, festooned like blinding neon Christmas trees emerged from the cabins in preparation for the evening's festivities. Fluro shirts, sparkles, hi vis vests and glowsticks galore filled the room as everyone tensed in anticipation. Then suddenly with flashing lights, a blast of sound and an enthusiastic DJ Wanders manning the turntable, the Fluro Disco had begun. It was a raucous, foot stomping, window shaking romp as students and teachers alike let loose and sang and danced the night away.

Then before we knew it the last morning of camp had arrived. After some frantic packing and a final round of activities we said goodbye and piled into the buses for the drive back to school. Compared to the group that had arrived at camp, the one now leaving was a quieter, and far more exhausted group but one thing that was not in doubt was that it had been worth every moment. Not just because of the memories of good times they now carry with them but also the newer and stronger relationships that the camp helped build with each other that they will hopefully carry through the rest of the year and beyond.