Year 10 RISE Leadership Program
Martine Walls, Head of Character and Wellbeing, and Jacqui Goldenberg, Community Service Program Director
Year 10 RISE Leadership Program
This year marked an exciting milestone for our School as we proudly launched the Year 10 RISE Leadership Program with Flying Fox, one of our charity partners.
We designed the RISE Leadership Program to be holistic, blending community service, personal growth and leadership training to help students unlock their potential and become compassionate leaders.
A significant part of the Program were the personal development workshops delivered by Tomorrow Man and Tomorrow Woman. These sessions provided our students with the tools to better understand themselves and, in doing so, approach their relationships and leadership with greater empathy and care.
We recently concluded the Program with an unforgettable Flying Fox Leadership Camp. Students had the opportunity to participate in this unique experience and apply the personal development and leadership skills they had learned throughout the Program. In this challenging yet rewarding environment, students took on the responsibility of caring for a participant with a disability, providing support, mentorship and connection over the course of the Camp.
This camp was a profound representation of our School motto, 'Not for our own, but others’ good', and showcased the remarkable character of our students — who stepped out of their comfort zones, left fear of judgment behind, and embraced the opportunity to be genuine, patient and playful.
Their impact on the participants with disability was profound, and the relationships they built—with both the campers and the Flying Fox crew—will leave a lasting impression. This experience not only changed their perspectives but also allowed them to immerse themselves fully, demonstrating the importance of compassion and adaptability in leadership.
The personal and leadership growth we saw in our students was nothing short of inspiring. The camaraderie and respect they displayed throughout the Program were a testament to their character and a reminder of what can be achieved when we work together for the greater good.
As teachers, witnessing our students lead with their hearts and embody the very essence of selfless care was one of the most rewarding and proud moments of our career.
Congratulations to our Year 10 students for their exceptional efforts and to the Character team who made this inaugural year of the RISE Leadership Program such an outstanding success. We are excited to continue refining and enhancing the program in the years ahead to ensure it continues to empower future leaders to be compassionate and empathetic leaders who will leave a lasting impact on the world around them.
See below for some feedback from students and parents about the experience.
STUDENT COMMENTS
This experience has changed me as a person, and my perspective is now different. I enjoyed this opportunity so much, and I will be volunteering to be a mentor again with Flying Fox. Our participant (who really struggled at the start) had never been able to sleep or experience an overnight camp before. But he did this time and had so much fun. I won’t forget his mum and how happy she was. I feel proud! — Hayden Mellow
It was so hard, confronting and overwhelming to begin with, but I learnt to persist and trust the process. The overall experience was so rewarding, and I was so sad to say goodbye to my participant. I want to help people and do it again. — Vicki Tan
PARENT COMMENTS
Jorges has shared lots of wonderful stories about the Flying Fox Camp and the time he shared with his participant. He was appreciative of the dedication and support from all the Camp leaders/staff and I believe he flourished in an environment where he was able to be his true empathetic and caring self! The activities were fun, the joyful atmosphere was captivating, the connections with peers and camp staff were rewarding and, of course, the bond formed with his participant was truly enriching. — Stella
Sinead stepped out of her comfort zone and was truly rewarded by it. She really loved helping 'A' have a great time. This is the first time she had ever done anything so focused on someone else, and I'm very grateful to the teachers, leaders, and Flying Fox people for encouraging Sinead. She agrees this experience has made her a better person, and has said she would love to do it next year too. I hope it is something Kilvington continues. — Sonya
Thank you so much! Elijah came back from camp standing taller — like he’d grown a couple of years in a couple of days! He was so happy and felt buoyed by the connections he had made not only with his participant, but with all his fellow volunteers and the other campers. It will be an experience he will never forget, and we are so grateful to Kilvington for providing him with such an awe-inspiring opportunity. He will be a returning volunteer in the future. Thank you for always 'seeing' Elijah. It means the world to us. — Lynda
Alex really enjoyed being a buddy to his participant (who also enjoys sports). He commented that he was able to really connect with the participants and also have some great discussions with the camp leaders. He is talking about potentially volunteering in the future, and was saying if he could do it again, he'd be the first to put his name on the list!
Of course, this experience also provided him an opportunity to reflect on the challenges and adversity that many others face on a day-to-day basis, and how having an opportunity to just have fun can make such a difference for these kids. He kept saying how seeing their smiling faces was so wonderful. I think it is truly wonderful that Kilvington offers these opportunities, and I'd certainly encourage such camps to continue.— Nicole