Year 9 Character Days
Character and Connection Days
Martine Walls, Dean of Character and Wellbeing Program Development
Our Character and Connection days are an explicit commitment to developing our students’ character.
We know the importance of intentionally developing student relationships, and these Character Days give time for students to connect with each other on a deeper level; reflect on their own character; and consider how they can improve themselves to become their best version.
Our key themes are taught through practical experience across each year level. These themes are:
- Self-discovery and Respecting Self
- Respectful Relationships and Wellbeing Tools
- Respecting Others Through Community Service
- Respectful Leadership
Leadershift - Year 10 Character and Connection Day
On Wednesday 16 March, the Year 10 cohort gathered together to participate in their first Character Day of 2022. The focus of the day was on students gaining a better understanding of leadership.
Students were encouraged to think about and understand the impact of positive actions and attitudes. Students all worked collaboratively towards a common goal and set tangible and influential goals for the future.
Well done to all Year 10s for their positive participation on this day!
STUDENT REFLECTION
Anthea Diplaris, Year 10
The LeadershiftYear 10 Character Day centered around the topic of leadership. We started off the day with a get-to know-each-other activity, as well as some other little pair activities which broke up the talking.
Off the bat, I felt like the speakers Amy, Faye and Cearle were incredibly engaging and cared a lot about what they were doing. Throughout the day, we engaged in fun games such as Jenga, but everything we did always had a deeper meaning. This aspect really stood out to me.
The games allowed us to create a link between the content and our everyday lives. Seemingly meaningless games were used to help us understand and recognise the importance of persistence and motivation, while keeping us interactive and engaged. I feel like this day strengthened and added to my perception of leadership.
My main takeaways were that leadership isn’t a shiny badge. It’s not just one person making decisions and instructing others to do so. Leadership is a quality everyone possesses, and there are many ways to harness it.
It encouraged me to reevaluate my approach to certain tasks and deepened my understanding of what's helpful and what's not when it comes to achieving my goals, in and out of School. I can confidently say I enjoyed the Y-Lead Workshop; it allowed me to think about leadership and the influence I can have. I'm glad I had this opportunity!
Expedition Launch - Year 9 Impact Program
Year 9 Impact Team
As part of the Year 9 Impact Program, our exciting 'transformative expeditions' were recently launched to the Year 9 cohort and parent community. Taking place at the beginning of Term 4, students can choose between the following two expeditions: Indigenous Homelands in Cape York, Queensland and The Great South West Coastal Adventure in the South West of Victoria.
Both expeditions are unique and meaningful with the same key objectives and outcomes for students. These outdoor experiences help students to develop a broader perspective beyond themselves, build a sense of community and empathy, and challenge them to relish being pushed outside their comfort zones.
Students who travel to Cape York will be fully immersed in remote Indigenous communities and contribute to a project to positively impact these communities. They will visit sacred sites, hike through the Daintree Forest and snorkel at the Great Barrier Reef.
The Great South West Expedition will venture to the Victorian coastal towns of Port Fairy, Cape Bridgewater and Princetown, and students will take part in sand boarding, surfing, abseiling and hiking along the beautiful coastline, including past the world-famous 12 Apostles. They will immerse themselves into the rich colonial history of the Shipwrecked Coast and the role played in early immigration in the area.
Year 9 students will now begin the emotional and physical journey toward these expeditions; with training, fundraising and planning taking place within the Impact Program. We look forward to sharing stories from these exciting adventures!