Somerset Lifetimes 2019 Semester 2

Outdoor EDUCATION

THE VALUE OF CAMP Our students from Years 3 to 11 enjoy a variety of camps locally, over the border, north to the Sunshine Coast Hinterland and the state’s islands, west to outback Queensland and as far south as Tasmania. More often, these camps form the fondest memories of a child’s school journey.

2019 saw our first full time Outdoor Education specialist join the activities team. Emma Easther has numerous qualification in outdoor pursuits and joins us from the private outdoor education sector. In addition to providing a camp experience for students from Year 3 to Year 11, in 2019, Emma was able to offer regular indoor rock-climbing sessions and we gained certification as a Duke of Edinburgh provider. The student response has been overwhelming and we expect a cohort of approximately 35 students embarking on our inaugural bronze certificate in 2020. Equally impressive is the interest shown in completing the Kokoda challenge in the Gold Coast hinterland in July. I have 26 signed up already to attempt the gruelling 48km challenge. In a year when the 2019 Australians of the Year, Drs Richard Harris and Craig Challen visited the College, it is worth considering their message to parents and young Australians. “Kids need to be allowed to find their own boundaries and to discover their limits… Outdoor activities really do promote physical and mental well-being and it’s critical that kids can test their own limits.” Research confirms that the role of risk and adventure is essential in human development. Adventurous activities help children make decisions, problem solve, exert self-control, follow rules, regulate emotions and maintain peer relationships. Children learn to handle risk and gain a more realistic risk perception, which in turn makes them less anxious. The students who voluntarily opt for the hard hike on Year 10 camp can attest to the following from Dr Craig Challen, “… kids risk never knowing their own strength and what they are capable of and we risk that when faced with adversity we crumble in a heap and give up instead of standing up.” Somerset does not support an outdoor pursuit programme because we think it’s good fun for kids, we do it because we believe it brings out massive developmental benefits to the adolescent self. Craig Sayer Dean of Activities

Year 4 Camp, Lake Ainsworth

Outdoor Education

Year 5 Camp, Mapleton

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