On Wednesday 26 April, our students travelled to Belanglo State Forest to engage in a camp that involved their participation in activities such as abseiling, canoeing, raft building, flying fox and group initiatives. The girls hike into the camp site and spend two nights under the stars – one in eco cabins and the other in tents. At the same time, the individual groups learn to be self-sufficient, which involves cooking, cleaning and generally looking after each other throughout their time together.

Whilst the camp can be challenging, both physically and mentally, the rewards and sense of achievement is evident in every student who attends. For 2017, our Year 9 students embraced all aspects of this camp and truly were an amazing group of young ladies to take away. They were willing to challenge themselves to step out of their comfort zones and gained some valuable life-lessons that in many cases are rare and cannot be bought. Both the staff and I witnessed a special event for these girls and for this we are proud of what they were able to achieve.

A big thank you also to Mrs Matti, Miss Randell, Mrs Nash, Mr Power, Mrs Reader, Mrs Wilson and Mrs McGillicuddy for taking the time away from their families to spend time with each of the groups. Your efforts were major contributing factors to the success of the camp and for this the students and I are very grateful.

Paul Ashkar - Year 9 Coordinator