Year 8 Camp, held in March at Anglesea was an enriching experience where students developed essential skills and embraced independence and responsibility, all while being supported and guided by their peers and teachers.
The camp encouraged students to step outside their comfort zones and enter their growth zones, helping them build the skills and character needed to thrive as young adults.
Throughout the camp, students participated in a variety of exciting activities designed to inspire, challenge and build confidence. These included kayaking, surfing, bike riding, hiking, photography, geography challenges, zip-lining and tree surfing. The camp provided students with opportunities to achieve personal milestones and strengthen relationships with their peers, as well as develop their knowledge journey – complementing the learning in the classroom out in the field.
A key component of the camp was fostering a sense of responsibility. Students took on the challenge of cooking their own dinners and assisting with meal preparations, fostering teamwork and independence.
But don’t just take our word for it – here’s what our Year 8 students had to say:
Camp at Anglesea Caravan Park was an unforgettable adventure. We stayed in tents, fully immersing ourselves in nature while trying out various activities like surfing, kayaking, and mountain bike riding. We also got a taste of photography and geography, which added a unique touch to our outdoor experience. One of the highlights was movie night when we watched ‘Moana’ under the stars. On the first day, we enjoyed a delicious BBQ for dinner, followed by a hearty pasta meal the next day. However, this time we had to cook it ourselves in pairs using a Trangia, which was a fun challenge. On the third day, we tackled making Beaned Burritos, but things took a hilarious turn when they ended up as Burrito Soup! Throughout the camp, we had an amazing time, and to top it all off, we got to watch Richmond make a fantastic comeback against Carlton! It was truly a memorable camp experience.
Nicholas, Year 8 Students
Year 8 school camp at Anglesea was an unforgettable experience for me. This camp was not only full of adventure and fun but offered us a unique experience of setting our own tents and also cooking food for ourselves. We tackled activities such as surfing, kayaking, a 16km hike, mountain biking and tree surfing. We also learned about landscapes and landforms in the geography task and did photography. My favourite activity was surfing as it was a new challenge for me, since I have never tried it before. We had a great time on movie night and enjoying fish and chips after a long hike. This camp experience has not only strengthened my friendships, but it has also made me a more independent, confident and resilient individual. I am very thankful to the amazing teachers who accompanied us in this camp and ensured our comfort and safety at every step.
Mishka, Year 8 Student
My experience on Year 8 camp was amazing, from the fun activities to afternoon and night walks with my friends, I made many treasurable memories that would stay with me forever. My favourite activity was cooking my own dinner, because I learnt how to be responsible while cooking and I had helped so many others get their recipes to perfection, with lots of funny and memorable moments. Although I did not get a single blink of sleep at night, I really enjoyed hearing the waves crash on the shore and seeing how peaceful it was on the opposite side of Melbourne. I can’t wait to go on year 9 camp next year!
Aarna, Year 8 Student
Year 8 Camp was a valuable experience for everyone. Although there were many challenges to face during camp – whether it was cooking on our trangias, standing on our surfboards, facing the mountain bike challenges, and so much more. Everyone faced challenges, and no matter who they are, or what they found challenging, overcoming that challenge was empowering, and really gave us all a valuable goal to work through and something to celebrate too. Even though camp may not have been just what we thought it would be, I’m sure we all wouldn’t change a thing about the experience.
Jayme, Year 8 Student
It was such an amazing experience! Camp this year was such a good way to let loose and try new things, even if we didn’t know how to do it. Learning these new skills even if they aren’t entirely directly relevant to our everyday lives helped also teach us necessary skills such as resilience like when trying to stand on a surfboard but continuously falling off. Being able to learn and implement everyday life skills such as cooking, resilience and just respect in general was a great idea. I made so many amazing memories with so many people, that I will treasure for so many years to come. Year 8 camp was so much fun!!!!!!!!!!!
Madeleine, Year 8 Student
