2nd May – 6th May 2022

Three incredible students from Kamo High School were given the opportunity to take part in the Blue Light Life Skills Camp at Whenuapai Airbase last week. We were so fortunate to have gained funding from Whangarei Blue Light with the help of Marnie Reid (Whangarei Blue Light Coordinator) who accompanied us on this trip to safely deliver and return our students.

Ella Martin, Kade Cuff and Greer James were the three students who took part in this life changing camp which is designed to focus on leadership training, practical life skills, self-confidence, and leaderless tasks. 

The eager students were up early on Monday morning, packed and rearing to go, not quite knowing what to expect but excited all the same. As we made our way down towards Whenuapai Airbase you could feel the anticipation starting to build. On arrival we were directed by the Defence Force on the entry process ….. it was a well-oiled machine ….. and before we knew it, I was collecting up their cell phones for the week and farewelling them as they boarded the Airforce vans and headed into camp to start their weeklong adventure.

Marnie and I were like excited children on the trip back down to collect them on Friday. Sadly, due to covid we were unable to enter the Airbase to watch their graduation ceremony but were delighted to get updates from the parents (who were watching via live stream) as we made our way to Auckland. We learned that our fabulous Kamo High School Students deservingly claimed the top two awards with Greer James coming away with Overall Excellence and Kade Cuff with Overall Merit.

On arrival we were greeted with open arms by our students and introduced (by way of last names as they had been known by throughout the week) to the other students and staff who had participated in the camp. The vibe was electric, and our students could not wait to share their stories and experiences on the ride home. They had mastered the art of marching, perfect hospital corners on their beds, making the perfect bacon and egg pie, high ropes and rock wall climbing. They had also become accustomed to early morning runs, very tight turn arounds to complete given tasks and the all-important squats (which they may still be hurting from a little).

There were times where things got tough, but I believe that without the support of each other, these three students would not have had such a positive experience. I feel so incredibly proud to have been a part of this adventure and could not have asked for a better group of students to represent our school. They all showed unrelenting perseverance, resilience, and mana. You should all be so incredibly proud of yourselves and what you have achieved. You have gained knowledge and new skills that will carry you through the next part of your journey and created a bond with each other that will last a lifetime.

First Hand experience from our students....

GREER JAMES

My experience at the Blue Light Life Skills camp was full of ups and downs. We were taken to the quarters where we would be staying for the next week after passing the covid test. We had our bags searched and were told to wait outside without talking or leaning on the rails. Then we got our uniform and met everyone. They all seemed very nice and seemed to really care about us but at the same time it was intimidating. On Tuesday, I was having a difficult time adjusting to their rules and processes. My sleep pattern, when I ate, and when and how I would accomplish tasks were all altered. Everything had changed. I wanted to go home. I sat down with some of the Blue Light employees and went over everything with them, and they were incredibly helpful and sympathetic. They were determined for me to finish the week and graduate. I agreed to stay and they told me I could go talk to them whenever I was sad or wanted some space. I was very grateful for them. We did some activities on base that built trust between ourselves. These allowed us to make friendships and connections with everyone else on the course.

We learned one of the Blue Light workers had tested positive for Covid on Wednesday morning, which meant they all had to go home. This truly affected me because they were my support system. It was difficult to see them leave after we had developed a bond with them. I was told that they had some off-base events planned for the next few days that I should look forward to. Hearing this made me feel better and convinced me that I could finish the week. We started with indoor rock climbing, which I'd never done before and was a little unnerving at first, but once I reached the top of one, I just wanted to keep climbing even if I didn’t reach the top. The following day was my personal favourite. We went on tree adventures, which is something I've done before, but there were so many new obstacles throughout it all I'd never done before. I'm so glad I stayed and didn't give up. It was a fantastic experience from which I gained a lot of knowledge. I'd recommend this to anyone who is looking for a challenge or anyone who wants to get more information about the Defence Forces.

KADE CUFF

Attending the blue light life skills camp was an amazing experience and I would recommend it to everyone. It is an incredible opportunity where you can experience new things and meet a diverse group of people. One of the biggest things I took away from the experience was what we were told on the first day "you get out what you put in", I know for a fact that all of the Kamo High Students did everything to the best of their abilities and made most of the time we had.

ELLA MARTIN

Here I was thinking not having my phone for a week was gonna be the biggest challenge, turns out it was the least of my worry’s. Having four showers a day, marching to breakfast and dinner, being referred to by my surname, the 5.30am starts and having to make our beds perfectly were all new to me. Discipline to a whole new level but I wouldn’t change it in any way. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the Blue Light Life Skills course, and I’d personally like to thank Kamo High and especially Patsy and Marnie for making this opportunity possible for me. 

Patsy Yearbury (KHS Gateway Manager)