22nd - 26th August 2022

Four incredible students from Kamo High School were given the opportunity to take part in the Blue Light Life Skills Camp at Wairakei last week. We were so fortunate to have gained funding from Whangarei Blue Light with the help of Marnie Reid (Whangarei Blue Light Coordinator)

Mollie Parker, Taine Middleton, Luke Rouse and Ryan Thorburn were the four students who were offered the opportunity to take part in this life changing camp which is designed to focus on leadership training, practical life skills, self-confidence, and leaderless tasks.

Once again, one of the top awards was claimed but yet another Kamo High School student. Luke Rouse was the very deserving recipient of the overall merit award.

During the week, these students had the opportunity to go white water rafting, ten pin bowling, lazer tag, high ropes just to name a few. They learnt leadership and communication skills and showed perseverance and resilience throughout the week. There are always times where things got hard but this amazing group of students pushed through and had the most fantastic time and will have stories to share about their experiences for many years to come.

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.

A huge thank you to local Police staff Bevan and Maz who accompanied our students to the camp and once again to the incredible Marie Reid for making this possible for our students.

A word from Marnie Reid (Whangarei Blue Light Coordinator)

I’ve received nothing but praise about the young people that went on the camp with Bevan and Maz. A big shout out to each one of them for their awesomeness, their courage and determination to give everything their best. Well done team.

A word from Luke Rouse (Overall Merit Award Winner)

Because I had the absolute privilege to attend the Blue Light Life Skills Camp at the Blue Light Lodge, in Wairakei, Taupo, not only was I able to meet, mix, and create new bonds with an amazing and very diverse group of individuals, I was able to try many new activities, gain a lot of important messages, and build and discover new personal and everyday skills, that I will take with me throughout the remainder of my schooling, career, and the rest of my life. Although I was definitely put through challenges and difficulties that pushed me mentally, and physically throughout the entirety of the week, I loved everything that we did, whether it was on the lodge grounds or not - I especially enjoyed the Whitewater rafting we did on the Kaituna River, in Rotorua, as it was adrenaline filled, exciting, something different, and it would be something I would never usually embark on in my spare time. And from doing all the fun filled, unique, and team based activities, not only did I learn and gain important practical and everyday skills, like: learning how to be a lot more self-disciplined on an advanced level, how to be a part and contribute to a team environment, how to analyse important and specific vehicle symbols and components, and how to step outside of my comfort zone - while remembering that it’s all inside my head, I also learned personal qualities and traits about myself - I learnt that I do have the capability to contribute relevant and helpful ideas, suggestions, etc, towards a group of people, and that I have the leadership qualities to guide, supply information, assist, and help out others when needed, and I’m proud of that! Finally, one of the first and most important messages I was told when I first arrived was, “what you put in, is what you get out”, and I believe that message was just the foundation of what I did to receive my Overall Merit Award - which I was extremely beyond honoured to receive - and on top of that foundation, came all of the teamwork, support, and encouragement I received from everybody involved, and I know everyone who attended the camp deserved, and should have received, the Overall Merit Award, because I can guarantee you that it wasn’t just an individual effort - it was a collective effort.