TEC Whero/Pango and Room 14 Tui/Kea enjoyed a wonderful camp at Living Springs.

Our school camp was a great success! We started out with 2 days of beautiful weather for our outdoor activities plus we were able to appreciate the magnificent view. Day one we had morning tea at Victoria Park and played some games. After we arrived in Living Springs, we unpacked our bags then everyone headed off to ‘recreation’ activities. Most students chose the trampolines and mini golf, which was hidden away in the bushes. Some of the braver ones dared to go on the monorail. This was challenging for them, but they all were brave enough to have a turn. We were impressed by their courage despite being nervous. That night students settled in and watched a movie. The food was delicious with a great variety for everyone. Dinners: chicken curry, green beans, naan and chocolate mousse; burgers, chips, salad and ice cream. Lunches: nachos and pasta. Morning and afternoon teas: fresh fruit and cake or slice. We even had a special piece of cake for someone’s birthday on the first night. Day two we had our new principal Ian Poulter visit us for the morning. We started off with a bush walk in a valley. Some students found this quite difficult at times but showed great resilience and did not turn back. Next it was swimming. Students had fun splashing about before Ed organised some fun team games. In the afternoon we split up into two groups to complete the activities. Balance bikes were great fun. Students must lie back resting their elbows on a plate and hold on to a handle while using their bodies to turn the bike. Thank goodness for the rubber tyres that helped soften the impact while students (and staff) began to master the steering. The other activities were rifle shooting and archery. These were both done in the bush and we were instructed by the local staff. It was lovely to watch the students grown in confidence as their ability to shoot began improving. After dinner we had a campfire singing and some dancing along to songs. All the students enjoyed roasting marshmallows and having a s’mores (melted marshmallow between 2 biscuits). Our last day was drizzly and overcast. However, we did not let that dampen our spirits as some day trippers came to join us. We were able to do some climbing inside on a bouldering wall. The students all gave it a go and we were impressed by their positive attitude. The instructor had them all playing games and pushing them to try their best –which they did! We all came back to school happy and tired. A huge thank you to Ingrid who organised it all. We all are looking forward to the next one.