The Year 12 Physical Education students experienced the Alps to Ocean Trail.

On Friday 12th May twenty-six Year 12 Physical Education students left Waitaki Girls’ High School to bike to Windsor and back on the Alps to Ocean trail. For the Year 12 Physical Education class, the trip was to complete the practical requirements for AS2.8 - Demonstrate social responsibility in physical activity and AS2.10 - Analyse Group Practices in physical activity. The processes the group was working on for this trip were Caring for Others and Active Participation in the Management of the Group. The students had been put into groups and had prepared their food for the trip together in advance. For the Year 12 Practical Physical Education class the trip was to gather evidence towards the AS2.5 - Examine the significance for self, others, and society of a sporting event. 

The trip aimed for the students to experience the Alps to Ocean trail and get a sense of the significance of this event for themselves, others, and society and also allowed the students to see the sociological factors associated with the trail and the impacts these have on people living in the area. 

After a long ride/walk up to the sale yards the group settled into their task and, after a stop in Enfield, reached Windsor in time for lunch. It was a beautiful autumn day - cool in the morning but hot later. We were very lucky to be invited into Elderslie Estate where the owner, Dr Rodwell, talked about the history of the estate. Later at the Stables, John Hamilton talked to us about the rail line that a lot of the trail is built on and how goods were transferred from Oamaru to Tokarahi and back. Learning about our local history was very interesting and important to our understanding of the area we were biking in. 

The group persevered really well over the day and returned back to Waitaki more quickly than the trip out. Biking may not be the main physical activity for most young people these days and this was evident when the girls had difficulty walking the next day! 

The practical work is complete, and now the written tasks continue to achieve the standards. 

Thanks very much to John Hamilton, Graham MacLeod, Paul Mortimer, Mark Sinclair, and Miss Taylor for the help and support they gave to the classes.