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In Term 1, the Year 8 students visited the Good Samaritan Campus to participate in the Shine Program. Each class travelled by bus to our fantastic campus in Coragulac to spend three days and two nights with their class, experiencing all that the Otway region has to offer. We asked two students, Charlotte Hili and Andrea Maralit, to reflect on their time at camp.  

My camp experience was eventful and exciting. Over the course of three days and two nights we completed a bunch of activities like archery, treetops, initiatives, camping, cooking, mountain bike riding, making smores around the campfire, visiting a dairy farm, sleeping in a tent, and completing race around planet mud.​ 

The highlights for me were the mountain bike riding, treetops and all the time I had to hang out with friends and to get to know my class better. The mountain bike riding was fun, as we got to see the area we were camping at and how vast it really was. Treetops were probably the best activity they had lined up for us over the three days as we had ourselves clipped on wires very high up from the floor, going from platform to platform, with different courses and ziplines.   

I slept in a tent with two of my friends, and I thought I was going to die from the heat since it was like 30 degrees, but surprisingly sleep came easily and being in a tent with my friends was fun.​ 

But overall, the best part of camp was just hanging out with my friends and playing uno. I had brought uno along with me not realising this is card game really brought the class together, as nearly everyone played. We all laughed and enjoyed ourselves, and I got to know everyone so much better. I enjoyed this camp wholeheartedly, and hope Year 9 camp will be just as good, if not better.

Charlotte Hili 8 Red​ 

Year 8 camp 2024 was an enjoyable experience for me because I got to bond with my friends a lot. I got to engage in a few new experiences and participate in many activities such as archery, treetops, visiting the dairy farm, race around planet mud, and initiatives. We also did a reflection on the second night, which is when our PaLM connected the most because we were all participating and listening to each other. ​ 

My main highlight was the race around planet mud because I enjoyed doing little activities with my group and running around the place, trying to navigate where to go next even though it was warm and sunny. ​ 

After we completed treetops, I felt a sense of achievement because I faced my fear of heights and even though it was scary, I got over it and felt proud of myself after I completed it. It was a challenge I had to face, especially because I had never done something like it before. ​ 

Andrea Maralit 8 Purple. 

We look forward to seeing how the students continue to grow during their time in Year 8. We know this year will bring them challenges, such as exams or navigating friendships, but we know that they can continue to shine as they work with their peers, teachers, and families. We also would like to thank Abby Wellsteed for her fantastic work as Year Level Leader for Year 8 in Term 1. Abby will be taking a leave of absence from the role in Term 2.  

Sophie Martin and Jennifer Trodden
Year 8 Level Leaders