Their first stop was caving at the Waitomo caves.
“It was a really cool experience tubing along fresh water channels and seeing the glow worms,” commented one student.
Following on from the caving, the students’ organisational skills were put to the test when they were broken into smaller cooking groups to plan and organise themselves to prepare for the meals they would cook for the duration of the camp.
The next day began with an early start mountain biking expedition at Waipa Sawmill. The students were dropped off at the top of the mountain and were then tasked with making their way down. Along the way they faced challenges, such as steep tracks, sharp corners and uneven surfaces.
“This activity allowed us to be pushed out of our comfort zone and focus on the aspect of physical safety,” commented another camp goer.
After a much-needed rest, the class stopped at a natural hot pool.
“We went swimming in a river filled with hot water. This was due to natural springs beneath the surface. We also found clay which we covered ourselves in as a natural exfoliating mask.”
On the final leg of the adventure the students went luging. This activity was a fun way to end the trip, while still concentrating on our aim of physical and emotional safety. The group managed to hit the slopes five times before heading back to the College.
Overall it was a fantastic experience for the Year 11 students, with the activities completed allowing them to succeed in gaining credits for an NCEA internal assessment.
