Well yesterday Dean and I were student leaders again! It was a pretty relaxed day with 1A and 1B on Expo 2 and 2A environmental bike ride. So it was just 2B on campus all day, which was a bit lonely but it was nice for everyone to sit at the one table and eat lunch together. Yesterday I had First Aid and Passports; First Aid was okay, a bit boring but still informative and Passports was great. In Passports I did muck around a bit with Corey but it was only because he hadn’t been here and we just got side tracked. I did get more work done than anyone else though, surprisingly!

Georgia from Echuca College

Yesterday I had environmental bike ride. It was fun because we got to just sit there and bask in the glory of the day. It was pretty easy and we were able to stick as a group which was good. We started off learning about logging at an old logging coupe then went down to the cabbage tree palms. They were really big and beautiful and they are the furthest south species of palm in Australia. My job for the day was team navigator so I was up the front all day. Unfortunately the wind was blowing straight into my face which made it harder to ride.

Dean from Warragul Regional College

Georgia and Dean are undoubtedly the best student leaders this school has ever had. We couldn’t showcase our marvellous leadership skills as much as we would have liked to because not everyone was here. However, the people that were lucky enough to be led by such awesome people, now feel extremely privileged. We enjoyed being student leaders and wish future ones the best of luck trying to compete with our epicness.

Ben: During the past week 1A went on expo to Dock Inlet. It was a great experience because it was my first camping trip that I been on and it was fun. The highlight of the expo was when we were walking along the path and we came across a fallen tree because we had to scramble around this up the dunes and find a place to get back on track! This was a highlight because it was a little challenge for us and it was fun to climb over and tackle the obstacle. We walked 7km along the beach the first day and 7km back through the bush on the second.

Amy: Last week 1B also went on Expo to Dock Inlet. We had to carry 10kg packs 7kms along the beach. As we were about to leave for lunch at the beach we spotted whales in the water it was pretty amazing. When we got to Dock Inlet, we set up our tents and the toilet there, no funny stories like Bens. We swam in the inlet, it was really cold but the sun was nice. On the way back from Dock inlet we saw more whales and a goanna swimming.

Yesterday we were student leaders and we completed our community goal to get everyone early on time for head count, which we were very stoked about.

Ben from Swan Hill College and Amy from Wanganui Park

Yesterday we were student leaders together. My name is Maddy and that day I had Intro to POL (Presentation of Learning) and First Aid scenarios. The first aid scenarios were really good fun. Half of the group had to be the first aiders and the rest of us had to pretend that we were injured. To start off with, I had to pretend that I was injured. I made it look real by screaming my lungs out, all my first aider buddy could do was sit there and laugh at me making a fool out of myself. It was really fun and it was the highlight of my day.

Maddy, Wanganui Park SC

My name is Rebekah and I had caving all day. We were split into two groups and my group went to the ‘wild’ cave first. We had to wear ridiculous overalls because it was really muddy. I really enjoyed the wild cave even though it was a challenge with all the small holes we had to squeeze through. After the wild cave, we had lunch at the park then we went to the show cave. This cave had massive structures that sparkled. It was amazing!

Rebekah, Bright P-12 College

Yesterday Ryan and I were student leaders.

I was woken by my alarm at 6:20 but everyone always manages to get an extra twenty minutes sleep in, although it is usually interrupted by door slamming and yelling. Breakfast was the usual with the amazing looking bunch that we are in the morning. First headcount ran smoothly with everyone out of bed and doing the usual ritual of Sam starting us off at 1 and continuing from there. With a group out surfing and a group at photography the campus was quite for a few hours letting the rest of us get a few hours of work/emails in.

Afternoon class my expo group ventured off into the wilderness riding through tree branches, grasses and up some sandy hills (we got off and walked). We made term 4 history by getting DEARR over and done with, on time at 5:30. We played a game of soccer out on the field and all had some giggles and a few injuries. Ryan and I ran the first half of the night class on ‘stepping up’. By the time it was over we were both exhausted and ready for bed.

Jemma- Mananatang P-12 College

Yesterday was Halloween and for our evening class we had the Snow River Halloween Markets. We decorated the room with Halloween signs, streamers and some people dressed up as well.
Everyone went in groups of 3-5 and came up with a stall. There was face painting, photo booth, popcorn + marshmallows, pet rocks, pancakes, fortune telling, apple bobbing, a lolly stall, sponge throw and poker/card games. We were given $50 each (fake money of course) at the start of the night and whichever stall had the most money at the end was the winner.

Ruby: I was working on face painting with Amy, Shannon and Chloe. We had such an amazing time making people look really funny. I loved the different kind of stalls that were there that night. Everybody put a lot of effort into each stall so over all the night was unforgettable. Student leader during the day was better than my first time because people paid more attention and I knew everyone more than I did in the first week

Sam: Being the DJ was fun. My favourite stall was the pancakes. I visited that stall about 5 times! The night was fantastic. Student leader is a great opportunity to boost your confidence and lead the students for a day.

Ruby and Sam from Swan Hill College

Today Jemma and I where student leaders the day was a good fun day I had surfing and photography. Surfing is always fun and is a highlight of my time here. I stood up once on the board to only find out that I had no wave left to ride. After that it was a fun day of nosediving and awesome wipe outs from the whole group but it was fun time for all of us. Lastly, was photography that was a nice relaxing day to end the day’s lessons by walking up and down the coast taking photos. Night class was a class called ‘step up’. We had a fun and productive night getting through some important topics on what was needed of us when we come back from parent visiting weekend as well as going through our community agreement. Overall, the day was very fun and productive and everyone had an enjoyable day also.

Ryan- Swan Hill SC

Rebekah: I was student leader yesterday for the first time. We got to meet with the other students leaders from the other campuses. I thought that was really fun. In the morning I had LLP and we were preparing for Marlo primary school visit. In the afternoon, I went on the indigenous walk. I thought it was very interesting to learn more about the indigenous culture. They showed us how to make baskets and spears. Being a student leader is a challenging job.

Ashleigh: Yesterday was a fun day because in the afternoon Mardi-Lee and I made paper maché turtles for our LLP and we got to chill in the shed while listening to music. In the morning core 2 had the Indigenous Walk and it was interesting to learn about their culture and we even got to make baskets which was pretty cool. It was my second time being student leader and I found it easier this time because I actually knew what I was doing.

Rebekah- Bright P-12 and Ashleigh- Wanganui Park

So yesterday we had evening class. We watched a film called ‘Rabbit-Proof Fence’ and after the film ended we were all rounded up to head down to the fire. During the time we spent at the fire we had a cleansing. Not a ceremony of any sort but to help clear away the bad spirits and stuff. The people who lead it were Adam and Tyson. They are the two major people in the Aspiration Initiative. During this time Matt was chosen to help them cleanse. We also spoke about the things that we think should be changed or altered around the camp like friendships, communication and groups. After the few minutes we spent at the fire most people headed inside. The 3 people that stayed back at the fire for another half an hour were Matt, Stacey and Jakeb. During the time we spent there with Adam and Tyson we were taught that no matter what happened we would still do some of the things that we thought we wouldn’t do if it wasn’t for them. By the time it hit 9:00, a spirit/elder was telling us that it was time to go. Tyson spoke to it and we left, covering our tracks. Then it was bedtime. Over all our day as leaders was really good and we took a lot out of it.

Lilly from Bright P-12 and Matt from Chaffey Secondary

Yesterday we had a very inspirational man come in and his name is Barry Heard. He came and talked about his life when he was in the Vietnam War. He has had such a hard life but yet he still keeps his head up high and talks to many schools about his life in the war and what happened after he returned. It was really sad to hear what happened to the people they shot but yet at the same time it was understood why they had to do it. Barry never wanted to be an author; the way his book came together was unintentional. It started by him being in a mental institution writing a letter to his wife about his past. Even though he didn’t want to have his name on any of his books, his publisher put them on them and his book called “Well Done, Those Men” was the only book in Victoria to be voted the best-selling book. He sold 3,000 books and got over 6,000 letters. All the money from his books being sold goes to a charity to feed kids in other countries. Barry Heard’s story moved us all in a way that none of us could really explain, it made us realise that our lives really aren’t that bad. It made us appreciate the life that we have now compared to what it could have been like.

Lachie - Chaffey Secondary College and Shannon - Echuca College

The day started off just as any other get up have breakfast except today was different. I couldn’t put my finger on it but it was. Then I remembered today I was student leader. Kaspar and I had a different take on the day being in front of everyone and we also decided to try something new for each headcount. I wore a sailor’s hat that I’d borrowed off a friend and Kaspar and I stood in a new spot. Then we started head count backwards which confused everyone. It was pretty funny. We had a classes as usual and great warm weather. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as student leader and hope that everyone else enjoys theirs too.

Abbey - Wanganui PSC

Once upon a time there were 11 students preparing for an expedition. They spent 1 whole day getting their packs packed, food sorted and roles distributed. The next day, after a sleepless night, they set off on their journey. Kaspar took the role of navigator on day one. He stood at the front of the team and witnessed several snakes slither into the bush and big Frank, the Goanna! After a long morning hiking on the beach, the team decided to stop for lunch at the lagoon about 3 quarters of the way – in sight right from the start, yet such an endless walk. We trekked over sand dunes and climbed bushes until we finally reached Dock Inlet! “Probably most amazing swim of my life!” said Kaspar, after diving in to Dock inlet after an 8km hike along the beach on a scorching hot day.

Late that night the group sat in the sand by the lake and talked about the things they value and who brings warmth to their house. But eventually they had to find some sleep. Kaspar shared a tent with Lucca after some gritty cabornara for tea – delicious!

An early bladder got Kaspar up at six o’clock in the morning, who decided to stay up, go for a walk, splash his face down by the water and cook his porridge, which was surprisingly a nice breakfast.

By nine am the team was ready to go, ready to head out on another adventure, another endless journey along the power line track. Facing off swamps and more snakes, hardly stopping. They trekked all the way back to where they began. In just three and a half hours the team was sitting by the Yeerung River, eating lunch and answering Kaspar’s reflection questions.

A quick and effective clean up after returning back home, followed by a long hot shower, satisfied with the expedition, sits Kaspar, writing about the amazing memories he and his team created on this Expedition.

By Kaspar, Wanganui Park SC