Year 12 Retreat Class of 2019

From 16 to 18 July, the Year 12 students took part in the Year 12 Retreat in Melbourne where they participated in several activities and explored specific parts of Melbourne.

During this trip, we were able to reflect with teachers and fellow classmates about our own beliefs and values and express how we would represent our College values as individuals. We were able to go out on the streets of Melbourne and see firsthand how homelessness is a growing issue within our community, as well the effects and troubles the individuals go through. On the second morning, I was in a group of six girls who travelled to Anglicare where we had the opportunity to feed the homeless with a variety of breakfast options.

During the Retreat, we had the opportunity to listen to guest speakers from different backgrounds speaking to us about their culture and their journey growing up. This included Tanya, who spoke to us about domestic violence and the available resources if we, or someone we know, is suffering from domestic violence.

Overall the retreat was an awesome experience that helped me interact with different people in my year level and discuss their different faiths and values. It also provided me with an eye-opening experience and a realisation of how lucky I am to have a house, food provided and a supporting family every day. I believe the current Year 11s should feel very excited for their Year 12 Retreat next year as it is an experience to remember. (Amy Ryan)

The majority of our year level has spent the last six years with together, however, our recent Year 12 retreat at University College allowed us to become even closer with one another, strengthening our support network as our high school journey comes to an end and our stress levels rise. The retreat put us at our most vulnerable, enabling us to open up and share with one another as we discussed faith, spirituality, our dreams and other fundamental factors that shape who we are. This helped us learn about each other and view the people we have known now for years in a different light, as well as discover ourselves. Of course, we had a lot of fun doing so, particularly on our trivia night, where we dressed up for our Op Shop Formal and had a bit of a laugh.

While our friendships strengthened, Retreat also provided the opportunity to exercise our independence and come to terms with the ‘real world’, easing our transition for when we finish school. We were able to become more familiar with Melbourne, and importantly, open our eyes to other people’s suffering, both in the city and back home, around issues such as homelessness and domestic violence.

We are all extremely grateful for this experience and could not have imagined just how fun, enlightening and amazing our retreat would be, so thank you to University College for having us and to Suzie and Fiona for making it run so smoothly! (Kaitlyn Smith)

The Year 12 Retreat was an eye opener for all students attending and allowed for us to connect with ourselves and the people around us. We participated in activities which represented the values of good and caring people in our community and we learnt how beneficial giving back is to other people. These experiences allowed for us students to grow as individuals but also learn more about the outside community and current challenges that are faced in everyday lives including alcohol and drugs abuse and the effects of homelessness. Year 12 Retreat has allowed me to make new friends and connect with my peers and the staff on a deeper level. (Mikayla Gellatley)