Throughout this last semester, we have been facilitating two courses which are specifically targeted at Year 6 students as they navigate the path toward adolescence and the Secondary School. At this stage of a child’s development, there are many challenges for them to overcome. It is a wonderful stage of life to celebrate and enjoy; however, it is one where they need our support and care to navigate in a healthy manner.
Strength Program
Last Wednesday evening Dads and Lads from Year 6 were invited to finish the Strength course with an evening together over some good food, a few laughs and a recap of the boy’s experience. It was a great opportunity to mark this significant time as the boys get ready to take the leap into Secondary school.
The course focuses on significance, resilience and courage and is a practical course challenging boys to make the transition into the next stage in a healthy and whole way. We tackled topics that engage the boys in thinking about their next steps and provide them with some great tools to flourish in their adolescent years.
We do recognise the critical partnership we have with our parents and it is a privilege to be involved in an evening that promotes and celebrates our boys heading toward manhood. It was great to have such excellent attendance and the willingness of the Dads to participate and engage in the night made it a great success.
Shine Program
Last week saw the celebration of our fifth year of the Shine Program, run simultaneously with the Year 6 boy’s Strength course. The weekly Shine sessions, run throughout Terms 3 and 4, quickly became a highlight for our Year 6 girls with our times of sharing together in small groups and having fun while building upon the core subjects of worth, strength and purpose.
At the end of the course, each student had the opportunity to reflect upon what they’ve learnt and to anonymously share this with the group. Over and over the feedback reflected the impact the course had on each of the student’s growth in understanding not only their self-worth but the value of others and their ability to live a life that shines to impact those around them through their daily decisions and actions.
Our celebration evening last Thursday was a beautiful finale to the Shine program with a time of reflection of the course over a meal, while providing our student’s mothers and significant others an opportunity to share what beauty and strengths they see in each girls’ life. What amazing young women these girls are becoming.
A special thank you to Dr Chris Moller and Mrs Carley Dickson who volunteered their time to help with the programs.
