Last week we held our annual Year 12 College Retreat at Kiah Ridge and Yarramundi. The following passages were written by some of our College Leaders when they were asked to reflect on how the Retreat went for them. The theme of the retreat was “Life to the Full” - taken from John’s Gospel where Jesus says: “I have come that they may have life and have it to the full” (John 10:10)

Mr Steve O’Neill

Retreat was really eye opening to myself and made me feel a sense of comfort whilst inspiring me to create connections with people that I don't normally speak to. Retreat also helped me to build further connections with my current friends. Overall, retreat was a memorable and enjoyable experience that I’ll remember for the rest of my life - Jye Versteeg

The retreat gave me insight into the life that other people live. During affirmations it gave us the opportunity to express our gratitude towards others. We became stronger as a year group - Stephanie Cesarin

The retreat enabled me to become more comfortable within the year group.

It helped me to build more connections and spoke to people I normally wouldn’t have spoken to. I felt a sense of inclusion post-retreat and became closer as a year group. I enjoyed the time away from year 12 stress and other responsibilities. - Seanna Arruzza

The retreat was a great way to expand cohort relationships. I was able to share core memories with peers I normally wouldn't talk with. It allowed me to strengthen pre-existing friendships but also foster newfound relationships with peers that I don't normally socialise with at school. I was able to gain insight into the importance of reflection and looking back on previous experiences, both positive and negative, and how to grow from that - Frank Stillitano

The retreat was an insightful experience into understanding where people have come from and how strong everyone is for being where they are today. It provided an opportunity to build upon relationships with people that I hadn't spoken to before- many of which I now appreciate so much. Making memories with others was so rewarding. I think our bond as a year group is so much stronger because of retreat and I appreciate that as we head into our final stages of schooling - Brianna Said 

My experience at retreat was full of insight and growth which enabled me to not only strengthen the bonds of my pre-existing relationships in the cohort, but also create new friendships built upon understanding and kindness. We were all in a comfortable state of mind with each other and it enabled all of us to truly open up about our stories and personal experiences, leading to many tears, laughs and smiles throughout the entire retreat. The activities and reflection periods on the retreat emphasised the importance of self-reflection, more specifically addressing past events, both positive and negative, and how those have both influenced us and shaped our perspectives on life. Overall, a fantastic experience that we all won’t ever forget! - Sara Papandrea

The retreat brought the year group closer together and helped me to create stronger bonds with the rest of the cohort. The food was great! I was able to learn about people who I had never previously spoken to. It helped me to clear my mind about my future and my place in the world. This was a highlight of the year and something for younger year groups to look forward to - Ryan Gill

I am thankful for what a great experience this was bonding with not only my friends, but also other people in the year group. It allowed me to understand the people around me more and provided a way for us all to escape for a few days from our usual everyday lives and relax - Brianna Whiting

I was able to learn new things about people in our grade and build and strengthen new and old friendships. The grade bonded greatly, and we created memories that we can cherish. I enjoyed the time away from the year 12 stress - Sofia Commisso