Friday night marked the closing of our Year 9 Rites of Passage program, The Kolbe Way. This year-long journey of self-discovery and growth challenged our students to step outside their comfort zones and embrace the challenges of becoming virtuous young adults.
Imagine this, standing at the edge of a dense forest and behind you lies everything familiar—your family, friends, and the comforts of daily life. Ahead, a winding path disappears into the unknown, filled with challenges but also opportunities for growth. Taking a deep breath, you step forward, excited yet uncertain. At first, the journey feels thrilling, but as the days stretch on, the obstacles grow harder, and doubts creep in. Yet, with each step, you find new strength, resilience, and wisdom, slowly transforming into someone wiser and more capable than before.
For our students, The Kolbe Way mirrored this metaphor. Throughout the year, they explored resilience, relationships, and responsibility in their lessons, culminating in a week-long experience of physical and mental challenges, solitude, reflection, service, and pilgrimage. They learned to overcome fears, celebrate small victories, and grow in ways they couldn’t have imagined.
As one student reflected, “TKW Week helped us develop and work on our physical and mental skills. Whether it was overcoming difficult physical challenges, or becoming more independent.
Beyond the week-long experience, the program created a safe and supportive space. As one student put it, “It was a great class to get to know others and really learn more about the other people in your year you may have not spoken with. You get to have great experiences and make new bonds.” Another shared, “The Tkw experience is one of the best things that’s happened this year. I’ve made so many good memories with the people in my class.”
As we reflect on this year of connection, growth, and joy, we see how these experiences have shaped and united us. We tackled challenges, grew closer, and shared excitement in simply being together. This year has strengthened and united us, leaving us grateful for the journey we’ve shared.
Friday’s celebration was about more than just the end of the journey—it was about the return. As students gathered with their families and mentors, their growth was acknowledged, their struggles honored, and their transformation celebrated. It is this recognition and connection that makes the journey complete and prepares them for all that lies ahead.
