During Week 7, our Year 9 students embarked on an enriching journey as part of ‘The Kolbe Way’ Week, spanning various locations including DARE Adventures in Dwellingup and the wider Rockingham community.
Mia writes about her personal experience and that of her peers in the reflection below, outlining their experiences in the TKW Week and the foundations it has given her and her peers this year.
“This year has been…hectic. Year 9 is hard. Having ‘The Kolbe Way’ as part of our busy schedule has been a breath of fresh air from all the school work, study, exams and other stresses. It was a class for an hour a week where we would meet up with our TKW teacher, chill, snack on food, chat, and discuss things that were important to us.
TKW has been different from anything we’ve/I’ve ever done/experienced. It has allowed us to discover who we are and express ourselves freely among our peers and connect with others. It has been an amazing experience being a part of TKW program and especially the Challenge camp at the end of the year.
The camp was not what I or anyone expected it to be. It was challenging and really put us under pressure, but because of this, we were taught important life lessons. Go with the flow. Don’t give up. If plans change, adapt, don’t sulk about it. We fought through the challenges and adapted to the situations, and well, survived and celebrated our successes.
The activities we did at camp weren’t the usual activities you’d expect/see some 15 year old girls doing. 4 hours of solitude, setting up our own tent, bringing our own food, zip lining from 30ft jarrah trees and crawling under logs through mud, all taught us to be grateful for the simple things in life that we take for granted. By the end of the camp, we were all more than ready to get home, eat some real food, shower and just sit under the AC/aircon.
The TKW week was an experience that brought us closer with our friends and allowed us to connect with the other girls in our year, strengthening our relationships and boosting our confidence.
Overall, TKW this year has been amazing, and I’m so grateful that the teachers have created this program for the Year 9’s, as it has really impacted my experience this year, and I hope the year 9’s to come will be able to enjoy it just as much as we have.”
TKW Week is an immersive experience designed to ignite personal discovery and growth among our students. It serves as a pivotal moment for each student to begin unravelling their individual identities and truths. This unique experience, centred around personal and group challenge, encouraged students to identify the aspects of childhood they are leaving behind while embracing the qualities that define the young individuals they are becoming.
The impact of TKW extends far beyond a mere week-long program. It serves as a foundational pillar in guiding our students towards a meaningful and purpose-driven adulthood, shaping them into responsible, engaged, and contributing members of society.
