Over the April school holidays, eight Kolbe students from Year 8 to 12 stepped out of their comfort zones an embraced an incredible opportunity to attend the Zero2Hero Camp Hero program. The Leadership and Youth camps are designed to support young people in building resilience, strengthen leadership skills, develop meaningful connections and grow in confidence as they learn more about themselves and others.
Zero2Hero is a non-profit organisation, founded in Western Australia, and a regular visitor to the College delivering meaningful workshops and presentations to our students; each one designed to address the challenges that today’s teenagers are facing. We are extremely proud of the students who applied to the program and were selected to attend, and their willingness to challenge themselves is a powerful example of the kind of leadership we value in our community.
Throughout the five-day camp experience, students participated in a range of activities designed to promote teamwork, courage and personal reflection. From high ropes courses and team challenges to honest conversation about mental health and wellbeing, students were encouraged to step into new experiences and discover their own strengths.
Jaynah (Year 8) shared that she felt most proud when she pushed herself to complete a challenging activity: “I took myself out of my comfort zone doing the activities..I don’t really like heights but I pushed myself and did the red course!” John (Year 10) echoed this sentiment, discovering that he was “capable of achieving more than he thought”. Others spoke about discovering confidence in themselves and their ability to connect with others. Year 8 student Kiana reflected: “I learnt that I’m good at making people feel good about themselves… I also learnt to just be myself”.
A common theme from all of their experiences was the importance of connection, and being surrounded by peers from different schools created an environment where students felt safe to open up, support one another and build lasting friendships. Holly, a current Year 12 Captain, described this sense of belonging beautifully – “The best part was feeling like I could be myself whilst learning that everyone has their own story and struggles, even if you can’t see it”. Year 11 student Jasmine also shared her positive experiences from the camp – “Every time I approached someone new, I felt myself growing in confidence… the outcome was always super positive”.
Importantly, the camp experience has continued to shape students’ perspectives as they head back into the school term and everyday routine. When asked to use one word to describe their experience, Year 8 student Alicia chose the word ‘transformative’, explaining that the “camp has shaped me into a better person than ever before”. That’s a powerful statement for a young person to make, and as a community we are incredibly proud of these eight students who embraced the opportunity to grow, support one another, and lead by example. Their experiences remind us that leadership is not about positions or titles, it is about stepping forward, walking together, and having the courage to be yourself. Congratulations to all students who attended, we look forward to seeing how these aspiring young leaders continue to use their skills, compassion and confidence to make a difference in our community.
