Berinba year 5/6 students returned from a week of fun at Sydney Academy of Sport on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Students left on the 19th and returned on the 22nd of July to have a restful weekend. During the camp week, they participated in sailing, canoeing, stand-up paddle boarding, archery, bushwalking, fire building and damper cooking, as well as teamwork and problem-solving initiatives. There was also an adventurous trivia night involving a Vegemite war paint competition.
The children were accompanied by Stage Three teachers Miss Armour, Mrs Nelson, Mr Bradley, and School Learning Support Officer Mr Kemp. On Wednesday, Principal Ms Malena Waibel checked up on the campers and was delighted to see even children who had been anxious about attending camp having a great time.
“With Covid over the last two years, many of these kids haven’t been away from home, they’ve been through a really rough time over the last two and half years.” Ms Waibel explained. “We had a lot of kids who were really anxious about going, so it was great that when I went on the Wednesday, the really anxious children actually came up to me and said, “thank you for talking me into going.” They just got so much out of it.”
On-the-water activities were very popular, with many students discussing how much they loved the water activities once back at school. Even when it rained on the children, they pressed on to try out sailing and paddle-boarding.
“5/6 Camps are just so important, students get to experience things that they’ve never experienced before. It also just brings a whole new level of learning to look after themselves and independence, making sure they can manage their clothes and toiletries,” said Ms Waibel
Over the course of the week, Berinba 5/6 students had the well-earned experience of having fun, bonding with their classmates and teachers, and celebrating coming to the end of their primary schooling.
