The theme of the Year 12 Retreat was Listen

The purpose of our Year 12 Retreat is to provide students with a space to embark on an interior journey towards holiness through the integration of self.

Students were invited to undertake a journey of deep inquiry into the truth of who they are at the very core of their being, by reflecting on who they were, who they are now and who they want to be. Their regrets, fears, hopes and dreams for the future were woven through this contemplation.

All opening sessions of the retreat program were based on the Mass. The program started with the gathering rite and concluded with the Mass. Further to this, students embarked on ‘The Quest’, a reflection of the ancient hero’s quest for the Holy Grail, where they were challenged through a series of difficult outdoor team activities, to meet their true authentic self.

The aim was for students to come to the understanding of their place in, and their relationship to the world around them, their friends and the environment.  It’s how they make meaning of life and all it contains and the realisation that God is and always has been with them especially through the tough times through the wonderful people he has placed in their lives.

The students were supported by their peers, 18 group leaders and three retreat facilitators throughout the process.

Jilly Landers, Head of Mission

 

Below are some reflections from students and staff who attended the retreat.

This was my first year participating in the Year 12 Retreat. It has been wonderful to witness the students go through a journey of self-discovery, as their confidence in their own abilities, characteristics and decisions are grown and strengthened to catapult them into life after high school.
Patrick Thomas, Teacher of Digital Technologies, Media, HASS & ICT

Year 12 Retreat was a lovely opportunity for staff and students to share experiences. It gave the girls time and space away from the pressure of the curriculum to reflect on their values and important relationships. New friendships were formed, and old ones strengthened. It was a pleasure to spend these three days with our students while they considered the future and the role that faith can play in their lives.
Jessica Wynn, Dance Teacher

The Year 12 Retreat provided a special opportunity for the girls to share time together in ways that enabled them to learn so much about themselves, their relationships with family and each other, their spirituality and their faith. While they could reflect upon the past and acknowledge those who have influenced their lives to this point, the experience has also given them an increased sense of the part they can play in the lives of others into the future.”
Geoff Kay, HASS teacher

The retreat experience was an amazing opportunity for the Year 12 Cohort to reflect individually on their journey through high school so far and reconnect with friends after a very busy term. The three days included a range of activities, varying from light-hearted games, deep and intellectual conversations as well as emotional and moving moments. We were lucky to be guided by a diverse group of staff who willingly opened up regarding their own experiences, to provide us with important life lessons and stories. I thoroughly enjoyed my retreat experience, knowing it will form part of the many positive memories that shape my high school experience.
Keely Hebiton, Year 12

 

There was a lot of excitement and talk from the Year 12 cohort leading up to retreat. People were excited to spend some quality time with friends in a relaxing space after the busy term. Retreat to me was a special time to think about who we are as individuals and who we want to be. During the time we spent at the retreat we were able to form better connections with people whom we may not have known very well prior to the retreat. We had time to reflect on our journey and to see where God has walked with us through the people that shared our journey.
Olivia Lloyd, Year 12

I thoroughly enjoyed the Year 12 Retreat as it was an insightful and fun-filled time, a great way to end a busy term. One of my favourite parts of the retreat was hearing stories from some of the teachers in our group such as Mrs Pengilly, Mrs Marshall, Ms White and Ms Price. They taught me a lot about life and the future as well as different struggles and areas of importance such as friendship, faith and life after school among other things. Their speeches were inspiring, and it was extremely interesting to learn a bit about the teachers that I have become accustomed to. I also really enjoyed getting to know different people in my small groups. It was daunting at first, but it was a great way to get to know other people in our year and to learn a few things about them. I learnt a lot about myself, others and faith on retreat and I really enjoyed how we were able to discuss and unpack deep stuff about ourselves. It got us thinking.
Nick Xanthis, Year 12

Going into retreat, I didn’t know what to expect, but it was an incredible experience where I got to know myself and others better. Through sharing in small and larger groups, we really got to understand others and others got to understand us. We were also challenged to think about ourselves and our values, and what makes us who we are. The retreat experience was filled with stories from others, activities and late-night chats in our Houses. It truly was a moving time for us to recollect our thoughts, fears and hopes and to redirect us to our next big goal, finishing Year 12.
Amy Treasure, Year 12