During Week 4, the Year 11 Religion classes split into groups to run retreats for Prep to Grade 4 students. In the lead-up to the retreats, students from the Praxis classes spent time designing their retreat focused on the themes of love, kindness, and care. Students needed to choose activities, prayers, and group activities that developed upon their chosen theme and that prompted students to understand the importance of these themes in their lives as Prep to Year 4 students. The Early Years students engaged well with the Grade 11 students assigned to their class. The EY students enjoyed interacting with the ‘big kids’ and the Year 11’s made some new friends. From the experience of running a retreat with the younger cohorts of our college, the grade 11s gained an insight into how important it is to build relationships and develop connections in our college and how lucky they are to have experiences like this on their doorstep. It was clear that the Prep to Year 4 students understood the importance of treating their classmates, teachers, and families with love, kindness, and care, through these excellent retreats.

Simone Forbes

Teacher