On 21 August, the Year 10 students and staff packed their bags and embarked on the annual Alpine Ski Camp. The bus trip to Falls Creek went smoothly, and everyone was able to enjoy the beautiful views of the mountains along the way. Despite the first day being extremely foggy and rainy, the other two skiing days produced beautiful blue skies. This meant sunscreen was critical as the combination of sun and snow is no joke. Learning to ski was an interesting experience, or at least for me. On the first day I stacked it so badly I ripped my ski pants. If it wasn’t for my friend having an extra pair, I think it would have been a good enough excuse for me to give up on my skiing career. That is why resilience was such a crucial part of this camp, along with courage and teamwork. I admired that people were able to laugh about falling down or awkwardly trying to balance in the snow, and that they didn’t receive any judgment from their peers. Then, of course, there were those in the advanced group, skiing on black runs.

During dinner, Mr McMeeken would project footage from his GoPro camera, showing off the skills of all those who actually knew how to ski - and do it with style. I was just proud of being able to ski down Mousetrap unscathed! However, everyone deserves to feel proud of their achievements. This experience has given me a new perspective on my capabilities moving forward in life.

Amongst the excitement and some extremely progressive learners, I'm positive it was a challenge for the staff to keep track of us all - especially when recognisable with ski goggles and helmets! So, on behalf of Year 10, thank you to all the staff. We felt supported and encouraged when overcoming challenges, and cared for when some of us got injured. In spite of some mishaps, everyone came back from this incredible opportunity, alive and exhausted, but smiling from all the fond memories that will stay with us forever.