Almost 35 students revelled in the opportunity to “challenge by choice” at the recent Virtual School Victoria (VSV) camp for students in Years 7-12.
Virtual School Victoria’s Camp Coordinator, Jared Webster, said this year’s camp in Glenmore was especially well-planned, with two camps cancelled last year due to social distancing restrictions.
‘The teachers were all mindful that this was going to be an important camp for the students as there were very few social opportunities in 2020. We worked hard to create a safe and inviting experience for the students. It was incredibly rewarding seeing the students have a great time and all of our hard work come to fruition,’ enthused Jared.
Jared said the biggest highlight for him was seeing students bravely opt in to challenges and rise to them. He noted that this looked different for different students.
‘For some students it was a huge achievement attending the camp – even if it was just for a few hours. For others, it could have been going canoeing, on the giant swing or making a new friend,’ he said.
‘Camp is a tremendous opportunity for students to be challenged and grow – growth is a key VSV value. Our camps offer students the opportunity to “challenge by choice”; this means that students are empowered to choose the challenges they want to accept. No one is pushed to do something that makes them uncomfortable,’ said Jared.
Jared was impressed with the supportive student cohort.
‘They were remarkably encouraging of each other. It was incredible seeing so many new friendships form over such a short period of time,’ he said.
Special thanks to the eight dedicated VSV staff members who were involved in planning and attending the camp: Luke Ferguson, Dan Grunske, Mel King, Carly McDermott, Jordan Oliva, Katrina Sawyer, Adrienne Warner and Jared Webster.
