We have almost reached the end of semester 1 and there is much to celebrate. The last two weeks have been very exciting at the college with a host of events both on and off campus. Next week we have the Secondary Athletics Carnival, our NAIDOC Week Assembly and Foundation Day. 

Year 3 Strings Concert

Our Year 3 Strings program is an exciting introduction for many students to a stringed instrument, to the discipline of learning music beyond their regular classroom class and for many the first opportunity that they have to play in an ensemble. I very much enjoyed Tuesday evening’s concert and in particular seeing the growth in our young musicians. 

Year 11 Drama 

As part of their classroom work our year 11 Drama students performed their comedic script, also on Tuesday evening. The students had been working on this piece for some time and so I enjoyed sharing in their excitement and to seeing their skills on show.

World Options Performing Arts Showcase

Our year 9 and 10 students who have selected Visual and Performing Arts electives as part of our World Options courses showcased their talents on Wednesday night. This included a Visual Arts Showcase in the BDC Art Gallery followed by Music, Drama and Dance pieces in the BDC Theatre. It was exciting to see the outcomes of these units of work. This is the first time the college has run a showcase like this in years 9 and 10. 

Rugby Legend to visit the College - 17 June

David Campese, Australia’s greatest try scorer,  is visiting Coffs Harbour and has confirmed a training session with our students on Thursday 17 June. This will be followed by an informal BBQ with a Q&A session. More information will be forthcoming on this event in the coming weeks. 

Junior Basketball

Congratulations to all of our junior basketball players who have now played 14 rounds of the Summer Season with the following teams currently placed in the top 4 of their respective competitions: U19 Boys, U16 Boys (Div 1), U14 Boys (Div 1 and Div 2), U12 Boys, U10 Boys, U14 Girls, and U16 Girls. Good luck to all teams as they approach the finals. Thank you to all the coaches for their commitment to our Barracuda players and to the sport.

Calling all Fathers

The college has been working with the Fathering Project over the last three years sharing their research, their guest speakers' resources and their virtual events. The college would like to take the next step in this partnership and are calling for interested dads to form a group to lead future Fathering Project events here at BDC.

For more information please follow: https://thefatheringproject.org/dads/dads-groups-faqs/

I will be speaking to this at the Fathers’ Day breakfast next term.

Reports

Over the last week, I have been reading all the reports and have enjoyed seeing the goal setting and growth in so many of the learning areas across the campus. Thank you for your commitment to BDC and for working with our teachers as partners in your child’s learning journey. Please take the time over the holidays to read the reports with your child and celebrate their successes. 

Built Master Planning Update

The College Council and College Leadership Team have been working with our architect on the full Built Master Plan for 2021 to 2031.  The final draft will be shared with the college community in the early term 3 at the launch of our Dance Studio.

COVID-19

Please remember to keep your children home from school if they are sick with cold or flu-like symptoms. 

Parents will be updated by email or via our website and social media if any COVID-19 related events occur during the holidays break that affect our school.

I wish all our families a safe and happy upcoming holiday break.

Nick Johnstone 
Principal 

In Chaplaincy I have the great privilege of supporting students as they seek to bring love and compassion to the world. The Human Rights Group are participating in the Act for Peace Ration Challenge as part of this desire to reach out to those in need. By putting themselves in the shoes of a refugee and sharing their experience with the people around them, they aim to develop empathy, raise awareness and help create a more compassionate Australia. This week, the following students and staff members have eaten the same rations as a Syrian refugee living in a camp in Jordan (or an alternative sacrificial activity as noted on their fundraising profile). 

• Rataj Abdullah
• Sureyya Brennan
• Juliette Oliver
• Macushla Brennan
• Mawahib Khalifa
• Jimmy Lamont
• Marisol Taylor
• Aaliyah Meek
• Ruby Couper
• Mikal Tesfamariam
• Imala Whitlock
• Anatoli 
• Devi Sinha
• Teachers:
• Simon Doyle
• Karina Rothacker
• Peter Barron 

The fundraising page is here and you can find individual students’ pages by following the links: https://schools.rationchallenge.org.au/t/human-rights-group The money raised will help provide emergency food, healthcare and life-saving support to refugees and other conflict and disaster-affected communities. All donations are appreciated.

BDC Sunday 23 July 10am at St John’s Anglican Church, 2 McLean St Coffs Harbour - All school families are invited to join with the St John’s congregation for the service. BDC will be contributing special items including music and choral pieces.  If you are fairly certain that your family will be attending, and if you (as parents) would be happy to be involved in contributing to the service some way, please email me to volunteer: ncooke@bdc.nsw.edu.au 

Goori Group Art Activity with Aunty Alison Buchanan

Our primary and secondary students have been working with local elder Aunty Alison Buchanan on a mural to go behind the yarning circle. The project will continue next term. Here are some pics of the process so far. Look out for some pics of next week’s school NAIDOC activities.

Blessings to you and your families for a restful winter holiday.

Reverend Naomi Cooke
Chaplain

Loss at any time can be challenging. We recognise that when changes occur in families through separation, divorce, bereavement or other loss experiences, young people may benefit from learning how to make sense of these changes. To support our children and young people, we are offering an evidence-based education program called Seasons for Growth.

Seasons for Growth is a small group program that supports children and young people to learn change is part of life, naming and caring for feelings, problem-solving, making good choices and developing support networks. The children will attend the weekly sessions of 40-45 minutes for eight weeks, concluding with a ‘Celebration’ session. Each child/young person is given a journal to record their experience and learning during the program.

For further information about Seasons for Growth please contact me or visit www.goodgrief.org.au 

Participation in the program is voluntary and we encourage you to talk to your child about the program.

Date Program commences: Term 3 2021

Please complete the consent form to provide permission for your child to participate in the program and please also take the time to complete the Seasons for Growth Parent/Carer survey at the end of the program. Survey feedback is an important aspect of the program as it helps us to ensure that the program continues to support children and young people.

We are pleased to be able to offer this important program and we are confident that it will be a valuable learning experience for your child.

Jane Mosco - Seasons for Growth Site Coordinator 
Sue O'Connor - Director of Student Wellbeing

Learning how to make new friends and keep them involves a number of skills every young person needs to understand and develop. For some these skills will come very naturally, allowing them to easily move between different friendship groups, sharing their experiences and opening up to new people. For others, this can be much harder to navigate. Belonging to a group that is like-minded with similar interests is highly beneficial to a young person’s wellbeing. It gives them a sense of security helping them feel valued which in turn builds their confidence.

Positive friendships are an important part of the journey to adulthood. Adult carers can support their child or teenager by providing guidance in the many social and emotional skills required for a healthy relationship. This will help them to obtain, retain and maintain friendships. However, not all friendship are regarded as positive. Sometimes young people develop negative or toxic friendships. Therefore it is also important for them to learn how to identify, avoid or deal with such a friendship.

In this edition of SchoolTV, adult carers can learn how to support their young person’s friendship so that they experience a sense of belonging. We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this month’s edition, and we always welcome your feedback.

If you do have any concerns about the wellbeing of your child, please contact the school for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to this month's edition https://bdc.nsw.schooltv.me/newsletter/friendship-belonging

As a true K-12 college, we have many opportunities for our students to compete in physical pursuits at all levels.  This has been seen with formal competitions in a wide range of sports; including eSports, netball, touch, basketball and AFL to name a few.  This week we also get to wish our Primary dance troupe the best of luck as they represent BDC at the eisteddfod. 

Whilst we have many opportunities for our students to compete at the representative level, our greatest joy as a college is to see our students build healthy lifestyles and enjoy their time outside with friends engaged in physical pursuits.  Our Athletics Day was a wonderful example of this, with students right from Kindergarten through to Year 6 enjoying their time competing in the outdoors.  

Before the end of term, we will take the time to acknowledge those students who were seen to excel in particular events on the day, and we will present a House Shield to the winning house.  However, the biggest winners on the day were the students who competed for their house and enjoyed themselves in the process.  There was mass participation and smiles all around the oval, and the positivity and sportsmanship was there in abundance.  

If you weren’t able to make the Athletics Day this year, save the date for 2022, and come and share in the fun. 

Richard Smith
Assistant Principal (Head of Primary) 

Term 3 - Creating 2022

Year 8, 9 and 10 will finish Term 2 discussing course options for 2022 and then start Term 3 with further work shops and then selecting their options for 2022. I encourage you to discuss your child’s interests, their strengths and possible courses that match these discussions. Next week Year 8 will receive their extensive World Options 2022 Handbook. The range of courses they have on offer for the first time will build upon Kaizen and this will be supported by an evening in Term 3 for further information. Year 9 will receive the updated booklet for World Options. Year 9 has already been through this process last year. However, Year 9 will receive further information on the possibility of accelerated courses next year that include Mathematics Advanced, Business Studies and Studies of Religion.

Year 10 were part of the Internship launch this week and have had a careers focus over Term 2. The talks by Mrs Gina Driscoll will be complemented by the Careers Pathways handbook presentation next week and the continuation of the Excelsior Journey in Year 11 and Year 12 at the College. In Week 1 Term 3, Year 10 complete career and taster days, followed by our Curriculum Expo in the Branson Centre and they then make their vocational pathway or ATAR pathway choices for 2022-23 for the HSC or RoSA. An integral part of this preparation are our interviews for Year 10 to assist them in making these subject choices.

Important dates below:

Term 2 Week 9  - 

• Year 8 receives the World Options Handbook.
• Year 10 receive the Excelsior Journey Handbook for Year 11 and Year 12.

Term 3 Week 1

• Year 10 engage in career focus days Tuesday and Wednesday.
• Year 10 nominate/attend taster lessons in senior courses Thursday and Friday.

Week 2

• Monday 19th July, Year 10 Course and Career Interviews commence at school.
• Wednesday 21st July, 5.30pm Year 8 World Options information evening.
• Wednesday 21st July, 6.45pm Year 10 Curriculum Expo information evening. 

Interviews continue until Week 3 for Year 10.

Week 3

• Wednesday 28th July, Year 8, Year 9 and Year 10 subject choices are due.

After subject choices are in, the college will then create lines for courses in 2022. Students should know these lines towards the end of Term 3 for 2022.

If you have any questions about course selections for 2022, please contact Mr Verbruggen our Director of Learning and Teaching. Or for career pathways, TAFE and university, please contact Mrs Gina Driscoll our Careers Pathways Coach.

Year 7 to 10 Semester 1 Reports

Reports are being finalised this week and should be published for the holidays. Please take the time to discuss improvements and areas of success and also an area students could improve. Effort could also be an area to improve or a learning habit such as being prepared. We are all different learners and have some favourite subjects, but celebrating the positives in a school report first is the best way to start the holidays. For any questions, please contact the class teacher directly.

Opportunities beyond the classroom have been a focus over the final weeks of Term 2. Our musical the School of Rock has a full rehearsal this term and in the holidays, the International Ethics Olympiad has been preparing for next term's meet, Year 11 Drama performed this week. Year 9-10 World Options showcase was a wonderful night, the HICES debating and many sport events have been scheduled. 

The final week of Term 2 includes:

Tuesday is our Secondary Athletics Carnival. Please refer to Mrs Hilton's letter. Students should come in a house coloured shirt or normal sports uniform. Unless they in the early 800m event at the stadium, students will do roll call in the Branson Centre Tuesday morning (please come sun prepared with water and lunch) and then they will be bused to the venue and return in the afternoon for normal buses.

Thursday is our NAIDOC Assembly. 

Friday is Foundation Day. Full winter uniform is required at our assembly to start the day at 9am. Students may bring their themed clothes to change into after assembly.

BDC Ski Trip 2021 departs.

Term 3 commences for all students on Monday 12th July, Day 1.

HSC Preparation

Many students are busily heading towards final dates for HSC oral language examinations, completing major works like English 2, Society and Culture, TAS subjects and Visual Art Body of Work. We spoke with Year 12 today and we encourage all students to come into the many workshops and tutorials over these holidays to meet these major work deadlines and also to prepare for the Trial HSC early in Term 3. 

A short break is crucial for Year 12 and to come back fresh for Term 3. However it is essential to continue to prepare in a positive manner. Set your breaks and write down when you will attend the tutorials, library or just work with a friend. Tick these dates off as you go and make sure you exercise and have some time off as well. We talked about how there were less than 45 periods per 2 unit course to go for HSC students. Use them well.

Travel and COVID19

I hope that the holidays allows families to reconnect or just catch up and enjoy some of our local environment. Please continue to be aware of health and hygiene updates across these weeks. On return for Term 3, the same rules apply, students/staff/community must be well to attend school. If they are unwell with flu like symptoms students are to be COVID tested and remain at home until there is a clearance. Hopefully more vaccinations will become available for different age groups in the near future.

We wish to thank Mr Stephen Barrow for his work in Performing Arts as Mrs Day returns in Term 3. Thank you also to Mr Patrick Hansaker who finishes in Mathematics as well this term. Mrs Claire Murphy has resigned and we wish her the very best for the future.

Thank you for your help across Term 2, winter uniform changes and attending the many activities that have now recommenced. I hope our students enjoy their holiday.

Simon Doyle 
Assistant Principal (Head of Secondary) 

Welcome to week 8. We have had many students involved in all the different Eisteddfods over the past weeks. As soon as I have the results from the piano teachers I will publish how everyone got on. Last Saturday was the Instrumental Day and SuperStrings came first and Highly Strung  second.

A big thanks to all the parents for getting the students to the venue and supporting us. This week is Voice and Dance.

We wish all the participants well.

Year 3 and 4 strings performed last night for their parents. I will have photos for next week's newsletter.

Cathryn Burgess, one of our voice teachers sent through a photo of her students who won the family award yesterday. Ziggy and Jaela Hibbard with their big sister Matisse. Jaela and Matisse got HC for their duet.

We held the year 11 Drama presentations and the Performing Arts World Options Showcase this week.

The last Wednesday of the term we have a Performance evening for our year 11 Music class.

Felix, Dara and Safi spent last week down in Sydney playing with the RYO.

Felix won the Shearwater Prize with his Trio. Congratulations from all of us.

Olivia Hoare just completed Grade 4 on Double Bass. Well done.

We also have a movie of two of our piano students practicing their duet for the Piano Eisteddfod. Claude Taylor and Rhu Graham.

This term Georgie has started new students on Brass instruments. This is Finn Marchant playing Baritone Horn.

Regards from the Performing Arts Team

Parent attendance at events

It is great to have parents back attending our sporting events. Please remember to follow all COVID-19 guidelines so we can continue to have spectators cheering our teams on.

Primary Athletics

What a great day for an athletics carnival!

The participation levels were high in all events, which was awesome to see. All students vying for those valuable house points.

Overall results will be published at the start of next term after they have been announced at Primary meeting before the holidays.

Thank you to all the staff and parents who supported the carnival this year.

Bill Turner Trophy Football

Another tough game for the girls against Grafton High, nil all with 20 secs to go (nail biting stuff) when Prue Burnett slotted one past their keeper for BDC to win 1-0.

The girls are now through to the  regional final against SJPC on Friday 11 June at SJPC kick off 1.15 if any parents would like to come and support the team.

Year 7/8 Touch Football

Yr 7/8 boys and girls competed at the Mid North Coast Touch football Championships in Port Macquarie on Wednesday. Both teams played well in a tough competition. The girls lost in the semi finals and the boys won one of their games.

Thank you to Mark Reedy for coaching and taking the teams to Port.

NSWCIS Football

Layla Oliver (8), Keeley Gardner (9) and Prue Burnett (9) competed at the NSWCIS Football championships on Monday and Tuesday as part of the NCIS Open girl’s team.  This was a huge achievement for the girls who still have another 3 opportunities to be part of this team.  The girls fitted into the team well and had a great time. Whilst they didn’t win any games the experience was amazing and the food even better (apparently).

NCIS Primary Touch Football

Another great day in the sun. BDC sent a girls and boys team as well as a mixed development team this year to Ballina to compete.

The girls were unlucky to loose the final after going through undefeated all day. The boys came up against some strong competition from the other schools and the development team had fun gaining some extra game skills that will hopefully mean they will continue with the sport and maybe represent BDC next year in a competitive side.

Thank you to Mark Reedy and Mark Freeman for coaching the teams on the day.

Paul Kelly Cup AFL

Again the girls have flown the BDC flag high.  Winning all their round games and to unfortunately loose the final. The boys played well and were unlucky to only win one game during the day.

Thank you to Ty Gillon and Joel Davis for coaching the teams.

Outside of BDC Sport Achievements

Mia O’Reilly (5) competed at The Swimming North Coast Short Course Championships in Foster recently where she came away with 7 Medals and was the 10 years girl Age champion.

Please email a short report and photos to bhilton@bdc.nsw.edu.au with any outside of BDC sporting achievements for inclusion in the newsletter.

Upcoming Events

Outdoor Education 

2021 Camp Dates 

Beth Hilton 
Sport & Outdoor Education Coordinator K-12 
0417 859 252 or 6651 5644 ext 295 

Recently, BDC year 10 student, Sandy Carpenter, was awarded with a Young Athlete Sponsorship from Hoys Allied Health & Wellness. Sandy has been competing in cross country mountain bike racing at a national level since he was 11 years old, and his goal is to compete for Australia in the UCI World Championships in 2022/23.

This sponsorship provides Sandy with access to individualised training and nutrition support, as well as a range of allied health services provided by Hoys including Physiotherapy and Remedial Massage.

Over the past couple of months Sandy has been working with the Hoys Exercise Physiology team to build lower-limb strength, increase hip and lumbo-pelvic stability, postural strength and load management. This training is targeted towards performance goals, and on the 21st of May Sandy came away with a Bronze medal at the U17’s Hunter Schools XCO Championships.

We look forward to supporting and cheering on Sandy as his training and development continues throughout the year.

For more information on Young Athlete training and support with Hoys, contact alex@hoyshealth.com.au

For more information on the Hoys Allied Health programs, visit  https://www.hoyshealth.com.au/hoysfit-coffs-harbour-gym.html

Hoys Allied Health and Wellness is a sponsor of the Bishop Druitt College High Performance Athlete Development Program, and a sponsor of the BDC Barracudas Sporting Club. 

To stay up to date with the latest information and results ‘like’ or ‘follow’ BDC Barracudas Sporting Club on Facebook & Instagram.

Sponsorship

Thank you to McGrath Real Estate & Hoys Allied Health who became foundation sponsors and helped kit out our players in some fantastic playing & training attire. Take a look at the photos to see how good the kids & coaches look!

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of the Barracudas please contact ntitcume@bdc.nsw.edu.au

Football (Soccer)

Our 28 Miniroos players are always full of excitement come early Saturday morning.

Our home games have been filled with lots of playeårs and supporters fuelled by the delicious BBQ and coffee cart onsite most weeks. No scores are kept at this age but our players are improving every week.

Rugby

Our rugby players have continued to show improvement each week and are having fun while doing so. Our U8-12 have enjoyed a trip to Dorrigo and regular matches at Rugby Park so far this season while the U14’s have visited Kempsey, Port Macquarie and hosted our first few matches under the Mid North Coast Competition.

We have an exciting upcoming event with a visit from Wallabies hero David Campese just around the corner. David played 101 tests for the wallabies as a fullback and winger which resulted in a then world record 64 tries.
Tickets for a meet & greet are available on the door & all funds go towards supporting the BDC Barracudas Sporting Club.

Event Details:

Date: Thursday 17th June

Venue: Bishop Druitt College

Time: 

3:30-4:30pm - Training session with BDC Barracudas, Coffs Snappers & SCU Marlins

4:45-5:45pm - Meet & Greet w/ BBQ 

Merchandise

Thank you to all of those people that are showing their support by purchasing a Barracuda Supporters Hoodie. Orders were submitted on May 31st and will hopefully be ready for collection very soon.

BSC also wishes to thank the large range of helpers that assist our coaches with managing game day procedures and training sessions.

Upcoming Fixtures

11th June - U8-12 Friday Night Rugby as per draw

12th June - No Miniroos or U14 Rugby Fixtures (Long Weekend)

18th June - U8-12 Friday Night Rugby as per the draw

19th June - Miniroos @ Corindi

19th June - U14 Rugby @ SCU Marlins

25th June - U8-12 Friday Night Rugby as per the draw

26th June - Miniroos v Coffs United @ BDC

26th June - U14’s Rugby v Kempsey Cannonballs @ BDC

28-30th June - Coffs Coast Rugby Challenge

Serena studied at BDC from Year 7 in 2014 and left after completing Year 9. She had been playing Nationals since the age of 13 and has continued to only get better as the years go on.  Her promising career led her to being offered a scholarship at Barker College, a boarding school in Sydney, where they have focused basketball programs.

Serena then travelled to the United States to complete a successful campaign playing college basketball at South Plains College, Texas. After returning to her birth town in South Australia, she continued her studies and played for the Woodville Warriors.

As a proud Aboriginal woman, Serena Waters, had her basketball dreams shattered when she tore her ACL, but thanks to her never-give-up attitude and AFL SportsReady traineeship, she found hope. In fact she injured her ACL twice; one right after the other, 6 months apart.

To aid in her recovery, her mother Megan, suggested for Serena to take on a traineeship with the Commonwealth Bank in Kilkenny, Adelaide, while studying a Certificate III in Business. At the same time Serena was able to complete her Year 12 studies by correspondence.

She says, “I chose to play for Woodville because I believe that it has a growing program that I’m excited to be a part of.  Prior to college, I was exposed to Coach La Mott’s coaching style and I am really looking forward to the season because of that. I believe that Woodville is building an inclusive culture and I can’t wait to contribute to this, as I have a younger brother, Ron who plays for Woodville as well, and I would love for him to experience this culture and environment. I have always been impressed by the WDBC's commitment to supporting cultural awareness through participating in NAIDOC week and the Indigenous Basketball Academy. I have felt supported not only as a player but as an Indigenous woman. “

Serena will be attending university in Adelaide studying for a Bachelor of Media and Communications. Journalism has always been a dream of hers, to be able to spread awareness on issues that are challenging to talk about. 

Well done, Serena; another BDC success.

By Jimmy Gulgulia, Round Square Alumni and father of Nitish Gulgulia, Round Square Exchange student

Recently, I attended an information session at BDC in relation to a Round Square exchange program that my son, Nitish, had signed up for. As a Round Square Exchange Alumni, I was particularly excited to engage and participate in this session which led Mr Johnson’s invitation for me to write a note to share my personal experience with the wider BDC Community. 

The first time I came across Round Square Exchange Program was during early years of primary school at The Scindia School, Gwalior (India). My home school was an established member of the Round Square Exchange Program with strong relationships particularly in the UK with Durham College and Wellington College where we had a committed annual exchange program. 

At that time, my home school would receive a group of 12-15 students from UK for about 2-3 weeks and a single student who would spend a term at the school. Each year my home school would appoint 2 students from Year 10 to represent the school at these colleges in UK. Over my early years, I was always keen to engage and was absolutely fascinated to hear about the stories and experiences that the exchange students bought and shared.

In 1995, I was chosen to represent my school for a single student Round Square exchange program to The Southport School (TSS) at the Gold Coast. It was truly a privilege which was both exciting and challenging, where I would be the first ever student from my school to undertake an exchange program to Australia. 

As a part of this exchange program, I spent a term at TSS as a full-time boarder where I participated in all academic, sports and school activities which included representing TSS Soccer, Economics and Mathematics teams at local engagements and competitions. I was also organised to stay with a parent Member of Parliament’s sheep and cattle property for a week, which was one of most heartwarming experience of this trip.

The exchange itself lasted for 3 months and was one of most exciting, fulfilling and rewarding experiences of my lifetime. The exchange program gave me the opportunity to experience a different perspective and approach to studying, working, playing, living, thinking, engaging, valuing, and connecting. 

TSS was a boarding school where the school facilities were much like my home school (barring rowing facilities on the Nerang river), but TSS had a vastly different approach and engagement to the delivery of education, sports, and learning. 

Academically, TSS had a heightened focus on application of principles of a subject rather than the theory itself. The delivery of the subjects at TSS encouraged student participation and collaborations, and classes were structured to cater for students at different levels to ensure adequate challenge and learning outcomes. I was keen student of Mathematics and within a span of 3 weeks they pushed me up from Math’s A to C Group to ensure I was adequately challenged. I vividly remember how TSS students were allowed to use calculators where we were expected to do the same math manually!!! Another startling difference was that outside of school hours TSS pupils only had an hour of prep assigned on their daily routines as compared to 3-4 hours of daily prep at my home school! I did rub into my peers that they had it easy !!

Culturally, it was a well and truly a foreign country where understanding and appreciating cultural differences were quite an experience within itself. From the dorm life to boy’s locker room scenes, to level of testosterone in the Rugby players, to ice packs and clutches at the end of every Saturday games, to the simple difference to how students addressed teachers – Only “Sir/Ma’am” where I came from. It was such an enriching experience on so many levels. 

Physically, the exchange presented opportunities that were an enduring test. During my term, the Year 10’s undertook a 6-day camp which involved bushwalking, mountain biking, kayaking and camping on 3 different sites. The adventure required us to carry all our gears, each day in small groups of 3 students navigate from drop off points to camp sites, cook our own meals and basically keep alive. In this camp, I was pushed to my physical limits where I survived on Maggie and chocolates because I did not know how to cook and there wasn’t a servo to be found anywhere. I don’t know how I survived it, but I did, and now when I look back it was such an amazing experience – the challenge that gave way to the break outs at the end of the day, the camp fire, the camaraderie – it was like that 30 minute downhill on the mountain bike after carrying it up the hill on the shoulder for 4 hours… a true bliss!! 

My Round Square exchange program experience provided me an opportunity of a lifetime and it was true privilege and honour to represent my school and my country in a foreign country, and to have had that kind of experience and exposure, and in that format at such an early age. I engaged with some of the most amazing students, teachers, parents, and community members as a part of this exchange program with some lifelong friendships which are even strong today after 15 odd years. 

I am excited to see BDC active and engaged at the Round Square table and look forward to seeing and hearing many more stories of BDC student’s participation and experiences from these exchanges. 

For news on our Alumni, check out the BDC News or our Facebook page Bishop Druitt College Alumni.

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