Great Scot September 2019 Great Scot 157_September 2019_ONLINE | Page 18

Middle School ‘I can’t’ becomes ‘that was so much fun’ MS KATRINA STALKER HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL YEAR 8 BOYS LEARNING ROCK CLIMBING SKILLS AT THE TOOLANGI CAMPSITE The activities in which Middle School boys involve themselves, in and outside the classroom, have been many and varied over the course of the year. The aim of extracurricular activities is to challenge and extend the boys to look beyond the confines of the Victorian Curriculum. Many boys display interest in the range of diverse pursuits and self-nominate to participate, involving themselves in activities such as Challenge Classes, Poetry Slams, History Bee and Bowl, Robotics, Coding, Chess, Debating, Public Speaking, the Model United Nations and the Water is Life science group, to name just a few. The boys involved in the da Vinci Decathalon team won a place in the national final. Scotch Year 8 boys came first in general knowledge and mathematics and were placed second in codebreaking. The Year 7 team came second in engineering and third in general knowledge, cartography and science, placing them third overall. The opportunities each of these pursuits creates for our boys will prepare them for intellectual challenges in the future, broadening their perspectives and deepening their knowledge. Meeting and competing with like- minded peers from other states helps build friendships that are often pursued into later years. Within classes, boys continue to be challenged to do their best, extend their knowledge and apply their skills to a wide range of subjects. We believe that embracing diverse experiences prepares our boys well for a rapidly evolving world. Inter-form competitions, while also involving sporting events, extend well beyond sport. On the topic of ‘Starting from Scratch’, Hugh Hasker’s (Year 7) contemplation of the first recorded AFL game between Scotch and Melbourne Grammar secured first spot in the Year 7 event. Joshua Cutchie (Year 8) emerged victorious in the Year 8 competition, after carefully reasoning that ‘The Key to Successful Leadership Today is Influence, not Authority’. In the Year 8 Play, MLC and Scotch worked together to create the very funny 30 Reasons Not to Be in a Play. (A report on the play appears in the Senior School Drama section of this edition.) The cast and crew from both schools thoroughly enjoyed the experience, as did parents and students in the audience. For the first time, all the Year 8s went to the Outdoor Learning Program (Year 8 Camp) during the same week. The logistics behind organising the camp to ensure all boys had the same experience required meticulous planning, and Mr Peter Riley (TIC) along with our providers, Bindaree, Indigicate and Man Cave, are thanked for their hard work. The camp was held at three locations, with the boys moving around between each activity. We used Scotch’s campsite at Healesville for the boys to experience their session with the Man Cave organisation, exploring identity, and learning from Indigicate about early Australian Indigenous history and the people’s connection to land. The boys visited the Toolangi campsite to learn some rock climbing skills and challenge themselves on the high ropes course. In Eildon they prepared for a hike in the surrounding bushland; they also mountain- biked and rafted down the Goulburn River, in rather chilly water. On the night of the hike, boys cooked their own meal on a Trangia stove – the best meal of the hike, more than one boy said! The Year 7 boys also visited Healesville this year to participate in activities with the Man Cave organisation. There was much praise after their visit, and many boys felt they understood their classmates better as a consequence. Project Rockit conducted sessions with the Year 7 boys about bullying, helping them to become people who will stand up for others. During the snowsports beginners’ camp, 48 Middle School boys challenged themselves on the slopes of Mount Buller. The ‘I can’t’ turned into ‘that was so much fun’ and much growth was observed in both ability and resilience among the boys.