May 2018

Camp Jubilee

A highlight for me in teaching is when I get to observe students engaged in learning – Camp Jubilee is all about students learning about themselves, the outdoors, life, God and others.  During the week outside, the grade 10 students participated in a variety of activities including hiking, canoeing, camping, singing, sharing, kayaking, team building, orienteering, low ropes, rock climbing and night games.  The Grade 12 Outdoor Ed students had a goal of leading the grade 10s with an unforgettable experience that would help become a formative event for the entire grade.  This year’s theme focused on challenging the grade 10s to find their identity in Christ and using their gifts for the body of Christ so they can be unified.  These students rose to the challenge that was presented to them as leaders.  Many of the grade 10 students also grew from this experience, some highlight the grade 10s shared included:

• Talking in the tents with my group because we connected with each other and made new friendships.
• Rock climbing – I’ve never done outdoor rock climbing before. I felt so accomplished making it to the top!
• Worship and sharing time at the campfire.  It really motivated me to consider how I am doing socially at school. Having other share their faith and reflections on the week was impactful.
• Getting to spend time in the outdoors because I normally have the time to do that in Richmond.
• Kayaking through the ocean.  It was cool to challenge myself going through the waves. It was stunning and cool to see a seal up close.
• Doing new activities- especially archery and high ropes.  It was fun to participate in these while bonding with my team and people I don’t normally talk to.
• All the times that I truly saw the group come together as one

While some people may have seen Camp Jubilee as a week away from school, their reflections indicate valuable learning took place.  These are some comments about what students learned about themselves.

• Stepping out of my comfort zone isn’t such a bad thing.
• I can do a lot more than I think I can…being able to climb to the top of Tarzan’s ladder at high ropes was a massive confidence booster for me…I realized that a lot of the time, it isn’t my abilities holding me back, but my own self-doubt.
• I am tougher than I think- I persevered, hiking, canoeing to the Island and sleeping in a tent when it was cold outside.
• That I often take my surrounding and even my friends for granted…I need to be more appreciative.
• How beautiful nature is – spending time outside showed me how awesome God’s creation is.
• The value of things I take for granted at home
• I can be a leader
• I can confront and conquer my fears
• I impact others more than I think.  This made me realize how much of a difference I can actually make.

Beyond just the grade 10s learning, this experience allowed the Grade 12s to reflect and grow in their leadership.  This is some of the learning that took place for the grade 12 students.

• Camp Jubilee was a challenging, yet rewarding, experience. I wasn’t prepared for the amount of energy I needed to lead there; I knew leadership necessitates sacrifice, but I don’t remember any other time where leading took so much out of me. I found myself pouring out into the grade 10s, investing in them, and even though I was so tired at the end of it, I was so grateful for the way things turned out.
• Leadership is not what you expect it to be. Yes, there is the typical leader, the one who initiated conversations and takes charge during situations. However, I found that leadership has its different forms and types. Leadership can be encouraging a peer to accomplish a goal or it can be having a positive attitude during adversity. Leadership is being bold when no one else wants to step up. It’s being supportive even in the pouring rain. It’s about serving others in whatever you do. It’s saving a seat for a friend during mealtime. It’s encouraging a classmate who just made it to the top of the rock limb even if you’re late for lunch. I found leadership to be this huge and greater thing, greater than I could ever imagine it to be. God brought the different types of leadership out in every single grade ten on my team and I am so grateful that I could be a part of this experience.

submitted by Michelle Contant, Athletic Director Secondary Campus

Elfin Lakes Trip

The Treacherous Hike Up:

The day began like any usual winter day. We arrived at the parking lot with a gleaming anticipation of the glorious days ahead despite our fatigue. We prepared to hike up an extra kilometre to the trailhead, when a stranger in a huge pickup truck passed by and witnessed our dismay. He offered to bring our heavy packs up to the trailhead, saving us from a painful start to the day. It was a miracle and a good omen for the trip ahead. When we reached the trailhead, Ms. Contant revealed we’d actually hiked up three kilometres, and not one. We trekked up the mountain, gulping down liters of water and stuffing our faces with Cliff Bars. We tackled the steepest part of our hike, Paul’s Ridge, and were rewarded by a beautiful clearing overlooking a valley. After a few more hours of climbing, we saw the most stunning sunset of our lives. The sunlight christened the snow planes and provided warmth over our motley crew of sweaty high-schoolers. Fourteen kilometres after originally departing, we arrived at a warm hut, where we prepared food and enjoyed the relatively clean outhouses. It was an excellent night, with a meal of burrito bowls and an amazing time of bonding and worship. We were blessed with a great slumber, energizing us for the day ahead.

The Day of Digging:

We woke up the next day, feeling warm and toasty in our heated cabin. Waking up to the smell of a huge delicious breakfast of fried rice, ham and eggs, we rose with high spirits, looking forward to what the rest of the day had to offer. We looked outside. Relentless snowfall. As we put on our damp gear, the sound of buzzing chatter filled the room due to our nervous, yet excited anticipation towards digging the snow caves. Digging the snow caves was one of the most challenging experiences most of us have felt in our entire lives. Digging six feet down and four feet into the hill, we meticulously chipped and carved blocks of snow out of our soon-to-be shelter. Thanks to the help from the beastly beast Zach and Mr. Roosma, who helped dig almost all of the snow caves, we were able to finish creating our new homes in just under six hours! While we dug, time flew and before we knew it, it was dark outside. Just as we finished and went inside the cabin to eat dinner, the freezing temperatures set in and chilled us to the bone. We left our snow-soaked gloves and socks to dry out in another hut before dinner, and when we came back to collect them, they were frozen solid due to the cold that felt like -20 degrees Celsius.

The Climb Down:

We woke up in our snow caves expecting snow, but to our surprise we climbed out to a beautiful and crisp sunrise.  What an amazing blessing and gift from God!  We quickly packed up and ate a delicious, quick oatmeal breakfast. We took a group picture and got ready to begin the long journey down the mountain. On the hike down, we couldn’t stop looking around, turning our eyes to the huge, majestic mountains that surrounded us. It was a time of great bonding and conversations that will not soon leave our memories.  We experienced what perseverance and teamwork truly is.  We returned home as not simply family, but as bros.

Amount raised for ICC
$9,214