Year 12 Retreat helped everyone to develop new friendships, learn more about themselves and allow them to discover a sense of belonging in our Year 12 Ave Army. The year ahead is quite unknown and filled with pressure from Year 12 expectations, which can be quite frightening, especially when 2021 was to follow a year like no other.  

Spending 3 spectacular days at Grantville Lodge offered so many opportunities for reflection, mindfulness, and beautiful memories to be created. This retreat offered many life changing activities such as learning to appreciate the beauty of nature through art, reading letters from our younger Year 9 self’s, writing emotional graduation letters to those we love and appreciate the most and working together as a team to complete the one and only survivor challenge through hard work, honesty and determination. 

I will personally never forget the new connections I made with my fellow Year 12 cohort, especially the creator of my companion keyring, the thought and effort you put into creating this brought me to tears. The opportunity I got to laugh, dance and cry alongside friends and of course celebrating with my other 12 Disciples on our survival challenge win. 

The Year 12 Retreat being at the start of the year really helped our whole cohort in being able to unite with one another and start 2021 on the right foot. I cannot wait to see what achievements and goals, both academically and personally are achieved by our gorgeous Class of 2021, but also to remember that “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment”.- Ralph Waldo Emerson 

Brianna Coyle Year 12 Student