The 2022 Form 1 Camp

Amidst all the grey skies and downpours that have characterised our first few weeks of 2022, we were lucky enough to have a window of sunshine for our Form One Camp. Though the pupils would probably have loved to muck around in muddy puddles, the reprieve from the rain was welcomed by everyone and 3 days of sunshine made the Camp a huge success.

The days spent at Zamhols Camp were action-packed and left the staff in complete awe of the bottomless energy reserves of 13 year-olds. Their enthusiasm was totally infectious and our days were filled with laughter, sharing, shouting and just a touch of chaos. 

The mornings started very early with a jog around the camp (accompanied by a fair amount of moaning), which was followed by a cup of sweet tea and Cerevita, that definitely restored everyone’s spirits and countered the strenuous wake up .  During the day, the pupils completed team building activities, ranging from creating their own “War Cries” and group flags, to sporting activities and various physical challenges to be completed in their teams. Exercising their brains was also included with them playing mind games and doing mental agility work. All of these activities are intended to foster friendships and to teach them how to work within a group, as well as demonstrating the importance of being part of a greater community.

There are always pupils whose strengths shine in different ways: some love the physical challenges and others dislike them – but what impressed the staff was seeing the individuals challenge themselves. Watching our little introverts scream and shout during war cry practice, for instance, or seeing the stragglers at the end of the jog smiling, giggling and encouraging each other to the finish, were very heart-warming experiences. Overall, the Camp was a wonderful chance for us all to get to know each other in an informal setting and was a wonderful way to start this new chapter in their lives.