Over the last three days our students in Level 3 participated in the annual camp, just outside Dvorce about 40 minutes from Townshend International School. From the start we knew they were onto a good thing with the sun blazing through and quickly warming everyone. The class was in high spirits and eager to meet the challenges set by Mr Chromey.
As normal, to warm them up and to create unity, a few games were played on site in the morning. These included getting the students to plan a map of the world using ropes, and then to stand where they are from and ask to tell a bit about that place, and to stand where they would like to go. It then built up into a few team games with chasing ropes and lots of running.
Over the days there were then stronger challenges to overcome: getting the entire class over the infamous ‘camp wall’; cooking teas and bread after finding them on a short hike; building protection for an egg to be dropped from a height, using only things found in nature; getting groups over a river on kayaks and tight-ropes in the style of the infamous maths question (“only this person can go with that person…”); being blindfolded and setting fires and climbing down slopes and across river weirs and channels. The students also got some time to prepare a unique New Zealand style haka, a recording of which I am going to keep for graduation – it keeps getting better every year!
In the evening there was no rest; the students were dropped in the Czech countryside by van for a 2 hour or so hike back to the site – which was done in record time. There was also an individual walk for each student along the slopes by the river bank.
The class overcame every challenge, together and determined to help those who initially thought it could not be done. At different points the individuals got to be leaders as well as team members. This they performed well indeed. They now know through the year that they can count on each other to face the more trivial (but still demanding) challenges at school. They learned to be detached from the norms of modern first world society (like the internet and mobile phones) and got to enjoy nature and a unique environment. They are certainly a class we are proud to have at Townshend International School!