On the evening of Thursday, 27th June, our Year 10 cohort, along with their parents, attended the Homecoming to mark the completion of their 18-month program – The Rite Journey.
The ceremony began in the Indigenous garden, where we learned how the lyrebird – the Wiritjiribin – is the voice for all the animals. Our hope is that the young men who have emerged from The Rite Journey will become the voice for the marginalised as they develop their sense of self in the world.
As the smoke rose and the didgeridoos played, we had the chance to be present with families and mentors, truly immersing ourselves in the evening. From there, the parents moved into the Hall and heard about the boys' feelings and experiences as they moved through the Journey within the classroom and, of course, on their two outdoor camps.
We were grateful that a mentor was able to share his experience as he walked alongside his mentee, building various timber works and entering the world of financial literacy. There were plenty of tears, plenty of laughs, and plenty of hugs.
A huge thanks goes out to the parents for supporting their sons during this time and connecting with the homeroom teachers. This village truly allows our young men to feel supported through this time of growth.
Thank you to:
- Mrs. Clarke for her amazing soup that warmed our bellies and the scrumptious brownies that warmed our hearts.
- The maintenance team for their amazing efforts setting up and packing down the different seating configurations that were required (over 1000 chairs placed out and packed up for the night)
- Mrs Buckley for her vision and hands on approach in every aspect of the evening.
- IT team for ensuring the AV ran smoothly.
It takes true commitment and passion to deliver a program such as The Rite Journey and do it full justice – this was certainly achieved by Mr. Goodhew and the homeroom team. We thank the leadership team for their support throughout and look forward to continuing to expand the program over the coming years.
If you would like to read more about the program itself, head to www.theritejourney.com.au.
Thank you,
Mrs. Debra Monte
The Rite Journey Project Officer