On Thursday 17th October ‘The Rite Journey’ was launched to our Year 8 cohort. The day was an exciting and transformative experience for our young men. With open minds and a contagious sense of enthusiasm, the young men delved into the program, eager to reflect on their journey from childhood to manhood. The launch saw students engaging meaningfully with the content, answering insightful questions about the "little boy" behaviours they still display and what they want to change as they mature into healthy young men.
A key discussion centred around the challenges we face in life and the understanding that we won’t master all things just yet. We used the example of babies learning to crawl, then walk. They fall countless times, bump their heads, and experience frustration—but they don’t give up. Despite these early stumbles, babies eventually learn to walk, teaching us all a valuable lesson in perseverance. This analogy helped our students realise that setbacks and mistakes are part of the journey to becoming healthy, well-rounded men.
We also emphasised the importance of shared experiences and vulnerability. Our prayer highlighted that, while we are all different, we are made in the image of God and share common struggles that bind us together. By openly sharing these experiences and showing our vulnerability, we can learn to accept and support one another, creating a stronger, more empathetic community.
The day concluded with a bit of fun, where we created physical challenges for each homeroom to attempt. The students competed in activities like the Billie Jean hula hoop challenge, the floating chair sit, and the push-up challenge. Laughter filled the air as the boys tackled these challenges, adding a light-hearted and enjoyable end to a day of deep reflection and growth.
A special thank you goes out to our homeroom teachers, who have been such enthusiastic facilitators in these discussions and have worked tirelessly to build meaningful relationships with the young men in their care. These relationships are paramount to creating a safe and supportive environment where students can share openly and grow into fine young men.
Also, a big thanks to our maintenance and IT team who magically make things happen, these days couldn’t go ahead without you.
We are excited to undertake this journey with such a fine group of young men and look forward to the growth and positive change ahead.
Mrs Debra Monte
TRJ Project officer
Mrs Lauren Ross
Acting year 8 Head of year