A memorable rite of passage has been marked by Year 10 students.

A day of adventure and celebration was staged for last year’s Year 9 cohort as part of a symbolic journey into the upper school.

The event, planned by our team of outdoor educators, was due to take place at the end of term but was postponed because of the move to online learning.

It included a series of challenges and puzzles, which needed students to collaborate, show leadership, initiative, problem solving and communication skills, good humour and perseverance – all the characteristics we aim to develop at ICHK.

Students were given the task of finding a lost explorer and hidden treasure in the local area. Along the way, they had to solve riddles, build stretchers, search for ingredients to make a cure and ultimately work together to solve the mystery and complete their Heroes Journey.

They were then asked to complete a series of reflective tasks on the transition between lower and upper school, and each form group gave a presentation to their peers on what it means to move to the upper school.

The interactive adventure was aimed at allowing the students to explore and revisit key values from Years 7, 8 and 9, and prepare them for Year 10. For Year 7 these are Happy, Confident, Intelligent Warrior; Year 8 Collaboration, Dependable, Considerate; Year 9 Gracious Heroes; Year 10 Honesty, Fairness, Responsibility.

The event allowed them to reflect on their experiences, celebrate achievements, and transition with the right mindset into the next chapter of their ICHK story.

As a school, we believe in the transformative power and anchoring potential of rites of passage and introduce them to students to meaningfully mark turning points in their lives; supporting them as they make the journey from childhood to adulthood.

We thank outdoor educators David Addis, Arthur Wong and Reese Cameron, along with Head of Year Alistair Kanaan who has transitioned from Year 9 to Year 10 with the students, and all the staff members who were involved in the day, and commend the students for making it such a success.