Today core 2 went to Bright for a bike ride, walk and a mad BBQ. It was so much fun and we all enjoyed it! There were two tracks: The mountain bike track for the gutsy and the easier rail trail which was a relaxing 10km return ride. We had an awesome BBQ for lunch! Sausages, eggs, onions, tomatoes, bacon, cheese the lot! DELICIOUS!! We also had a 5km walk along the Bright River called the Canyon walk, it was a lot of fun, but the weather was really muggy and all we wanted to do was jump in the river! We all can’t wait for rest day when we will be back there swimming and bike riding! Hope the weather stays fine and sunny.
Also this week, all groups finished making their song. In our expo groups, we had to make a song about our time at TAS that would be recorded. We worked with Lee Rosser who helped us put our song together and recorded us either singing or playing an instrument. Every one participated and put into their groups song. All songs were finished and all of us are constantly listening to them on the server! Some of the people discovered their talents, while others continued to build on the skills they already had. It was a fun week and was a great team building activity.
We have the core 2 student organised activity tonight (and though we wanted a water fight) we are having a round of ‘Theatre Sports’, which are drama games. It’s going to be a full on super fun night, and Joe is going to win! (He wishes!)
Bye for now!
Murraya, Gabi, Paul and Joe |
Yesterday, we had the challenging 10km walk to Mt.Tabletop. Our group *Red-berries/Canter-cliffs*(2A) being the best got to the top in record time. The walk had some very steep hills, which were really rocky and wet; it was very challenging for some people but they did really well persisting. The highlight of the walk would be our mafia games at the lookout point of Tabletop. The low light was on the last km back to TAS, a certain someone got sick and did the most epic vomit; it was projectile. :P
Today we went off on our Water Journey, wooooo! At the start of the day, we learnt that the government makes typo’s, this was at the top of Mt. Hotham on a sign for a water project (maybe they need glasses). Mr. Porter asked us ‘if we peed on one side of the mountain which way would it go?’ he has some weird thoughts (that he should keep to himself). The important part of our Water Journey was when we tested Victoria Falls water and searched for BUGS. We had an awesome BBQ for lunch cooked completely with no help from the guy’s it was done by the females in the group; the so called ‘Men’ need to pick up their game. We also had a great experience teaching others about how a drop toilet works. Everyone was a little worried when one of the girl’s lost her camera right after coming back from the drop toilet, she ended up finding it just before leaving on a table; luckily it didn’t fall down. ;)
The past two days have been completely filled with adventures, excitement and experiences we will never forget including the vomit and the toilet. We don’t want this TAS journey to finish.
Bye for now, Rhianna & Becky |
Today we worked on our CLPs.
For Wellington, it didn’t go so good because we found out that we were doing something similar to what our school is already doing. So we changed it to a Multicultural Festival! Woo! Unfortunately we have to start every single process again. This will be a drag.
Yesterday in our music workshops, we released our number one hit singles, and played them at the start of night class – It was so funny. Hearing everyone’s amazing voices and people who were rapping cracked us all up! People discovering their talents in song writing to singing or playing were fantastic! Congratulations on your songs everyone!
For some of us we are happy that we got to see our families and some were sad. I know that on the last day everyone will be sad. I know everyone will miss each other, because we’ve grown together for the last 5 weeks. You might think that 5 weeks isn’t that long but to us it’s like forever! Everyone here is like family to one another.
Love Natalie and Angel |
We were all super excited to catch up with our long lost families. TAS students were spread out over the hill and far away around Bright, Omeo, Harrietville and Hotham. Two students ventured home to Rutherglen and some stayed nearby in Dinner Plain. We all enjoyed demolishing the chocolate and lollies our parents supplied us with as well as showing our parents the school and our ‘clean’ rooms. We loved seeing our families and telling them all the amazing things we’ve experienced over the past five weeks.
When parent visiting weekend came to an end it took a bit of time to get back into the swing of things but today’s refocus class got us prepared for the four weeks ahead. After lunch the CLP teams came together to battle out in The Duck Production Challenge. We all had to make and sell origami ducks with resources we bought out of the float. We then had to persuade the buyers that they should purchase our beautifully hand-crafted ducks. We all enjoyed dressing ourselves up in business attire and attempting to act as professional as possible. It was a fun day and we all made profits in the end- some bigger than others **cough Canterbury cough**!!!
The student leaders today have organised a tennis tournament after DEARR. It’ll be on like Ping- Pong!!
Ciao for now,
Eliza and Molly. |
Visiting weekend is just around the corner, after what seemed a quick first five weeks. The community is really excited and can’t wait to share their experiences, photos and memories with their family and friends. So far the recent memories would include:
- Deb Gray
She came to our school yesterday and spoke about never giving up and to never limit yourself as to what seems possible. At three foot eight she has travelled around the world, alone, been a mother, can drive, and now inspires teenagers to always believe in themselves. With no arms she is still able to drive, write, eat and do everyday things.
- Underground river
Roughly three days ago core 2 and core 1 went to an underground river, some who believed they were claustrophobic struggled or surprised themselves and the rest of us had a FANTASTIC experience. We all got very dirty and wet but nobody complained, probably because of the adrenalin pumping madly. We managed to squeeze through the tiny holes in the rock and slip all the way down to the pool of water. We heaved our own bodyweight up a waterfall and slippery sloping rock, we all took on leadership roles and helped the group make it all the way until we reached the final destination; sunlight.
Overall we’re half way through our time up here, it’s sad to think we’ll never see all 44 of us again. But the experiences we’ve had and the several hundred photos taken with us forever.
Paul and Gabi
Catch yahs later. (says Paul) |
Visit weekend is coming up and the realisation that Alpine School is almost halfway, is scaring us all! Tomorrow is our 3rd rest day and then it’s only one week untill we get to catch up with our families.
The things we have done have all been so fun, interesting and the skills we have learnt will last us a lifetime. We have all made some great friends and we are all still coming closer as a group.
Yesterday we all had fun doing the Rogaine Orienteering course. So if anyone saw a bunch of 44 crazy Alpinians and one EXTREMELY determined Mr Shem running around Dinner Plain looking for orange flags with stamps on them, do not stress!
Next week we all are doing Underground River. Some of us are nervous and some are excited. But we know it will once again be a wonderful experience.
We are all working busily on completing out CLP’S (community learning project), our ALP’s (Alpine Learning Project) and or Passports and there are all starting to come together well.
Although we are getting busier by the day, we still find time to socialise and have a fun game of Table Tennis. It’s getting slightly colder but we still get outside and either play basketball, chill in the sun or hang out in the zones. The morning people, (the crazy ones!) get up at 6.30am to go running. We both got up early, (this morning!) Eliza went for a run in the lovely fresh, brisk air; while Murraya, hid in the nice warm showers!
Talk soon…☺
Murraya & Eliza. |
Today was our third rest day and we were meant to be going for a bike ride to Omeo but unfortunately it got cancelled due to the amount of traffic that would be passing through Omeo. Fortunately though we were told about another place we could go called Swifts Creek (which is just outside Omeo) that had a back road which wouldn’t be as busy.
So we loaded up the trailer with the bike riding equipment and then we were driven about 25 kilometres away from Swifts Creek. At first we thought it would be a very hard ride because the first bits of it were up hill. But it gradually got much easier as it went further downhill. We also got to ride down some steep hills which all of us enjoyed.
We started the ride at about 10:15 and finished at 11:30. We managed to get back just in time for lunch (although Adrian had already had his lunch on the bike ride.... 2 flies). We were all very disappointed when we stopped because we were having so much fun.
After lunch we watched a very entertaining movie called ‘monster house’. Although it is a cartoon movie we all seem to of found it very amusing. Overall the day has been really good but it’s sad that it has almost already come to an end. We are enjoying our time up here at Alpine and hope it and our friendships last forever.
Mitchell C and Adrian O |
It is day 19 for us here at the Alpine School, and we don’t want it to end! In the short time we have been here, we have done so much and learnt so many new things.
So far, 1A and 1B have been on their expo. 2A and 2B’s are next week, we are so excited! Preparation is underway, and according to the groups that have been, it’s a great experience – but don’t get lost or you have to hike up a giant hill ‘forever’ which of course the rest of us will try to avoid.
Our next rest day is coming up soon, and many of us are planning to ride to Omeo, hopefully no wheels will come off bikes on that ride! All the bikes have names here, so it is fun to pick which one you would like to use on the day.
First aid scenarios is always fun, Gabi fell off a cliff, and I had to draw a fake snake bite on my leg! People coming back from expo believed the stories for a second. So gullible! – did you know if you say watermelon really slowly it sounds like orange?
We are all working very hard on our CLP’s, they are progressing really well, some of the ideas each school came up with are really interesting.
We are all having so much fun here, and the 44 of us all get along like we’ve known each other for ages, one big family! Only two and a half weeks until visiting weekend.
Gabi and Abbey |
Just finished meals duty after dinner and we got to wear the coolest hair nets! 1a just got back from Expo1 and 1b are on theirs at the moment. We get to go next week and we are so excited! The bags weigh more than 3 elephants stacked on top of each other apparently...
This morning 2a had peer skills and “scenarios” is the funniest game ever. Maddie got to pretend to be a 3 year old who had lost her bear and Nick was her big brother trying to help her (although saying he wanted to cut off her bear’s head didn’t help her). In Thinking and Learning after lunch 2a and 2b got to check out the colour of each other’s brains! We were extremely RED! (Very emotional, talkative, outgoing and silly).
We’ve had a few Maddie moments but her laugh (like a hyena) always cheers up everyone around her! When she chokes we don’t realize till she turns blue coz it’s that funny! Sozza Maddie!
We have discovered Paige cannot even ride a bike in Intro to Bikes without doing superman over the handle bars! (PROness!) It took skill to be able to fail that much but she is absolutely magnificent (except the massive bruise on her knee!) other than that she makes superman look bad!
We’re out, catch...
Maddie and Paige !!!! |
Today is our second rest day here. It has been two whole entire weeks. We have met some amazing people and can’t believe only 7 weeks to go, the thought is horrible! We play ping pong, one of many great socializing games, Jenga and we play around with the Quizdoms. Our two weeks here have changed us already, we are all growing closer, becoming more confident in ourselves (not that us two have a confidence problem in the least), making awesome friends and relationships and already taking the most we can from being here.
Whether you are playing a game of soccer on the gravel or shooting some hoops on the basketball court, you are always having loads of fun here. At first, we thought everyone would be judgemental as we are very outgoing people but as they have got to know us and vice versa, we are all more like family! The awkward turtle has come up a lot and I think we’ll still have our moments but the moments we have here are something we know we are not going to forget.
That’s it from us today but not forever...
By Paige and Dwin |
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