Leadership and Activities Week '94 30Aug-2Sept It is very pleasing to see that this leadership programme has now become an important and annual event in our school calendar. Each year seems to build on the previ ous year, so that each specific course remains dynamic and improves year by year. The programme has now reached the stage where its actual name is being debated quite heatedly due to the fact that so much more hap pens-notjust leadership! This year saw the Chairman ofthe Board,Mr Polkinghorne, roving around and visiting the various pro grammes.MrPolkinghome played a central role in set ting the whole programme in motion three years ago,so it was very fitting to show him around.I think he might have had second thoughts when he witnessed afew 4th formers,including his son,abseiling over a30m cliff at Shongweni! I would like to see Mr Pete Wise at next year's pro gramme,as he too was instrumental in the initiating of the programme. The whole programme became more public this year with our stand at the Wildlife Expo-for which we re ceived a'Highly Recommended'.Earlier on in the year four of our boys spoke at the conference on Environ mental Education, organized by Hillcrest High School. I have also received quite a few 'phone calls more re cently from various schools enquiring about our whole programme, and the logistics thereof, which has been very rewarding. The following may help to illustrate more clearly the activities ofthe different courses. FORM 1:(Person-in-charge: Mr Bromley-Gans) This group of boys was treated to a few days at Trafal gar on the South Coast. On the first afternoon, we vis ited River Bend Crocodile Farm owned by Mr and Mrs Kelly, past parents. On Wednesday we met Jan Storm who had arranged a guided tour through the Umtamvuna Nature Reserve. Jo Arkal was our guide and she really madethe tour very exciting for these young boys.Thurs day saw us heading to Beaver Creek Farm which is owned by Ed Camming.He first showed us his dental laboratory and then took us on a tour of the farm by tractor and trailer. It was rather sad to see what severe drought had done to the banana palms but the coffee bushes seem to have survived the dry conditions better. We were then given a tasty lunch at the Nels farm and then, after a talk on soil conservation in farming, we were shown it in practice.In the evening we paid a visit to the Planetarium but were unable to look through the telescope due to the weather. Friday was spent doing a 15 kilometre hike along the beach from Southbroom to the cottage at Trafalgar, allowing the boys time to see a little of the inter-tidal zone as well as giving them a chance of a last swim before our return to College. (A.STOCKIL'SESSAY) FORM 2:(Person-in-charge:Mr Nott) Environmental education and team building were cer tainly the main points on the agenda but were often hi jacked by both the staffand boys."Inter camp"log roll ing competitions did not exactly fit in with "team ef fort"theories-nor did the"slime fights"fitin with"the appreciation ofnature" aspect.The"jump"from the big rock 8 metres above the river proved to be the high lights ofthe trip and produced more laughs and bellows than did the "variety concert". It is difficult not to have a successful trip when such a wonderful group of young boys get together in a beautiful venue under the leader ship ofenthusiastic and light-hearted staff. (LUKEBUSH'SESSAY) FORM 3:(Person-in-charge: Mr Mack) The Form 3s were taken to Coleford for their leadership week and here are some commentsfrom the boys them selves: 'The mostimportant of all was the "Solitaire"in which we sat in silence out in the bush and leamt how beauti ful nature is when untouched by man's destructive hand. Whoever said that Coleford contributes little to educa tion must be mad'. 'Behaviour-wise,Ithink the teachers behaved really well and no disciplinary action was necessary'. 'Although only about 2km from the camp as the crow flies, we are not crows'. 'The negative aspects are things which can be forgotten through a nice warm bed,a cool shower or a cup ofcof fee, while the positive things such as leadership skills, friendships and the ability to work together are carried and cherished by all who experienced it, for the rest of our lives'. 'A good leader must give encouragement and drive and mustremind his group ofthe end reward throughoutthe trip. A leader who shouts at and curses people aggres sively, is terribly uncomfortable to work with and even if the group wins, it is not even worth the reward be cause of the discomfort of the team and its poor spirit. Rather lose than abuse'. "Which way!"I ask."That way," we are told by means ofa pointed finger which darts over 180 degrees of the daunting skyline." "Whatacourse,"Ithink dozing off,"peppered ice-cream isn't that bad after all." 'At Coleford, as in life in general,there are no good or bad aspects,only opportunities'. FORM 4:(Person-in-charge: Mr D.Graves) Abseiling, rock climbing, canoeing and orienteering - what more could a fifteen year old boy ask for? The enthusiastic response to this was slightly tempered when they heard that this would have to be done in the dark, but this latter aspect was soon forgotten as the various groups set off to these activities under the watchful eye of experienced and skilled climbers and white-water canoeists.While your average mother may besomewhat anxious at the thought of her son doing these "danger ous"activities,the safety aspect was alwaysforemostin everybody's mind. Simultaneously, other groups were listening to and participating in interesting and relevant talks on leadership, group dynamics, map reading and camouflage. With one night spent in the tented camps, and another in a bush camp under bivvies,the final night of the mission arrived. Each group, under an elected Kearsney Chronicle 1994 67
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