Growing Through Adventure

In an era where screens risk dominating childhood and adolescence, Wenona’s sequential Outdoor Education program provides a powerful counterbalance. Through a carefully crafted series of camp experiences beginning in Kindergarten, Wenona students participate in a journey that gradually builds resilience, independence, and connection ─ qualities that serve them well beyond their School years.

“The Wenona camp program is conceived as a whole and designed to grow with the girls,” explains Ms Georgie Cain, our Director of Outdoor Learning and Adventure. “We begin with appropriate levels of challenge, gradually increasing the complexity and levels of independence required.”

Small Beginnings, Big Growth

The program commences in Kindergarten, with girls up to Year 2 spending the day at Clifton Gardens in Chowder Bay. They grow accustomed to being outside together and forming connections through activities designed to build important soft skills and healthy attitudes to wellbeing.

“Through engaging in physical challenges, our Junior School students confront their fears and experience the pride of achievement,” says Acting Head of Junior School, Mr David Ikin. “This cultivates qualities such as confidence, courage, strength, and resilience as the girls learn to try again after facing setbacks and approach problem-solving with creativity and determination.”

The experiences build through Years 3 and 4 when the girls sleep in cabins to experience their first taste of independence away from home in a supportive environment. By Years 5 and 6, they are ready to spend one night in tents, building their self-reliance and confidence in the outdoors.

This thoughtful progression is evident in the Year 5 Camp at Tallong Outdoor Education Centre, where our students spend three days immersed in wilderness walks, mountain biking, canoeing, high ropes courses, and team games.

The Year 6 camp takes students to the stunning Blue Mountains, where they participate in day wilderness walks, rock climbing, abseiling, adventure races, and team initiatives. This experience is particularly significant as it marks the students’ transition to leaders of the Junior School.

Later in the year, more academic-focused camps are conducted. Year 6 students travel to Canberra, for example, and their focus areas link back to their International Baccalaureate (IB) Inquiry unit - How the World Works, explains Ms Kate Cameron, Acting Co-Deputy Head of Junior School.”

‘Challenge By Choice’

Central to Wenona's camp philosophy is the concept of ‘challenge by choice’, empowering students to determine their level of participation based on their comfort. However, the supportive and inclusive environment encourages students to stretch beyond their comfort zones.

"We've seen girls who were initially hesitant to put on a harness eventually complete a high ropes course with determination and pride," notes Ms Cameron. "These moments of overcoming self-doubt are incredibly powerful in building confidence that extends well beyond the camping experience."

Building Connections

Perhaps the most valuable outcome of the Junior School camp program is the connections formed – to nature, to peers, and to self.

Parents consistently report that their daughters return from camp with stronger friendships, a deeper appreciation for the natural world, and an understanding of the benefits of wilderness experiences for building soft skills. According to Mr Ikin, this is a well-researched phenomenon. “As social psychologist and author, Jonathan Haidt, aptly notes in The Anxious Generation, ‘experience, not information, is the key to emotional development.’ This insight underscores the importance of hands-on, real-world activities like outdoor education in fostering emotional growth and resilience in young learners. Through these enriching experiences, outdoor education becomes a powerful avenue for instilling values of courage and strength,” he says.

Ongoing Learning

By Year 7, students are camping at Somerset Outdoor Learning Centre on the Colo River, participating in bushwalking, canoeing, rock climbing, and team-building activities. Year 7 camp also features the unique Male Role Model program, strengthening connections between students and father figures during a pivotal time in adolescent development.

In subsequent years, students experience coastal environments at Murramarang National Park (Year 8), the mountains of Katoomba (Year 9), and the alpine setting of Jindabyne and Kosciuszko National Park in Year 10.

The Year 10 experience is particularly challenging and rewarding. Sophie (Year 10) participated in a 22-kilometre hike with packs through Kosciuszko National Park. "I found this experience challenging at times, especially during the long uphill stretches with our packs, and I wasn't sure I'd make it," she says. "The highlight was reaching the top of Mount Kosciuszko and, as a group, sitting down to take in the beautiful view after a tiring day of hiking."

For one of our Boarders, Keeley (Year 10), the summit was also memorable: "The most rewarding part was making it to the top after three days. It was a great experience with my friends and I would do it again if I could!"

These increasingly challenging environments prepare students for opportunities like The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, which many Wenona students pursue.

"I enjoyed not having to constantly think about what is coming next and to just be present in the moment," says Zoe (Year 10). "While some moments did become challenging, I had an amazing group that helped me every step of the way. The plus side was that I got to complete my Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Award."

Sanaya (Year 10) reflects on her journey through the camp program: "From the Hawkesbury River in Year 8 to Jindabyne camp this year, I have experienced once-in-a-lifetime memories. I remember feeling a sense of accomplishment after I canoed through the longest river in Australia, and contentment as I stood at the summit of Mount Kosciuszko. Wenona camps have allowed me to learn so many things and build resilience through experiences I will cherish."

By Senior College, our camp program shifts to more specialised experiences – academic tours for Year 11 students exploring university options, and a retreat for Year 12 students to help them prepare for the stress and additional rigour of their final year.

Enhancing Confidence

While the practical skills gained through the camp program are valuable – from setting up tents to navigating trails – the real transformation happens internally. Students develop resilience when faced with challenges, independence in managing themselves away from home, leadership in supporting their peers, and teamwork in achieving shared goals.

The camp program also provides practical application of Wenona's motto, Ut Prosim, that I may serve, as the students learn to support one another through challenges and contribute to group success. Wenona's commitment to these formative outdoor experiences reflects our dedication to nurturing the whole child – mind, body, and spirit – in preparation for a life of ‘serving and shaping their world’.