Retreat at Silvermine Bay Retreat in Full Swing Hong Kong Golf & Tennis Academy

This year, the Year 11 Retreat was held at Silvermine Bay, Mui Wo. Students engaged in leadership and team building exercises and experienced invaluable relaxation time with their peers. Asia Adventure Sport facilitated activities that challenged students to problem solve and collaborate through a range of activities, encouraging flexibility of thought and initiative. Beach Volleyball, karaoke, fun in the pool, a trivia night and the BBQ dinner were also highlights.

These learning opportunities outside the regular school program have been sorely missed, but the value for students was clearly evident in this Year 11 retreat, as we can see from their reflections on their experiences.

“This was the best school retreat I have been on! I learned how to become a good leader and lead by example. This trip was a great opportunity to socialise with the entire year.”

This year, students in Year 12 enjoyed a retreat at the Hong Kong Golf and Tennis Academy (HKGTA) from 3-5 May.

The students arrived at the luxurious academy where the relaxing atmosphere of the accommodation and beautiful surroundings was welcomed after the stress of the recent examination period.

The program consisted of 5 rotations of activities including Yoga, Fitness, Dodgeball, Tennis and Golf lessons by HKGTA staff. The students interspersed these daytime activities with visits to the gym and swimming pool and much needed relaxation time with friends.

After dinner on alternate evenings, the students competed in a trivia competition and a Karaoke singing contest. The trivia was hotly contested with two teams tied after the final round. The eventual winners Smiley Faces beat Tiffany and Co’s after a team game of Heads and Tails to break the deadlock. The trivia night was superbly hosted by Toby Dear and Harry Avery and the special renditions of Mama Mia by Ms Dunstan and Angels by Mr Phillips were only upstaged by the desire and willingness of other solo performers to push out of their comfort zones. The camaraderie and support of the year 12 cohort for their peers during this event was one of many highlights.

Other events such as a Reflection Activity on their journey so far in secondary school, including how they may navigate the final months of secondary education and acknowledging their support networks was both moving and rewarding for the students.

A walk to Trio beach rounded out the final day of the retreat where students hiked the 7km round journey before returning to the retreat for another tasty meal before departure.

Special thanks to Mr Damian Bailey, Mr William Campbell, Ms Aileen O’Donnell and Ms Carole White who continue to guide the students with care and compassion. The value of events such as these within the school program cannot be undersold and will be remembered long after students have graduated.

Was there anything about camp which surprised you?

“The camp was much nicer than we all thought it would be. It was really modern and we all got these massive apartments! The food was also amazing and we were never bored as there were multiple activities every day.” NATASHA

What was a memorable, funny moment from camp you can share with us?

“I’d say the karaoke performances, especially done by Toby Dear, were quite humorous! They made the trip overall more enjoyable, I would say.” ADAM

What were your impressions of Year 12 Camp and what did you enjoy most?

“Camp was a lot of fun! It was very different to the Year 11 camp as we had some more freedom. It was good relaxing after the exam period” DANIEL