Learning and living in the outdoors is an aspect of education which we continue to foster at Hebron Christian College. God's handiwork in creation can be easily seen and appreciated when the student is given the opportunity to observe the "outside" world at first hand and in its
natural state. Outdoor trips are undertaken by children as young as 5 years and are continued throughout the classroom levels with increased challenge and duration. Overnight camps are undertaken by older students with the following emphasis:
Y5 - Y7 3-5 days/nights at an established camp
Y8 - Y10 4-5 days/nights tenting/backpacking or sailing
Y11 - Y12 As for Y8-10 with an overseas mission to a Pacific or Asian country planned for every 2 years.
Overnight camps are not compulsory but all students are encouraged to attend. Costs are kept as low as possible so that the camp fee is not a burden on families.
Click here to play video (6Mb) of Middle School Camp at Raglan Wenesday morning activities
Click here to play PhotoStory Book collection (5Mb) of various Middle School Camps
SECONDARY CAMP AT ROTORUA 2005
2004 MIDDLE SCHOOL CAMP AT HUNUA This year the Middle School had their camp at Hunua staying at the Presbyterian Bible Class camp. Mrs Smith and her team did a great job down there. The speaker from Scripture Union, Mr Andrew Ramsbottom, spoke very well during the evening devotional times and challenged the children to live wholeheartedly for God.
The children were involved in about 10 mainly team-building activities on the Wednesday afternoon, This was designed to support the term's curriculum theme of "God is a God of Unity…He wants us to live in unity". Children were encouraged to support each other and trust one another. There was a lovely spirit in the camp – everyone was getting on most harmoniously and trying hard to say encouraging things to one another.
On Thursday morning, April Fools Day, the staff conspired to play a trick on the children. Mrs Starrenburg told them the breakfast was delayed and the time would be used for a very important job. Mr Matthews was elected to spin a little tale (no, not a lie!) about the need for the children to make up hand and shin pads for the upcoming hike as the terrain and slope were treacherous and would require walking on hands and knees! The children made their equipment and at my command, practised crawling up a steep bank below the hall. Upon reaching the top of the hill Mr Matthews informed them it was an April Fool's joke after which he was chased around the property by some disgruntled children throwing their wet and soggy newspaper hand and shin protection gear at him....all good fun!
2004 SECONDARY CAMP AT KATIKATI This year's secondary camp was held at Rocky Valley Christian Camp at Katikati, a kiwifruit and avocado growing area just north of Tauranga. 95 students and about 16 staff and parents attended the camp. Despite the storms in Auckland, the campers experienced beautiful weather and the major problem was not dampness but sunburn!
On Wednesday, the students undertook a bush walk at the Sapphire Springs Camping Park, swam in their hot thermal pool and then visited the local attractions particularly viewing the 40+ murals painted on the town walls. On Thursday, they traveled down to Mt.Maunganui and visited a local Bird Garden then circumnavigated the "Mount" by foot. After that tramp the students and staff swam in the local hot pools.
This year's guest speaker was Constable Nick Tuitasi who spoke on Wednesday and Thursday and was very well received by the students and staff. Nick is well known and publicly honoured for his work with the criminal community around Mt.Roskill and often has input in select committees at Government level. Nick is also a very keen Christian and drew upon his vast experience to share the gospel with our young people and give them a spiritual "check-up" and "tune-up". On Wednesday night, 36 students committed or re-committed their lives to the Lord. On Thursday morning each student and adult "de-bugged" their contaminated operating system by writing down on paper known sins in their lives and dropping the paper into a tin where it was burnt, symbolizing the total forgiveness and cleansing that God offers us through Christ when we confess and repent of our sin.
The camp, once again, showed the huge privileges we have at a Christian school. Real spiritual issues that affect teenagers throughout the land, can be addressed and the only solution can be offered with genuine and long-lasting results. When the family, the church and the Christian school work hand-in-hand, we can gain life-changing results for the good in the lives of our young people.
2003 MIDDLE SCHOOL CAMP AT HENDERSON I spent two days at the Middle School Camp on Wednesday and Thursday and can inform you the camp was proceeding along very smoothly and staff and children were having an enjoyable (if not tiring) experience. Mrs Smith and her Middle School staff had prepared well for the camp, had planned a lot of exciting and worthwhile outdoor experiences and were managing the programme extremely well. The children were very well behaved and co-operative, participating fully in the various activities and enjoying the evening devotion times and workshops. The children were given very good instruction from qualified outdoor education instructors and learnt the skills very quickly.
It was good to see our Japanese visitors trying out the various activities too when they visited the camp on Thursday for the whole day and evening.
A special big "Thank You" to all the mothers and fathers who came out to the camp for various lengths of time to assist with supervision, cooking, activity teaching, etc. Thank you so much.
2003 SECONDARY CAMP AT KAWAU ISLAND This year's secondary camp at Kawau Island was an astounding success. Everyone of the 95 participating students who completed a post-camp survey commented very positively about every aspect of the camp and this supported statements from staff and parent helpers who also enjoyed a very successful and worthwhile camp.
The Camp Bentzon site in North Cove is ideally situated and surrounded by bush and coastal seawater. The bush hosted wallabies, wekas, wood pigeons, tuis and many other birds and animals. We were very blessed by very settled, fine and brilliantly sunny weather giving the impression we were camping on an island in the Caribbean!!!! The food was very nutritious and varied. I thank our "cooking teacher", Mrs Jacqui Caetano, for planning the menu, buying most of the food, transporting some of it to camp and then successfully preparing and cooking it, with the help of others.
The activities undertaken during the camp were thoroughly enjoyed by the students and they included: kayaking, orienteering, yachting, language writing, science study, dinghy rowing, artwork, water balloon basketball, confidence course & fishing. As a group, we also tramped around the southern part of Kawau Island visiting the cemetery, copper mines & pump house and Sir George Grey's (former NZ Premier in the 1860s) mansion.
Many, however, felt the highlight of the camp was the Praise and Worship times each morning and evening largely taken and led by our older students and the devotional studies taken by Greenlane Christian Centre Youth Pastor, Brian Krum. Brian was able to deliver messages that were relevant to teenagers and feedback suggests most were ministered in a very real and tangible manner.