Year 9 is widely recognised as a transitional year, when young people begin to move from an introspective view of the world to an outward community engagement.
In a purpose-built learning centre with an environmental focus, students investigate the world around them from various perspectives and subject disciplines, both prescribed and elective.
Term One - GOOD BEGINNINGS
What was God's original plan for us? How does that impact our current Kingdom living? Students discover that working with others helps them to understand themselves, while immersing themselves in, and reflecting on, creation helps them to understand God. The term culminates in the Wilderness Experience: a week of living and working alongside each other to complete a journey in the Bogong High Plains. Students are given the opportunity explore the question, "How do we see God’s goodness in the revelation of His creation?"
Term Two - FACING CHALLENGES
Recognising that the Fall has affected all parts of creation, including ourselves, we explore the nature of this fallen reality. Health Experience is our integrated experience for this term, when we explore the eight dimensions of wellness. Students reflect on a biblical perspective of these and where their own strengths and areas for growth lie. Understanding that we were created as image bearers allows students to conclude by answering, “Who am I in Christ?”
Term Three - RENEWAL
After grappling with the Fall, students now consider Christ’s work on the Cross and what this offers humanity. We examine what Jesus really meant when He said that the greatest commandment was to “love God and love others”. With this shift of focus, we put Jesus’ words into practice during Service Experience. The week is spent learning what God has to say about service, hearing from people who live this daily, and then participating in various daily service activities. Students explore the question, “What does it mean to be a kingdom bringer?”
Term Four - FUTURE SHIFT
The climax of the term, and indeed the year, is Create to Advocate where students are asked, “What stirs your heart?” and in response to that embark on a creative project that ends in a display night for parents and friends. Each year this night stirs the heart of our community as we are reminded that our young people are creative, intelligent and earnest in their desire to see Christ’s Kingdom come.
The step back into mainstream school life is now just around the corner. The students have explored their identity in Christ and how that affects the way they live, so now we shift our focus to the future. City Experience affords students the opportunity to explore their independence while seeing what opportunities our beautiful city holds. We wrestle with the good things and the hard things we see there, and ultimately ask, “What is God’s heart for the city?”