For our first week back in Year 9, we hit the ground running, diving straight into building our relationships, stepping out of our comfort zones, and grounding ourselves in our guiding question: “How can I show kindness to myself and my community and have a positive impact?”

Under our week’s theme, Treat People with Kindness, we focused on three core priorities: showing kindness and compassion to ourselves and others, pushing our boundaries for personal growth, and getting fully prepared for our upcoming Duke of Edinburgh expedition.

Here is a look at what our crew got up to each day:

• Day 1: Connection & Scarecrows — We kicked off the term sharing our summer highlights then discussing what it means to be crew. To put our teamwork to the test, we began a scarecrow-building challenge.
• Day 2: Creativity & Essential Skills — We crafted hobby horses for a crew competition. We balanced the fun with practical life skills by completing hands-on first aid training—a crucial step toward our DofE preparation.
• Day 3: The Monsal Dale Walk — We took our learning outside and headed to Monsal Dale. Pushing through the physical trek allowed crew members to practice personal growth, support one another through tough stretches.
• Day 4: Expression & Team Spirit — We rounded out the week building our crew identity. Together, we designed our Crew Wall, drafted our crew pledges, and filmed Netflix-style documentary interviews to reflect on our personal goals. We ended the day blowing off steam with a high-energy game of dodgeball!

Crew has shown readiness to take on the year ahead. Thank you for your continued support at home as we gear up for next week!