White water challenges the students to work together as a team in an environment that can rapidly change depending on geography and bottlenecks in the river. They face a multitude of possible dangers as they tackle runs of rapids that showcase nature’s best.
The spiritual, pastoral and health benefits of white-water rafting for our students are legion. The students and teachers build deep relationships and enduring bonds as they challenge the river together.
Our students get to witness rugged gorge country in a place where nature survives without direct human interference. The rafting itself leaves no footprint, enabling our students to pass through traditional lands without upsetting the delicate natural balance in existence there.
The trip downriver itself is doubly important as for many of our youth, the journey represents a good approximation of life as it is full of challenges, knock downs and barriers but for those who choose to dig deep and not to give up it is a rewarding endeavour.
White water rafting, river trekking, scuba diving, snorkelling tours, kayaking and other outdoor activities are aimed at re-engaging young students with education. Adventures such as these make school a positive and meaningful experience for our kids and increases our student’s engagement with the education system overall.
Most importantly, these activities reintroduce a missing ingredient to successful educational pathways for our Indigenous youth, fun.
Story by Bradley Maitland
