On Monday, May 5th , the Year 7 students and teachers of Mordialloc College arrived at The Summit , ready (or nervously curious!) to begin their three-day adventure. For some, there was excitement in the air; for others, a bit of hesitation. But that’s what camp is all about, stepping outside your comfort zone and discovering what you’re really capable of.
Before diving into the action, students were welcomed by their Summit coaches: Mim, Spinks, Matt, Ant, Elena, Milena, Calarnee, Enis, Kaara, Adam, Franzie, and Simon . Each of them would be guiding the students through activities, challenges, and personal growth throughout the week.
At The Summit, we live by a powerful framework known as the Five Keys , the heart of what makes camp such a meaningful experience:
- Have Fun
- Play All In
- Make Lots of Mistakes
- Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable
- Don’t Go Home Wondering “What If”
Once everyone had been introduced to the Five Keys, we headed to the Stage , where students learned how to properly gear up with harnesses and helmets. They were also introduced to a goal-setting method called Target, Stretch, and Super Stretch , which helps break big challenges into achievable steps.
With that foundation in place, it was time to jump into the 12 epic activities:
- Giant swing
- Snowy River Challenge
- Bag Blitz
- Abseil
- Jump Free
- Rockwall
- Flying Fox
- Cave
- Leap of Faith
- Bush Challenge
- High Wire
- Laser skirmish
Day Two — Intention, Challenge, and Mud
Day two kicked off with a motivational session from Adam , who spoke about the power of intention , how setting a plan for your day can help you stay focused and strong, even when things get challenging. The morning energy was boosted with a game of Crane, Tiger, Egg , getting everyone moving and smiling.
This was a huge day , packed with three activity rotations , a tribe challenge , and the ultimate test of teamwork and grit: the Monster Course (aka the mud run).
But there was a twist.
After slogging through mud, obstacles, and water for one full lap, students thought they had finished, until they were told there was another lap . Why? Because at The Summit, we celebrate improvement over speed. The winning team wasn’t the fastest, it was the one that showed the most resilience, growth, and perseverance by improving the most from their first lap.
It was an unforgettable experience, and a powerful lesson that each student is capable of more than they think.
Day Three — Gratitude and Goodbyes
The final day arrived with a few sleepy faces and a lot of muddy memories. Before the last rotations, Mim shared a beautiful message about the power of gratitude , encouraging everyone to appreciate what they have, where they are, and who they’re with.
To energize the group one last time, Adam led a fun round of Pirates , getting everyone moving before heading into their final two activity rotations.
As the camp drew to a close, students were asked to reflect and vote for one teammate who they believed truly lived out the Five Keys throughout camp. These Values Winners were celebrated in a very special way, with a hot lap in The Summit’s World War II army tank , cheered on by their peers as a reward for embracing everything camp had to offer.
Medals were awarded, final results were read out, and just like that, it was time to board the buses and head back to school, tired, happy, and hopefully, a little changed for the better.
Thank You, Mordialloc College!
To the students and staff of Mordialloc College, thank you for playing all in, supporting each other, and making this camp one to remember. You showed up, got uncomfortable, and made memories that will stick with you for a long time to come.
We can’t wait to see you again at The Summit!
, The Summit Team
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