On a sunshine-soaked Monday afternoon, 26 May 2025, The Summit rolled out the welcome mat for the legendary Year 5 & 6 crew from St Mary’s Primary! With excitement buzzing, students got a first look at their home base for the next few days. Once bags were dropped and rooms claimed, it was straight to the Lodge, where the adventure officially kicked off. Coach Spinks brought the energy, introducing the camp and its awesome team, while Milena and Elena shared The Summit’s ultimate recipe for an epic camp, complete with the five secret ingredients (aka the Five Keys) to make it unforgettable.
Setting the Tone: The Five Keys
Camp started with the introduction of The Summit’s Five Keys , the foundation for a great experience:
- Have Fun
- Play All In
- Make Lots of Mistakes
- Get Uncomfortable
- Don’t Go Home Wondering ‘What If’
These values guided every challenge and celebration, helping students to step outside their comfort zones and support one another fully.
Day One: Action Starts Now
Campers kicked things off with an initiative challenge , a team-based puzzle that tested their communication, collaboration, and leadership. From there, the real action began with their first two activity rotations, featuring:
- Rotation One: Giant Swing, Tash Ladder, Laser Skirmish, Scavenger Hunt
- Rotation Two: High Wire, Flying Fox, Cave, and Bush Challenge
Each activity asked something different of the students, bravery, trust, creativity, problem-solving, and most of all, teamwork. And wow, did they deliver!
The day wrapped up with a special Summit tradition: GMICs, or Great Moments in Camp . Students shared the standout moments they’d witnessed, whether someone faced a fear, supported a friend, or simply gave their all.
Day Two: Intention, Pirates & Pure Grit
Day two began with a powerful intention-setting session with Coach Spinks. Students learned to focus on what they can control, like their mindset and effort, rather than things like weather or others’ choices. They were asked to imagine putting on an “ intentions jacket ” each morning, choosing who they wanted to be and how they would show up for the day.
After a quick game of Pirates, it was off to the park for three more thrilling rotations. After lunch, it was time for the camp’s most legendary event…
The Monster Course
It was muddy. It was wild. It was unforgettable. The Monster Course tested every ounce of strength, resilience, and teamwork the students had developed so far. What they didn’t know? They’d be running it twice . After completing their first lap, they quickly regrouped and pushed through a second, improving their times by at least 6 minutes across the board! The winning team was the one that showed the greatest improvement between laps. What a moment!
Final Day: Gratitude and Goodbyes
The last day of camp began with more GMICs and a beautiful gratitude session led by Coach Fran. Students reflected on who and what they were thankful for, and were reminded to leave camp with no regrets , to give it their all for the final two rotations.
Before heading off, the students played a hilarious warm-up game of Crane, Tiger, Egg, then took on their final challenges. At the end, each tribe voted for someone who best embodied the Five Keys throughout camp.
And the Values Winners Are:
- Royal Guards , Sethuli
- Summit Survivors , Nicholas
- Pink Fluffy Unicorns , Nathenict
- Fearless Animals , ONielle
To celebrate their effort and example, these legends received the ultimate reward: a hot lap in The Summit’s Army Tank !
Competition Results
Bush Challenge:
- 43:00 , Summit Survivors
- 45:00 , Royal Guards
- Did not finish , Pink Fluffy Unicorns
- Did not finish , Fearless Animals
Scavenger Hunt points :
- 310 , Pink Fluffy Unicorns
- 280 , Fearless Animals
- 220 , Royal Guards
- 160 , Summit Survivors
Monster Course Improvement Times:
- +15:05 , Fearless Animals
- +10:00 , Pink Fluffy Unicorns
- +9:10 , Summit Survivors
- +6:00 , Royal Guards
Thank You, St Mary’s!
On behalf of all the coaches, Spinks, Milena, Elena, Enis, and Fran, we want to thank the incredible students and staff of St Mary’s Primary School. You brought amazing energy, great attitudes, and a whole lot of heart to camp. We loved every minute with you.
Wishing you the very best for the rest of the school year, and remember, the Five Keys don’t just belong at camp. They belong in everything you do.
Keep being awesome!
, The Summit Team
Planning a school camp in Victoria? Download the School Information Pack or enquire for available dates.
