Would you survive?

Five months on school camp. No devices allowed, and even if you do, there’s no reception, let alone wifi. Combine that with 14 year old boys from a private school, well, it doesn’t sound like a good mix.

Twice a year, St Paul’s Collegiate sends a group of Year 10 students on an intense school camp – for 5 months. The aim of this camp is to get them off their devices, get them outdoors, and to teach them essential life skills.

The camp, Tihoi, is situated in pretty much the middle of nowhere. It’s surrounded by native bush, mountains, and tussock, with no civilization in sight. During the 5 months the boys are there, they will have to cook and clean for themselves, do the dishes, and laundry – things that many of you don’t. Included on the banned list for the camp are: devices, extra food, aerosol cans(spray on deodorant), pocket knives, even alarm clocks!

As for school, lessons are in the mornings – and on weekends. Afternoons are devoted to outdoor activities, such as running, abseiling, and hiking for up to three days.
The boys can only go home for the holidays, and the odd long weekend.

They must face physical and mental challenges, including spending 48 hours, alone, in the bush.

So, my challenge to you: for 1 week, starting today, do ALL the dishes, ALL of your own laundry, and read a book instead of playing on the computer. Will you survive?

CRITICAL THINKING CHALLENGES

1. How do you think you would do with the challenge above?

2. Are the young people of today to addicted to screens, computers or their phones. Give examples to back up your point.

3. What would be the positives and negatives of going to Tihoi?

Article written by Kayla Prendergast  –  Year 8 Aquinas College

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27 Responses

  4. Answer: No way
    NO I WOULD NOT SURVIVE!!
    Oh ok so you don’t want us to go on your website? haha

  5. No way… Even though I don’t have a device. Camping with strangers? No, no, no, no, NO!

  6. Yeah I will survive because it’s not needed for my body and I think It would I go there because I would probably come out as a better person.

  7. i feel like this applies to me even more than most people due to the fact that i have never played sport in my life. not even once. so I’m not that athletic. i usually waste my life playing skyrim. still though, at least I’m having fun i guess? so no. i wouldn’t be able to survive, I’m pretty sure i’d actually die in that 48 hours alone thing BECAUSE I’m not athletic and I’d starve from not knowing what i could eat. R.I.P my self esteem

  9. I could survive. I don’t usually use a device unless it’s for homework or news or requesting a book. I do the laundry every day and I can kinda cook. But… I’m a girl…. and I’m pretty sure the camp is for boys.

  15. I’ll do the challenge starting next week I cant go on Kiwi Kids news so I have a excuse for not doing my homework 🙂

  16. Wow. 5 months. And their the children of the rich. It would be hard for me.

  19. oooooooohhhh that place looks dodgy!! I wouldn’t survive!!! and I’ll never go there in a MILLION years- not even for a day.

  21. my cousins there so i’ll ask him when he comes back if he does. otherwise i like the out doors so i think i’ll manage.

  23. I definitely would survive. Screens are usually only in front of my eyes when I need to do homework or stuff like that. But still, it sounds really tiring and how would a whole lot of non-friend 14 year old BOYS survive?

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