A world of opportunities

SECONDARY SCHOOL ENROLMENTS

17 days of inspiration, hard work and service learning for a select group of Dominic College Year 9 and 10 students when they travelled to Cambodia as part of the World Challenge Team.

Year 9 and 10 Dominic College students have opportunities to explore different cultures with their annual Northern Territory and Japan trips and now, every two years, the World Challenge Cambodia trip is also on the itinerary.

In December 2017, 10 students, two teachers and one leader from World Challenge began their Cambodian journey in Siem Reap, where they explored bustling markets and visited the World Heritage temples of Angkor Wat.

Dominic College Year 7-10 Pastoral Care Coordinator Aaron Davey said the students’ project phase formed an important part of the trip and saw the team undertake practical work to benefit the country.

“Our project was in Battambang at a school and vocational training facility called Ptea Teuk Dong,” Mr Davey said.

“Dominic students painted the exterior of the school and donated a photocopier and sports equipment.”

In the countryside, students visited isolated villages to gain a perspective on rural Cambodian life.

“A different challenge was then our three-day jungle trek,” he said.

“We slept in hammocks, ate amazing camp food, went fishing with bamboo poles and hunted for bush tucker in the dense jungle.”

In Phnom Penh, the group learnt about Cambodia’s tragic history under the Khmer Rouge, visiting the Killing Fields and the infamous torture and execution camp S21, which students described as a “poignant and terrible reminder of the imperative to work for acceptance and peace in the world.”

Dominic College Principal Beth Gilligan is proud of the way her students were open to these challenges.

“Our students return from these unique learning experiences in Cambodia, Japan and from the Northern Territory with new perspectives on society. Cultural immersion shapes them in unique ways,” she said.