Service Academy builds successful students
Kia ora koutou, talofa lava, greetings everyone.
Horowhenua College is proud to have a Service Academy.
This academy is for students who are considering the armed services (Army, Navy, Air Force) as their career path. These students complete their academic subjects together and under the watchful care of Maurice True and Robin Hudepohl.
The day for a Service Academy student starts at 8.15am with preparation followed by PT (physical training). Solid exercise — Army style — is performed with an emphasis on working as a team. Marching drills are practiced regularly until they are able to be completed with precision and discipline.
Very recently the Academy students completed two weeks of basic training at Waiouru Army Base along with 11 other academies from the Lower North Island. Early rise and full days saw these students pushed to the limits of their physical and mental capacities.
After talking to Cody Darwin (Year 12) and Meiha Murray (Year 13) some of the most challenging moments for our students were not necessarily the physical aspects of the camp, although those were at times extremely hard, but having to learn to work with and lead others they didn’t know. When put into groups of eight to 10 students from different schools they had to learn to lead each other through the activities and by the end of the 12-hour day they ended up becoming a united team.
Completing a “trust fall” was a challenge for one of our students. Falling from the ground or from a chair was okay but it took him a couple of days to trust enough to fall from the height of a stage into a group of people he didn’t know.
The cross country was a major physical challenge. It involved running up Waitangi Hill and once they had completed the run they had to go back down and run with those who hadn’t finished, building on team work.
Although hard, the boys would recommend the induction. They found it good for developing their confidence and their leadership skills.
At the end of the course the students graduated at a March Out parade. Board chairperson Dr Juliana Mansvelt and I were privileged to attend and we became aware of some of what our students had experienced. We are very proud of our Academy students and what they have achieved.
It is a fantastic programme that actively grows successful young men and young women.