TWO Bridgetown High School students were fortunate to participate in the Leeuwin Youth Explorer Voyage recently, sailing around Rottnest Island and up the west coast.
Year 10 students Jennifer Waters and Shaughan Mead were pleased to be invited to attend the 'once in a lifetime' opportunity when they were selected by the high school and financially supported by Henri Nouwen House.
The Leeuwin experience is a unique, challenging and inspirational ocean adventure, running for seven days and six nights. It is designed to increase self awareness, develop communication, teamwork and leadership skills and create a strong sense of community.
The voyage experience operates under the principle of 'challenge by choice' and all students are expected to be involved in most aspects of the ship operations with the level of involvement up to each participant.
Henri Nouwen House Coordinator Sue Ewing was pleased to be able to sponsor local youth for such a wonderful opportunity and was thankful to receive a grant to do this.
"Four years ago as a result of a conversation with Helen Morton of the Department of Communities and Hon Robyn Mc Sweeney, then Minister for the Department of Communities, Henri Nouwen House received a grant to provide support and services for youth in our community," Ms Ewing said.
"One of the ways that we determined the grant would be best used was to sponsor local high school students by providing scholarships to participate in the Leeuwin Ocean Adventure programme, an amazing programme that has similar goals and objectives to our own program.
"A number of students from Bridgetown, Boyup Brook, Manjimup and Nannup were awarded these scholarships. Participation in the Leeuwin programme instils lifelong skills which participants take into adult life.
"The committee of Henri Nouwen House believe it’s a beneficial way in which Henri Nouwen House can give back to the community who generously support us in what we do."
Jenny Waters, 15, from Bridgetown said that seeing whales and dolphins and having to meet so many new people made the Leeuwin experience rank high in her life experiences.
"I was both nervous and excited about going on the trip," said Jenny, "and meeting new people is not as scary as you might think. This is a lesson I have taken away from this journey.
"Every day we did what we needed to do, such as setting up sails, pulling ropes, climbing the mast, steering the ship and doing look out on night shifts. My favourite thing was climbing the main mast and reading the message that only those who made it to the top know what it says.
"I would like to thank Bridgetown High School and Henri Nouwen House for the opportunity I had to be a part of the Leeuwin Sailing Voyage."
Shaughan Mead, 15, also from Bridgetown, said it was an awesome experience with the highlight for him seeing so many whales and dolphins whilst climbing the main mast.
"The whales and dolphins were amazing," he said. "I saw 12 whales and 20 dolphins. I also learnt how to use ropes and work as a team, because you just can't do it on your own.
"Meeting new people and making new friends was also great. I highly recommend that everyone goes on a trip like this one if they can. And I would like to give a special thank you to Henri Nouwen House for sponsoring me."
