Year 8 LIFE week - students enjoy the landscapes of New Norcia.

Last Monday, 115 excited year 8 students boarded three buses, heading for New Norcia. The Year 8 students have a focus on 'stewardship of our gifts.' New Norcia is Australia's only monastic town. It was originally set up by Dom Salvado, who was seen as a friend to the Aboriginal people of the area.

This year, the year 8 students were to answer the question, 'How do we create our own landscapes?' All students completed seven workshops while at New Norcia. They were encouraged to take photographs as evidence to use in their movies, which would be created back at school in Big Ideas.

One of the rotation activities was Aboriginal tool making and Maya-Maya building. The students learned how the local Aboriginal population sustainably used the landscape of the area. They were then able to create their own Maya-Mayas.

Students also learned about the symbolism in Aboriginal dot paintings. They were asked to paint a boomerang, as long as it told a story using the symbols they had just been shown.

Students also completed a graveyard study, an art and architecture tour and a heritage town tour of New Norcia. We were lucky enough to find out about the European Space Agency's work also.

On Thursday and Friday of LIFE week, Year 8 students completed a retreat at school and walked a section of the Camino Salvado, from Bells Rapids to Shady Hills. Students are to be commended on their attitude and behaviour throughout LIFE week.