Back To School with Adventure Days

This year, from Grades 9 to 11, there are many new students coming from places as far away as Japan, China, Korea and Germany who will make new friends with many of our returning GNS students.

On Monday, September 11, all students in Grades 9 to 11 took part in Adventure Days to let students get to know their classmates and peers.

“The goal of the orientation adventure days is to create community, meet new classmates, play and have fun together. We want students to get to know each other and their teachers in connection-focused activities,” said Mrs. Nielson, Senior School Vice Principal. “It is about our values—community and caring, and we want to build those.”

The Grade 9s began the day at Uplands Park where they completed some invasive species removal before heading down to spend the afternoon at Willows Beach.

“Adventure day was fun! It was nice to get some more time with my friends,” said Aubrey Haddon ’27, “My favourite activity was eating lunch by the beach!”

For Grade 10s, the adventure day took place at Camp Barnard in Sooke. After an hour-long bus ride to Sooke, students participated in various activities such as stand-up paddle boarding, team-building games, friendship bracelet making, “tiny hands” competitions, as well as everyone’s favourite, “water chaos.” These activities all required students to work together to either earn the most points or to build the highest tower using pylons!

“I think that Adventure Day was quite interesting,” said Reese Suntok ’26, “I most enjoyed paddle boarding and, oddly enough, getting frustrated over making friendship bracelets.”

“Adventure day was spectacular,” said Carina Carvello ’26, “I enjoyed stand-up paddle boarding for the first time and I discovered that I am very good at blindly attacking fellow classmates with pool noodles.”

Windsor Park was the first stop for Grade 11 students where they learned some shelter-building skills. This was followed by a scavenger hunt around Oak Bay and then an afternoon at the Beach Drive Campus for kayaking and canoeing as well as rock painting with some of the Junior School students.

“Adventure Day was a fun day. I enjoyed hanging out with my friends and getting to know them better, as well as meeting new students at GNS,” reflected Chelsea Mak ’25, “My favourite activity was the scavenger hunt on Oak Bay Ave because it was really fun to wander around with my friends.”

If responses from the Grade 9, 10 and 11 students are an indication of what’s to come for the new year, it will be filled with making new connections, overcoming obstacles and discovering new challenges. This is going to be an energy-filled year!