Year 8 Dragon Challenge

This year’s Dragon Expedition was successful on so many levels. Just before half term,  we decided to base ourselves on the BISA campus to save money. The main point of the outing and the various activities was to succeed at a variety of targets set by the children themselves.

On Thursday we gathered on the school steps to start our hike. Most students had set targets on looking at the environment and community and how these two issues work successfully or fail and to come up with ideas on how to ensure success. We were looking out for examples in the wider Kisongo area. We managed a 12 km hike up, down and around the Ngorobob Hills. Two of the main issues were overgrazing and litter. There were also some really successful environmental stories where farmers were securing and managing their grazing and their land. Nothing quite beats experiential learning.

We had our lunch looking across spectacular views of Meru, Monduli and Arusha. We were fortunate that the rain held off for our hike.

Coming back to school, the children were put into tent teams of 3. They all had to work as a team and erect their own tents. They did an impressive job. Next were the various challenges of lighting fires, cooking rice, vegetable stews and chicken stews over an open fire. This was quite challenging but with team work and some good advice, the children were successful.

Sadly the skies had clouded over by the time we came to star gazing and the moment we put our heads on our pillows in our tents, the heavens opened. The children were amazing. Some of them made alternative plans and slept in the bathrooms. Some of us endured the dripping tents and stoically made it to morning. Nevertheless, it was a stalwart effort by all. Sometimes in life, things don’t go according to plan and it is good to see our children coping with these situations successfully.