Discover your potential
NCC year 9
challenge program
Improved understanding of the needs and characteristics of the Year 9 students has led to a redesign of experiences planned for this year level at school. The Year 9 Challenge, a new direction grounded in research, has been implemented at Nunawading Christian College with positive feedback from students and parents.
Discover your potential
Every Year 9 student at Nunawading Christian College participates in the Challenge Program. The program encourages students to discover their potential and the possibility for growth outside their comfort zone. Practical activities combined with personal reflection helps each child discover more about themselves and look beyond themselves to the needs of others.
Our mission has four major components:
- Engage our students in a variety of experiences for stretching, growth and consequence.
- Establish foundations for decision-making based on Biblical values, the 16 Habits of Mind and the power of community.
- Equip our students with ‘street-smarts’ for significant living in the suburban, urban and outdoor ‘wilderness’ realms of life.
- Empower our students to dream big, activate their dreams and make an impact at their age, now and for evermore.
At NCC we are committed to create lasting positive change at an age that for some students can be riddled with uncertainty, lack of motivation, disrespect and other behavioural issues. This program caters for every student, challenging them above and beyond their current limits.
“Don't handicap your children by making their lives easy.” ― Robert A. Heinlein
It is intentionally aimed at Year 9 students in their development through a changing and challenging time of their lives.
We believe that we cannot grow without challenges and through them we learn. The program is year-long and specifically Biblically values-based. It aims to walk alongside students through a year of developmental awareness to equip them with the characteristics that are needed to not only survive in this world but to make a positive contribution. It encourages the role of mentors as extra guidance in the life of each student.
Activities throughout the year include:
- $20 Talent - All students will be given $20 cash in early Term 1. In keeping with the Parable of the Talents Jesus told as recorded in Luke 19:12-27, all students have until the end of Term 2 to turn their $20 into as much as they can as a donation towards their Community Volunteering placement.
- Physical Challenge - Students will have a timeline to increase their ability to complete a mystery physical challenge (Term 1).
- Soapbox Challenge - Students will have 4 months to prepare their own speech or presentation or recite a passionate speech from history of their own topic and choice (related to Challenge program and learning) for an elective chapel period in June.
- Urban days - Students work in groups on a range of activities, and reflect on group function and behaviours that assist effective group function. Skills and behaviours necessary for exploring and undertaking activities in the urban environment will be developed.
- Outdoor camps - students participate in a range of outdoor activities throughout Victoria and a major camp each year at Philip Island.
- Community volunteering - students are required to volunteer at a local community organisation for 4 days throughout the year.