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Headmaster’s Corner
Year 7 Series Paper #2
Year 7 Becoming Brothers Retreat at Trinity College is the second white paper in the Year 7
Series released by Trinity College. The College has published these papers in the hope that they
will assist in preparation for Year 7 students transitioning into high school. You can read the first
paper titled, Year 7 Transition and Trinity College by clicking here. The second paper in the series
covers the Year 7 Becoming Brothers Retreat.
Year 7 Becoming Brothers Retreat at Trinity College
The Year 7 Becoming Brothers Retreat is an induction experience where students are first
exposed to the many traditions and expectations of being a Trinity College student. The objective
of the Retreat is to make the Year 7s feel welcome into the Trinity College community. The three
day, two night Retreat is integrated with a camp and takes place in Term 1 of each school year at
Camp Kelly in Dwellingup. For many students this is their first overnight stay away from home.
The Retreat and Camp are integrated, with the aim to:
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Demonstrate to the students that God lives within each of us in ordinary moments of our lives.
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Foster the development of a ‘Sense of Belonging’ amongst students.
Develop qualities of responsibility, independence, confidence and co-operation through outdoor activities.
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Enhance the relationship between students and teachers by living in a community together.
Key members of the retreat are the Senior Ministers from Year 12, who are carefully selected as
role models and mentors. These Senior students have previously worked alongside the Year 7
students during their Orientation Day, on their first day of school, and in their Pastoral Care Groups
(PCG). The Senior Ministers are on the camp to accompany their ‘little brothers’ to mentor and
guide them through the retreat. This relationship is important as it is one key activity that Trinity
College uses to help their students to transition into Year 7. The support and friendship that the
Year 12 Ministers provide to the Year 7s is comforting and helpful, as most of them have been
through the same transition into Trinity.
Headmaster’s Corner
Year 7 Series Paper #2
Year 7 Becoming Brothers Retreat at Trinity College
The foundations for the Retreat are based around the ‘Rules for Christian Living,’ found in St
Paul’s letter to the Romans, Chapter 12.
Rules for Christian Living
Be sincere in your love for each other. Learn to avoid evil and hold to everything that
is good. Love each other as brothers and honour others more than you would yourself. Never give up. Eagerly follow the Holy Spirit and serve the Lord. Let your hope
make you glad. Be patient in times of trouble and never stop praying. Take care of
people less fortunate than yourself and welcome strangers into your community.
Ask God to bless everyone who mistreats you. Learn to forgive and not curse them.
When others are happy, be happy with them. When others are sad, be sad with
them. Be friendly with everyone. Don’t be proud and feel that you are more clever or
stronger than your brothers. Make friends with ordinary people. Don’t mistreat
someone who has mistreated you. But try to earn the respect of others and do your
best to live at peace with everyone.
These keys words and their explanations are the heart of the Becoming Brothers Retreat.
The Retreat begins and ends in the Trinity College Chapel with a special ceremony conducted by
the Year 12 Senior Ministers. The camp element offers a wide range of daytime activities including
hiking, canoeing, raft building as well as activities organised for students to get to know each other.
Evening activities include shared meals, quiz night and PCG challenges. Students are encouraged
to have ‘big brother’ time and in small groups, students discuss the challenges that they may face
and are provided with an understanding of the good behaviour that is expected of Trinity students.
This ‘big brother’ time is also key in promoting the Trinity anti-bullying philosophy where students
are able to get to know each other in a casual environment and begin to form the bonds of
brotherhood that bind all Trinity College students to each other.
Headmaster’s Corner
Year 7 Series Paper #2
Year 7 Becoming Brothers Retreat at Trinity College
By the end of the Retreat the Year 7s begin to truly understand what it means to live in a Christian
community and how they can be the best form of themselves, both individually and collectively.
Transitioning from Primary School to Year 7 can be a daunting experience full of challenges. The
Becoming Brothers Retreat is just one activity that the College uses to help develop maturity,
confidence and other qualities to build a man who succeeds in every aspect of his lives.
Parental involvement has always been a trademark of the Trinity College community. Year 7
parents both new and returning are made especially welcome to the community, as this is a key
element to their son’s transition into Year 7 and Secondary School. As part of our Year 7 White
Paper series, further information regarding the Trinity College community and Year 7 parents will
be discussed in our next white paper.
For more information about Trinity College, visit our website www.trinity.wa.edu.au