Dear Parents,
'A ship in a harbour is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.' You've seen this advertisement on television haven't you? It is from a banking advertisement encouraging an investor to be bold, to take a risk, challenge themselves to succeed and to have a go knowing that they have the support of a safe, supportive backstop. Swap out ship for student and harbour for school and it isn't too hard to apply this quote to the concept of student interschool, intercultural exchange.
This semester Middle School hosts three sets of Year 8 Round Square exchange students. We have seven of our own Year 8 boys going to and then hosting exchange students from Ivanhoe Grammar in Victoria, Westminster Grammar in South Australia and Scotch College Oakburn in Tasmania. Student Exchange is a wonderful amalgamation of attitude and attributes: it requires stepping outside of your comfort zone, taking some calculated risks, a willingness to broaden your horizons, accept a little more independence and self management, a preparedness to be open minded and embrace new experiences, new people and to have some fun. The College's affiliation with the Round Square organisation provides us a well-structured framework to offer student exchanges. In Middle School we have focussed on short 2 week interstate exchange opportunities. Once in Senior School boys have the opportunity to go on international exchange. This year Senior School has hosted and had our own boys return from 6 week exchanges to Germany, Denmark, Chile, USA, South Africa, Korea and India to name a few of the places.
We will offer the opportunity for exchange to Year 8 students in Summer Term next year and hope that it becomes a permanent part of the culture of Middle School.
Mr Richard Ledger
Head of the Middle Harbour
