05 February 2026
Over the school holidays, several students chose to spend their time volunteering with the KickStart for Kids holiday program and at the Puddle Jumpers Christmas party. Their involvement offered support, joy and connection for others, while also providing valuable learning experiences of their own. Here, they share their reflections.
Kickstart for Kids
Over the Christmas break, Seb Harms, Ned Manifold and I volunteered with the Kickstart for Kids Holiday Camp (West Camp). As a volunteer, my main role was simply to be there for the kids–whether that meant playing basketball, drawing and painting, hanging around the playground, or watching movies together– we were always joining in on whatever fun the day brought. Our camp supported children aged around 5–12, often from disadvantaged social and economic backgrounds. Early childhood plays such a crucial role in shaping a kid’s confidence, ability to connect and sense of belonging. For many of these kids, programs like these help create positive experiences they may not otherwise have access to. A couple highlights from the camp included a day trip to Harbour Town, where each child received a $50 voucher to buy themselves Christmas presents, a day at the Salisbury Aquatic Centre spent racing down waterslides and playing plenty of water games, and a final day Christmas party, complete with personalised gifts from Santa, arcade games, sausage sizzles, popcorn, and an ice-cream van. Overall, Kickstart for Kids was truly a wholesome and rewarding initiative, and one I am eager to be involved with again in the future.
Ryan Weinert
Year 11, Farrell House
During my time volunteering at Camp Kickstart, I learnt a variety of skills that I will carry into the future. Over the four days, I was tasked with helping with breakfast, playing sports and board games with the kids, and taking the kids shopping and swimming. Whilst challenges presented themselves in the form of misbehaviour from the kids, it also provided a crucial opportunity to present myself as a role model. The experience allowed me to step out of the comfort of my life and make a genuine, obvious difference to a community. Kickstart is an initiative that I fully recommend for anyone looking to expand their experience in service learning in a hands-on, community-based format.
Ned Manifold
Year 11, Farrell House
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Puddle Jumpers Party
I really enjoyed being able to contribute towards the Puddle Jumpers Christmas Party last year, and it was great to play a role in such a wonderful event that truly brings the community together. My role was to assist in handing out the presents, and it genuinely made my day every time I was able to hand a gift to a child and see a smile appear on their faces. I also assisted at the nail polishing stall, which pushed me outside of my comfort zone, but was a great opportunity for me to learn a new skill. Overall, I truly believe this is one of the most rewarding service commitments I have been able to take part in during my time at the school, and it is certainly something I would be keen to be involved with in the future.
Aarav Kochar
Year 10, Farrell House
I really enjoyed meeting the other volunteers while working together to look after the kids, and give them a good time. Showing the kids how to paint was a really good experience, and watching their faces light up as they worked was really heartwarming.
Cruz Leon
Year 11, MacDermott House
I helped with the bean bag stand where people would have three attempts to throw as many bean bags as possible through a hole. I enjoyed this as it allowed me to see how happy people were when they won a prize. It was also a good learning opportunity, as organising the lines of people and deciding what would win a prize required more planning than I expected. It was all a great learning experience. The day was so well run, I’d love to be part of again and would recommend it to other boys who are thinking about Service Learning opportunities.
Harvey Kupniewski
Year 11, Farr House
