15 October 2019
You’re planting seeds through SU-Schoolies
Posted in Camp life / Events / Indigenous youth / SU QLD
With tens-of-thousands of high schoolers about to graduate, there’s a growing number who are picking safe schoolies alternatives to the more precarious partyculture on the Gold Coast.
SU QLD has been running SU-Schoolies for 39 years, currently offering events in Hawaii, Whitsundays, Sunny Coast and Fraser Island.
Each location provides an action-packed week of fun activities in a drug and alcohol-free environment.
When Goondiwindi teen Kirah first heard about SU-Schoolies on the Sunshine Coast, she wasn’t sure if it was for her. But after finding out some more information from her school chaplain, Sonia, she took the plunge.
“When we arrived there was a lot of people – at first I was nervous because I didn’t know anyone, but then some leaders and other schoolies came up to me and introduced themselves.
“It didn’t take me long to feel comfortable, and from that point on it was awesome,” she recalls.
Kirah says she loved activities like ice skating and aqua fun park, but most of all she enjoyed the ‘Pluggers’ spiritual input program held each night of the week.
“Once I was at pluggers I didn’t want to leave at the end,” Kirah says.
“It helped me a lot – just being able to reflect and have time to think about some of the big questions in life.”
Andrew Beavers has been directing SU-Schoolies Sunny Coast for 10 years. In that time he’s seen thousands of lives impacted and empowered through the event.
“It’s so inspiring to see how God works through SU-Schoolies in different ways each year,” Andrew says.
“We want to help young people celebrate this important milestone in their lives in a fun, safe environment. After 12 years of school, they deserve it!”
For Kirah, schoolies had a lasting impact that she hopes leads into her future.
“I’m thinking of coming back again as a leader,” Kirah says.
“You meet a lot of cool people and have such a great time – it’s an awesome week.”
SU-Schoolies offers four incredible trips to Hawaii, Whitsundays, Sunny Coast and Fraser Island.
SU-Schoolies registrations are open until late October – spaces are limited! If you know someone graduating this-or-next-year, bookings are open for 2019 and 2020.
Head to this link to find out more and register: su-schoolies.com
