“What has been your highlight of Calvert Trust?”
As an outsider you might expect to hear stories about the magnificent setting; the rolling hills and luscious countryside. Or the timetable of exciting activities, all made accessible to their visitors, regardless of abilities or challenges. And yes, these are the features that make Calvert Trust such an attractive option for our leavers. But are they the highlights that keep us returning year after year?
Or, is it the moment you observe a student come out of their shell and find their voice? The moment you see a student independently developing friendships with students from another school? Or the moment you watch a student lift her head up and take in the environment around her?
Yes, we all know the students well enough to know their strengths and limitations, but we can’t always predict how they will react outside of the education and residential setting. And perhaps it’s these reactions and responses that become the highlights for us as staff, and maybe, sometimes subconsciously, for the students themselves.
Of course, it’s incredible to witness our young people participating in activities deemed to be beyond their capabilities. Abseiling off cliffs, canoeing around lakes and problem solving their way around a challenge course. But it’s what takes place in between these activities that feature in our answers to the question, “What has been your highlight of Calvert Trust?”
A student learning how to pot a snooker ball, while standing on his own two feet, instead of relying on the comfort of his wheelchair. And then using these skills to take on the role of alpha male when interacting with boys from anther group. A student having a go at making her own coffee and her own breakfast. A student taking the time to notice another and dance with her. An introvert lifting her head to the sun and experiencing the breeze from the lake, as she sits with her legs crossed in a canoe, beaming at the world around her.
These snapshots are the highlights of Calvert Trust.
Written by Suzanne Grieve, Team Manager
