About Slips
SLIPS is leadership development program for primary school students. Its focus is Year 5 students who are considering a leadership role in their final year of primary school.
Prior to the introduction of SLIPS in 2002 there were few opportunities available to primary age students in the area of leadership development.
SLIPS ’09 was held at Heathcote High School on September 8. This year, once again, SLIPS was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Engadine and facilitated by the NSW Department of Education.
What do the students do when attending SLIPS
During the SLIPS day, participating students undertake a range of activities designed to enhance their leadership skills and to prepare them to run short sessions with their peers on return to school. The students were also encouraged to organise and undertake an appropriate student environmental project on their return to school. At this year's SLIPS, the students met and learned from student leaders from Heathcote High School and Engadine High School, shared ideas and were encouraged to take this new knowledge back to their peers at school.
Who attends SLIPS
Students are selected from COSOTP (the Community of Schools on the Park). COSOTP is made up of eleven of our local schools and the Environmental Education Centre in the Royal National Park.
Who and what is involved
Coordinators: John Walters Principal Heathcote East Public school
Session Leaders: Guest speakers, appropriate teachers, FSC teachers, etc
Duration: One day.
Where: At Heathcote High School.
When: usually early September
Who: Year 5 students from schools in COSOTP
Costs: Fee per student = $15 (substantially subsidised by Rotary)
Numbers: Four students and one teacher from each participating school
The model: The students will undertake a range of activities designed to enhance their leadership skills and to prepare them to run short sessions with their peers on return to school. The students will also be encouraged to organise and undertake an appropriate student environmental project on their return to school.
The accompanying teacher is an observer at the camp and the coordinator when back at school.
Initial target group: Any students identified by their school who would benefit from this activity (not just future Captains/SRC/Parliament).
Target group: Eventually all students in the school through a ‘cascade model’.
Activities/sessions at SLIPS:
• What makes a good leader?
• Inspirational speaker/s
• Young role model (speaker/s)
• Video clip examples
• How to organise an activity/project
• How to run a meeting
• A teamwork challenge (special outdoor activity)
• A teamwork project
• Presentation projects
• “Catch Your Thoughts” session
• What can you do when things don’t go according to plan?
Several of the activities will be designed specifically for the students attending to share and/or run with their peers later at school.
Invited students from a previous intake return to speak on their experiences when implementing the ‘cascade model’ at their school.
Students listening intently to the Leadership speakers
A team of Students working on a team exercise
Students participating in Brain Storming sessions
This team could be in trouble with an upturned bucket before dragging it to the outer ring
This Team is looking good - working as a team moving the
bucket to the outer rim without spilling a thing
Student winners and feedback.
One of the students who attended SLIPS in 2009, Cara Kenny (Heathcote East PS), wrote about her experiences on the day
…
" The four lucky students had to get up early because they needed to be at school by 8.00am where they met Mrs Cartwright and jumped into her car very excitedly. Mrs Cartwright drove them to Heathcote High. They managed to find the library where they registered and met Mr Walters, the Principal of HEPS. There were about eight schools and lots of students.
They were put into different coloured groups (we were in the blue group). All of the teachers had all of their activities ready for the children to enjoy. The children were sent to different activities that lasted about an hour. I was lucky enough to try one of the challenges and it was a lot of fun. The children had three bits of wood and some concrete blocks. They needed to arrange the wood to get across the grassed area without touching the grass. It was tricky but a lot of fun for them.
I was also lucky enough to interview Taleah Macgregor at the end of the day. She said, “This has been a fantastic day. I was glad I was chosen and the food is absolutely fantastic!”
The children are about to go home. It is now 4.50pm and they all look very happy but a bit exhausted. I have had a fantastic day. Congratulations to Mr Walters and the other teachers who organised the SLIPS programme."
For further Information please contact the Youth Services Director, Rotary Club of Engadine by emailing