Global Experiences

Tenison Woods College offers a variety of travel opportunities for students each year.  Some of the experiences complement curriculum learning, affording a deeper understanding of culture and history. Other trips are based around community service and social justice and offer students and staff unforgettable life changing experiences.

Tenison Woods College believes travel plays an integral role in learning and in student development, allowing students to gain independence and confidence while exploring and discovering the world.

Overseas travel experiences offered at Tenison Woods College include the following destinations:

• Japan
• USA
• Italy
• Timor-Leste

To find out more about each of these experiences, please scroll down.

For over 30 years, we have welcomed the Calvary English School from Japan, to Tenison Woods College. These visits have enriched our community, allowing students and families to interact and learn more about the Japanese culture.

In 2017, the College decided to expand the relationship with Calvary English School and Japan, by offering a study tour to Japan.  A group of 24 students, teachers and parents experienced a 14-day inaugural study tour, visiting Tokyo, Shirakawa, Kyoto, Hiroshima and Osaka.  The Japan trip is now a biannual event on the college calendar, held every second year around April. 

For more information about the Japan Study Tour, please contact Trent Eitzen, eitzt@tenison.catholic.edu.au

The Titans USA Basketball Tour has been running biannually since 2005 and continues to build on the foundations of previous trips that experience US culture, competition, schooling, hospitality and not least of all, life long memories.

The tour typically runs during late November/December every odd year for approximately three & a half weeks, touring the west coast of the United States of America.

It is open to Year 9-12 Tenison Woods College students (on the year of travel) who are currently playing basketball and would like to experience the thrill of playing in the USA.

The tour package includes the following features:

• All-inclusive travel, accommodation, uniforms, sightseeing, travel insurance;
• An appropriate game schedule for all basketball teams with approximately 8-10 games;
• A wide variety of tour destinations to cater for different experiences including Seattle, Oregon, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Hawaii and even Canada for a snow experience;
• An array of sightseeing and attractions at all tour locations including Disneyland, California Adventure Park, Universal Studios, Santa Monica, Alcatraz Island, Golden Gate Bridge, Waikiki, NFL games and Ice Hockey games;
• A ‘true’ basketball experience - with entry into NBA and College games, as well as behind the scenes tours of College campuses and basketball facilities.

This experience is available to students of the College, who are:

• Current Tenison Woods College student at the year of the tour;
• Actively playing basketball (at the minimum of a social level);
• Adhere to the Tenison Woods College ‘Student Athlete Code of Conduct’.
• Abide by school policies at all times.

 For more information regarding the Titans USA Basketball Tour, email the Tour Coordinator, Ciaran Buckley buckc@tenison.catholic.edu.au, or call (08) 8725 5455.

Rationale

The Italian Cultural Exchange is a cultural immersion program that has been in place (biannually) at Tenison Woods College since 2004.  It aims to provide students with a meaningful overseas experience, immersing the students in a school environment for 10 days, living with a host family, visiting places of geographical, historical, artistic and cultural significance and incorporating study which counts towards their SACE.

The benefits (and challenges) of offering this program for the students include to:

• gain respect and appreciation for cultural diversity;
• expand their world view in a time of increasing globalisation;
• promote better understanding between students and their Italian counterparts;
• improve their knowledge of history and art;
• stimulate their curiosity;
• improve their second language skills by experiencing it in real-life context;
• increase self-confidence and challenge personal boundaries;
• develop personal organisation;
• gain independence and maturity;
• meet and make new friends;
• prepare students to face challenges and unfamiliar situations in the future; and
• help them better understand their personal strengths and weaknesses.

Why specifically Italy?

Language:

• Italian is studied at Tenison Woods College from Reception to Year 12 (compulsory until Year 8).
• Students have 10 days of homestay and attend an Italian school.
• Students gets the opportunity to immerse themselves in the language through;
  • Homestay;
  • At school;
  • Day to day interactions with people.

Art:

• Italy has over 50% of the world’s Medieval and Renaissance art treasures, around 50% of these treasures are in Florence alone.
• The development of Renaissance architecture can be seen in the Duomos in Turin, Florence, Milan, Venice and Rome.

History:

• Italy's contribution to the cultural and historical heritage of Europe and, indeed, the world is immense.
• Italy is the origin of universal phenomena such as the Roman Empire, Roman Catholic Church, Humanism and Renaissance.
• Students will have the opportunity to visit the birthplace of the Roman Empire, see medieval churches and marvel at the influence the Renaissance has had on art and culture.

For more information about the Italian Cultural Exchange, contact our current trip convenor, Giovanni Calandro calag@tenison.catholic.edu.au, or call (08) 8725 5455.

Each year, a group of students and staff travel to neighbouring country, Timor-Leste to offer support to communities in need.  2011 was the inaugural trip and this is an annual immersion on the College calendar. The trip runs for approximately ten days, part of which is during school holidays.  The Timor-Leste Immersion is run by Catholic Mission Australia.

The experience is always well supported by the local school, parish and Mount Gambier community.  Not only does the group take monetary donations with them, but prior to the trip, many items are collected from students, staff and community members.  Items include stationery, musical instruments and clothing.

The immersion is a rich experience for students, who come away feeling blessed to witness the joy and gratitude from the people they meet and the communities to whom they give.  They are provided with opportunities to see the world through the eyes of mission and justice and experience first-hand the life changing work of the Catholic Church through many examples of faith in action.

For more information about the Timor-Leste Immersion Experience, contact trip organiser Bernadette Fisher fishb@tenison.catholic.edu.au,  or call (08) 8725 5455.

Please note that the cost of these trips is additional to school fees.  School fees must be up to date or maintained appropriately in conjunction with trip payments.

Any concerns with this can be referred to the Business Manager directly, Neal Turley turln@tenison.catholic.edu.au, or call (08) 8725 5455.