Sea change for BSC Students

ROTARIANS were treated to tales of the high seas on Tuesday night, as told by three students from Bendigo Southeast College who took part in this year’s Rotary Youth Sailing Challenge.

Keely Milne, Kayla Ludeman, and Lachy McDougall took turns describing their adventures at sea with the three of them agreeing that the experience had been transformative.

“I learned to take charge of my surroundings,” Keely said.

“You have to actually actively take part in something that you might have no idea what’s happening but it feels bigger than yourself,

“Because it is, because there’s so many working as a collective to work the ship,” she said.

Kayla said she had witnessed her peers grow from the experience.

“It was incredible seeing Lachy and Keely before they went on the trip and after they went on the trip,” she said.

“Before it I kept to myself and now I feel a lot more confident,” said Lachy

“I just feel more aware of my surroundings,” he said.

Hayley Lethlean, year ten level leader at Bendigo Southeast College was supportive of the program and said that the sailing challenge had been an opportunity for the students to gain authentic experience.

“I think the students have missed out on so much during COVID and the lockdowns,

“Missed out on developmental milestones and missed out on opportunities to actually grow as individuals with team members and community members,” Ms Lethlean said.

The year 10 students were sponsored by the Rotary clubs of Bendigo, South Bendigo and Kangaroo Flats.

In past years only one student had been sponsored by Rotary but the clubs came together to support three applicants after seeing the enthusiasm of the students.

“They liked us so much that they brought the other clubs together and banded together to get us all on it,” Keely said.