Project 9 is a program delivered to all Year 9 students each Friday, focusing on various topics such as Be the Change, Careers and Resilience in Semester 1.

On Friday 9 February, our cohort of students considered their own journeys in their first workshop run by their classroom teachers. To compliment this, Ben Pettingill and Mike Roll’s from Real Life Resilience presented to the students in our Performing Arts Centre about their own life challenges. Ben lost 98% of his eyesight overnight at the age of 16 due to a rare genetic syndrome that he was not aware that he had. Mike is a Meningococcal Septicaemia survivor, but as a result of this deadly disease, became a double amputee, losing both his legs at just 18 years of age.

Despite this, Ben and Mike embody an attitude and belief that even the greatest challenges can be overcome with the right mindset, strategies and support. The Real Life Resilience Workshop made students consider their own challenges and change and worked with them to develop the skills and confidence to overcome them. The students loved hearing Ben and Mike’s inspirational stories and were engaged in all the fun activities run by the pair.

We would like to extend our appreciation to Ben and Mike for coming to workshop with our Year 9 cohort.