MELBOURNE – The first post-Covid edition of ‘Italian camping’ in north-east Victoria occurred, and what a blast!
After a three-year hiatus, 98 Italian students, their teachers, six Co.As.It. assistants and seven Italian exchange students created the perfect recipe for a three-day event full of fun and learning.
The ‘Italian camp’ is a school event started in the 1980s by Franco Cudini and Oronzo Farina, both then teachers at Galen Catholic College (then Champagnat College) in Wangaratta.
The original idea was to create an opportunity for Italian language students to meet each other, practise their Italian in an immersive context and enjoy linguistic and cultural activities.
For Year 12 students, the camp is designed to serve as practical preparation for their upcoming exams.
Many years have passed since the first edition, but the spirit of the camp has remained the same.
This year, the participating schools were Galen Catholic College, Marian College in Myrtleford, Notre Dame College in Shepparton and St Joseph’s College in Echuca, each with their Year 8, 9, 10 and VCE students.
The camp took place in Ovens from August 23 to 25, three days during which students were able to participate in a range of activities from art, cooking, drama and music workshops, group dances, group communication activities and the creation of themed banners.
Students were also treated to a performance by Alessandro Stellani, with his engaging music that allowed for the participation of several students.
The students particularly enjoyed themselves while creating skits for the ‘Facce Rosse’ - Red Faces - competition, which saw them inventing, planning, rehearsing and staging funny performances in Italian and English.
All the groups showed great enthusiasm and participation.
Helping them were the invaluable assistants from Co.As.It. (Alessandro Arnone, Caterina Badano, Simona Paolillo, Federico Pizzo, Alice Di Spigno and Cosimo Lombardi), who helped the groups in their preparation and presented the evening with panache and professionalism, judging each skit according to a series of linguistic and other criteria.
A special highlight was the arrival of primary school students on Thursday morning.
The children participated in workshops together with the older pupils, showing great initiative and the courage to get involved.
Like any self-respecting Italian event, good traditional food had to be present, and it was. Home-made crostoli brightened the day of staff and students.
Friday’s lunch was prepared by the Year 12s - with the help of teachers and assistants - who cooked delicious pizzas thanks to the authentic dough provided by the Bastoni pizzeria in Myrtleford.
Special thanks go to all teachers of the various participating schools: Lisa Mei and Holly Lott from Notre Dame Shepperton; Andrea Romano and Kaitlyn George from St. Joseph’s Echuca; Tanya Cardamone from Sacred Heart in Yarrawonga; Anna Fin-Genero and Maria Fin from Marian College Myrtleford; Linda Pietropaolo, Enrique Espinel, Sonia Grassi, Franco Cudini and Claudia Bellani from Galen Catholic College Wangaratta.
Students and teachers are already eagerly anticipating and planning for the next camp.
