Resilience and accountability are the trademarks of a CBC gentleman, and our Year 9 students stepped up to accept the challenge in the 2022 opening ceremony of The Rite Journey.
The College's watershed programme honours the transition of our developing young men into adults, and the poignant opening event provides a tangible benchmark on the journey.
With current restrictions, the boys and their teachers gathered at Monument Hill for a special socially distanced ceremony instead of the traditional sunset event from previous years. Under the stunning blue sky, the young men were asked to look out over the beautiful view and reflect on their childhood and the treasured moments that shaped the boy they are today. Their Rite Journey teacher asked them to take a moment to offer a private thank you to their parents, carers and families for all the opportunities they have been given.
The young men were then urged to embrace the Rite Journey and prepare to step into a new and exciting stage of their lives as they leave their boyhood behind.
As part of The Rite Journey Calling and Departure ceremony, parents and guardians symbolically hand over their sons to their Rite Journey teacher for the year, as a sign of the trust they are placing in them to form their precious child into a fine young man.
... parents and guardians symbolically hand over their sons to their Rite Journey teacher for the year ...
This year the ceremony was filmed and parents were invited to hold their own significant occasion, acknowledging their beautiful boy and their journey to becoming a man. Many parents took the opportunity to experience a sunset from Monument Hill, watching the ceremony on their phone or tablet and sharing the special moment with their son.
During the year, The Rite Journey programme will provide the Year 9 students with rites of passage that are largely lacking in western society, which they will experience with the support of their parents, caring teachers and significant adult mentors.
The programme concludes at the end of the year when each Rite Journey teacher symbolically returns their students to their parents in the Homecoming ceremony.
Click here to view the extended gallery for the event.
