Year 11
Year 11 Debutante Balls
Year 11 students are given the option of participating in a Debutante Ball. The Balls are held in a traditional style, with parents and relatives invited to enjoy a formal dinner watch the girls make their debut. After the conclusion of formalities, a DJ takes the stage and the dance floor is available for guests to enjoy the rest of their evening.
The students are involved in weekly rehearsals over a period of months leading up to the Ball. External professional dance teachers choreograph the dances. The students learn and polish routines in various styles, while strengthening relationships with their peers.
Recent years have seen an increase in the popularity of the Debutante Balls, and two separate Balls are now held to accommodate for the students.
The Debutante Ball is the social highlight of Year 11 at Emmaus.
Retreats
As part of their Religious Education program, and their personal development, all Year 11 students attend a three day retreat in the last week of Term 3. The year level is divided into three groups and each travels to a different retreat locations. In 2009, our retreats will be held at Merricks, Dromana and Phillip Island. Students engage in small group work, have personal reflection time, organize and participate in liturgy and enjoy time away from the normal school environment together. The program is co-ordinated by the Religious Education faculty and is facilitated by Emmaus staff and some external student leaders. This retreat program is highly anticipated and often recalled as a very special time for Year 11 students – it offers our students space and time to reflect on who they are in this world, where they are in their faith journey, what their hopes and ambitions are and aims to provide the skills and desire for positive relationships that can help them get there.