Summer Camp Taruwara—Weeks of Endless Creativity and Unforgettable Moment

At Taruwara Primary, our Green Class focuses on sustainability and environmental awareness, aligned with our school’s holistic approach to nurturing responsible global citizens. Recently, the students took on a heartwarming community service project, extending their learning beyond the classroom to make a meaningful difference in their local surroundings. The project aimed to care for the street dogs in the neighborhood surrounding our school. Together, the students created water filters using recycled gallon bottles, an innovative way to ensure clean water for the animals. They also prepared dog food, learning about proper nutrition for animals. Armed with their supplies and a lot of enthusiasm, the children ventured out to meet the street dogs along the school streets, offering them food and fresh water. This hands-on activity not only demonstrated compassion but also connected the children with the environment and living beings around them. This initiative reflects the spirit of Green Class, emphasizing the importance of sustainability and social responsibility. By taking part in such meaningful activities, our students are encouraged to develop empathy and awareness of their surroundings. We hope this project inspires ongoing efforts and fosters a lasting commitment to caring for the community and the environment. With continued dedication and consistency, we believe these small but impactful actions can create ripples of positive change—both within our school and beyond.

On June 11th, Taruwara Elementary School celebrated a truly unforgettable milestone—our very first graduation ceremony. This graduating class holds a special place in our hearts. They have been with us since the very beginning, when Taruwara first opened its doors during the uncertainty of the pandemic. Together, we experienced challenges, celebrated small victories, and built something meaningful from the ground up. As we developed the vision, curriculum, and culture of our school, these students were never simply learners—they were our partners in the journey. Through their curiosity, resilience, kindness, and honesty, they taught us just as much as we taught them. Every success, every challenge, and every moment of growth helped shape the school that Taruwara is today. At Taruwara, we have always believed that education is about far more than academic achievement. Our mission is to nurture children who can think critically, care deeply for others, and contribute positively to the world around them. Watching these students grow into confident, compassionate, and responsible young people has been one of our greatest joys. Because they were our very first students, this journey was also a learning experience for our teachers. There were many moments that challenged us. To be honest, these children were not always easy to guide, and there were times when we struggled together. Yet our teachers never gave up on them. Instead, they continued to believe in each child, patiently supporting them with warmth, understanding, and unwavering dedication until the very end. That is why graduation day was filled with mixed emotions. We celebrated how far they had come, while at the same time feeling the sadness of saying goodbye. By the end of the ceremony, there was hardly a dry eye among our staff. It was a powerful reminder that education is built on relationships, trust, and walking alongside children through every step of their journey. Our original dream was to continue this journey with them by opening Taruwara Secondary School in time for their next chapter. Unfortunately, we were not able to make that dream a reality. Even so, we know they are ready to spread their wings. Wherever life takes them and whichever secondary school they attend, we hope they will continue to grow into thoughtful, resilient, and compassionate young people who never stop learning, questioning, and making a positive difference in the world. To our first graduating class, thank you. Thank you for trusting us, growing with us, and helping shape Taruwara into the school it is today. You will always be the foundation of our story, and we hope Taruwara will always remain a part of yours. Congratulations on your graduation. We are incredibly proud of each and every one of you, and we cannot wait to see the wonderful future that lies ahead. A Class Full of Firsts Being our first class also meant they were the first to try almost everything at Taruwara, and some of those experiences have become the stories we tell again and again. There was the egg incubator project, where they watched over their eggs day after day, hoping to see them hatch. There was also their very first camping trip, back in third grade, when the rainy season rolled in and they had to cheer themselves up without the bonfire they had been dreaming of. Just before graduation, our sixth graders went camping once more—and this time, everything fell into place. With the weather finally on their side, they pitched their own tents right in the schoolyard and put their life skills to work, cooking dinner together with their teachers. As night fell, they gathered around a real bonfire at last — the one their third-grade selves never got to enjoy.

Ask any child who has been to one of our holiday camps what they remember most, and you'll get a different answer every time. One will tell you about the moment their clay bowl actually held water. Another will describe the exact shade of orange they mixed themselves. Someone else will say it was the campfire — the songs, the smell of smoke, the stars. And a few might just say, "I made a really good friend." That variety is exactly the point. At Taruwara, our holiday camp runs every term break and semester break throughout the year, and no two camps are ever the same. Each one comes with a fresh theme, a new set of activities, and a whole lot of room for something unexpected and wonderful to happen. A little bit of everything—on purpose Our holiday camp is open to children from toddler age all the way through primary school, so when we plan each camp, we think carefully about what makes a week truly worthwhile for a child — not just fun in the moment, but something they carry with them. Every activity is designed to be engaging and hands-on, but there's always something quietly being learnt: patience, creativity, curiosity, confidence, the ability to try something new without being afraid to get it wrong. Over the years, we've covered a wide range of themes. Here's a little taste of what camp life at Taruwara can look like: Art & craft Painting, clay, collage, origami, and fashion design — getting creative with whatever materials the theme calls for. Science experiments Mixing, measuring, watching things bubble and change — science that feels more like magic than a lesson. Cooking class Little hands in the kitchen, learning to follow a recipe, and the joy of eating something you made yourself. Coding & tech For primary students, fun introductions to coding through games, puzzles, and creative digital challenges. Give back, get out! Getting out into the community, caring for the environment, and understanding why it matters. Active & outdoors Fun PE activities and games out in our school yard — exploring nature, moving together, and burning off some energy along the way. We also love tying camp activities to special days on the calendar. Camps that fall around Nyepi celebrated with an ogoh-ogoh parade and other activities that also explored the meaning of stillness and gratitude. Christmas camps fill up with festive crafts, giving, and a generous dose of silly fun. Every cultural moment is an opportunity for children to learn something about the world they live in. The yard, the friendships, the freedom One thing that makes camp at Taruwara a little different is the space itself. Our large outdoor yard becomes the heart of camp life — a place where children run, play, breathe, and simply be kids. There's something about open space that loosens children up. Walls come down. A child who's shy in the classroom suddenly finds themselves in the middle of a game, laughing with someone they just met. And that happens a lot. Camp brings together children from different backgrounds, different ages, different everything — and somehow, within a day or two, they're inseparable. We've seen toddlers shadow older students like little shadows. We've seen primary kids take younger ones under their wing without being asked. Friendships form here that sometimes last well beyond the school year. "Every camp, the memorable moment is different. But there's always one. There's always a moment you didn't plan for that ends up being the best part of the week." March 2026: when the camp became an art gallery Our most recent camp, held on 23–27 March, was themed around art and craft, and it was every bit as colorful as it sounds. Students spent the week mixing paints, drawing the school landscape, hunting for natural materials, sculpting clay, folding origami, and on Thursday, designing and parading their own paper costumes in a full Fashion Show that had everyone cheering. By Friday afternoon, the school looked like a proper gallery. Every surface had something on it: clay pieces with careful painted details, nature collages, landscape paintings, origami figures. The children didn't want to leave — which is always a good sign. Whether it's a week of cooking, a day out in the community, an afternoon of outdoor games in our yard, or five days of paint and clay, what stays the same every single camp is the intention behind it. We want children to arrive curious and leave with something new: a skill, a memory, a friend, or simply the knowledge that trying new things is always worth it. Coming up next Summer Holiday Camp 2026 Starting on 23 June 2026 A new theme, new activities, and the same great energy. We'll be sharing more details soon — keep an on the school newsletter or ask at the front office. If your child has been asking about camp, this is the one not to miss.