Annual senior retreat provides opportunity for life-changing experience

With their final year of high school coming to an end, many seniors are excited to participate in senior retreat at Calvin Crest, Sept. 12 and 13. With a strong focus on strengthening relationships, the senior retreat aims to bond the class as a more unified unit through team building activities and heart-to-heart discussions.

The weekend started off in the campus parking lot, followed by a quick debrief on what was expected on the trip. Soon afterward, cabin groups were arranged and finalized. A minutes after the cabin groups were arranged, the bus arrived to take the students up to Calvin Crest. The class picture was taken just before the seniors departed for their weekend of bonding.

On the ride to Calvin Crest, students watched as smoke as thick as fog from the Rough Fire clogged the sunlight and fresh air. The students would not taste untainted air until the end of the weekend. After unloading the bus, the seniors hiked with their heavy luggage until they reached their cabins. After the students completed unpacking their essentials, they congregated at the cafeteria for food.

To kick off the bonding experience a few team games were stared. Such as, ordering your team from smallest to largest without falling off the log or trust falling into the arms of peers. Also night activities were started to enhance the bonding experience of the class; performing skits and having a dance party were a couple of the events that students could choose to enjoy during the late hours of the night.

HS secretary Vicky Belmont believes that the seniors should go on the retreat to bond as leaders and become a united class that could demonstrate how to act for the younger high school students.

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“It is a good opportunity for just the senior class to get together and meet people they usually don’t associate themselves with,” Belmont said. “They are seen as leaders on campus and this is a good way for them to learn how to work together as a united front.”

ASB president Timothy Nyberg loved the experiences which he and the class participated in.

“I think Senior Trip was a great time for our class to get together and bond, also got to know people that we didn’t before and get better acquainted with friends that we already had,” Nyberg said. “I feel like it was an amazing opportunity for us to spend a weekend together becoming a united class filled with friends.”

Just as the retreat was presumed to be over, one last destination was left for a bit of class bonding: The tradition of stopping at the Pizza Factory was kept alive this year. The seniors stuffed their faces with pizza, watched the NFL game that was on and reveled in complete chaos. But this was yet another experience that brought the class of 2016 even closer.

Senior Sierra Duffy heard about the senior retreat but was not completely sold on going, but she decided to take a risk and go on the trip.

“I had a great time; I didn’t think it would be a fun as it was,” Duffy said. “If you get past the time you have to get up and expect to have a good time, you will have a good time. I highly recommend the classes under us to consider going on the senior retreat when their time comes.”

Every year the senior retreat takes place and some students feel that it is a waste of time. However, students this year have learned that this is not the case. More stories have been made and more memories have been saved. The special privilege of being a senior is to take advantage of all the opportunities that are presented, one never knows what may bring them a positive life changing experience.

For a photo from last year’s retreat, check out Seniors retreat to Calvin Crest.

This writer can be reached via Twitter: @garchakevin8 and via email: Kevin Garcha.