Every year before the first day of school, the freshman class spends two days together on a retreat to form new relationships with their classmates. This year, the class of 2020 spent two nights at a Carolina Point, a Young Life camp in North Carolina.
Although there was some rain, the freshman class and their senior peer leaders were still able to swim in the lake, race down the water slide and have an epic flour and whipped cream fight. After every meal, there would be Young Life “club” time where the freshmen play games and compete against each other.
After club time, the speaker, Glenn Campbell, would talk to the freshmen about adjusting to freshman year and how to focus on God throughout high school. Freshman Mary Parrott said her favorite part of the freshman retreat, “was the slide and the ice cream.”
Freshman Abby Weatherly said, “I really like the peer groups.” The peer groups are a way for the freshmen to get to know each other a more intimate setting. The senior peer leaders, or “peer parents”, lead these groups and are able to give the freshmen advice on relationships, school issues and just adjusting to high school.
Peer leader Lolly Zimmerman said, “It was really great to get to bond with the freshmen. It was great to see them open up to me and be able to call me ‘Mom’.” Peer leader Josh Cotter said that his favorite part of the freshman retreat was, “getting to know my group and just the whole freshman class in general.”
The freshman retreat was a great way for the class of 2020 to bond and allow them to feel more comfortable before their first day of high school. Heidi Lloyd, high school guidance counselor and peer leadership teacher, said, “This year the freshman retreat was an awesome experience. The class had a great time despite some unfortunate weather they made the most of it. Club and worship time were particularly powerful, and I think the presence of God was in the retreat.”
