Class of 2017 attends Senior Retreat
March 5, 2017
Photo Credit: Jessica Galvis (used with permission) Senior Mary Kate Urbanski said “I expected the retreat to be more based on bonding as class, but we still found different ways to come together as a class every chance we got.”
The overnight Senior Retreat began on March 2. The girls arrived at school at 7:15 with their sleeping bags in hand and ready for two full days of bonding. After a 45 minute bus ride, the class arrived at the Bethany Center and separated into different dorms to put their stuff down.
The first part of the retreat was lead by Dr. Carmen Caltagirone, Principal of Corpus Christi School. Caltagirone spoke from nine to three teaching the class different “travel tips” for life and finding God. Within this time period the class took breaks from the lecture for lunch and to do small group activities such as riddles.
After this lecture the students were given 30 minute free time to get settled in their dorms and hang out with one another.
Senior Bella Guerra said, “My favorite parts from the retreat were just hanging out in our dorms. It was when we got to bond the most with each other and talk. I wish we had more time to just relax and talk to people we do not normally see outside of school.”
Next, Religion teacher Kimberly Wiley lead the students in a nature scavenger hunt. The scavenger hunt had the girls find God around them. For example, students had to find “the holy spirit” on the list so many groups wrote down the wind.
After dinner, history teacher Stacy Filocco taught a giant relay race game of rock, paper, scissors to help the students blow off some of their energy. However, the seniors took over and the game turned into a enormous game of tag.
Senior Camille Opp said “It was funny to watch 110 girls run around in circles having so much fun playing a simple game of tag.”
The girls then split into small groups for “toasts.” The activity split the grade into groups of six people, and each group got a necklace that had a picture of a piece of toast. Each girl in the group received a three to five minute toast from the other students in her group about memories they have had or things they liked about her.
Senior Kali Bradley said, “I enjoyed the toast part the best because it was the first chance we had to talk to each other one-on-one during the retreat. It was so meaningful to hear what people [I did not normally talk to on a day-to-day basis] liked about me.”
The first day ended in the chapel with a speech from Campus Ministry Leader Katie Holland on how she ended up working in Campus Ministry. Following the talk from Holland, the seniors were given a special gift that their family members had prepared beforehand.
The class headed to a bonfire, singing the song “Lean on Me” as they made their own smores, and then to bed ready for another exciting day.
As Holland said, “The second day of the retreat is less filled with as many fun exciting activities as the first because we have less time, but it is just as impactful on the girls.”
The next morning the girls woke up early and headed to breakfast. The class spent the next two hours doing an activity sitting in a circle. Each girl said something they loved about the class of 2017 throwing a ball of yarn across the room to the next person speaking creating a web of yarn.
The yarn activity has been a tradition at Senior Retreat for many years.
The class then headed to the chapel for a prayer service to finish up the retreat before lunch. After lunch, the students jumped on the bus and headed back to Academy bonded as sisters ready to move onto the next chapter of their lives.
