Retreats & Trips

Students in the 8th grade travel each spring to New York city. Over three days, students build community while exploring the history and culture of the city. The trip ties in to the 8th grade American history course, as students explore the immigrant experience, visiting the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and the Tenement Museum. Students also experience the artistic culture of the city, visiting art museums, attending concerts, and/or musicals.

Each fall, the rising 9th grade class ventures north to the Appalachian Mountain Club’s outdoor center in New Hampshire. They are stretched physically, emotionally, relationally, and spiritually while hiking from lodge to hut in the Presidential range. This trip focuses on breaking down barriers, building community, improving class dynamics, strengthening individual spirits, and developing confident leaders. The journey is strenuous yet exhilarating. Students inevitably grow in their awe of God and in empathy for one another.

As the school year draws to a close, 11th grade students participate in May Term. May term is a week-long retreat held at the school during regular school hours. It encourages juniors to discover their own identity and passions, as well as the barriers that prevent communities – both their own and others – from thriving. This focused time provides a common experiential learning for leadership, community building, and developing a vision for personal growth

Students reflect on their high school experience, identify places of opportunity and brokenness in their class, and explore where their passions, interests, and abilities fit in the world. The week serves a preparation for their own senior capstone and senior symposium experience, and also elevates their thinking as rising senior leaders who will set the tone for the following school year.

The annual Student Leadership Retreat gets underway before the start of the academic year and is aimed at providing Prefects with valuable organization and leadership skills to set them up for success—both in their new roles and along their future career paths. This focused time is also used to reinforce our school ethos and values in building a strong leadership team. Students who achieve formal leadership roles are expected to participate in training meetings throughout the school year. The orientation/retreat dates are announced during the application process in March and the dates of the training meetings are announced at the start of each semester.