Peer Leader/Freshman Retreat: New Beginnings in High School
By Emily Headley, STJ Senior and Peer Leader
At the beginning of every school year, the new freshman class has the opportunity to have one final field trip with their whole grade; and along with the ninth graders, the high school Peer Leaders get to make the trip as well. The Peer Leaders are a group of seniors at Saint James who act as mentors to the freshmen for the first half of the year. The Peer Leaders meet with their assigned freshman advisories once a week to give them certain lessons on how to acclimate to high school in the fastest way possible. This field trip, known as the Freshman Retreat, takes place at Camp Butter and Egg in Troy, Alabama, and it gives the ninth graders and the Peer Leaders a chance to form a stronger bond with each other before the school year truly kicks off. I have the privilege of being a Peer Leader this year, and therefore I was able to go on this exciting trip with the ninth graders. While at the retreat, the Peer Leaders played team-building games with their freshman advisories, forming closer relationships with one another. Along with these games, we also took part in fun activities such as ziplining across the camp, traversing through high ropes courses, and doing many different water activities at the lake. We played gaga ball, human foosball, nine-square in the air (a very intense form of volleyball), and many other entertaining games. The Freshman Retreat allowed me to get to know the ninth graders that I would be mentoring before the school year truly got going, and because of it I am sure that we will have a great year together as I help them adjust to life in high school and in turn, I know they will help me grow as a leader, a mentor, and a person.
“ I am excited to see what this year holds and watch the freshman class learn, progress, and flourish as new high school students. ”
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