One of the most loved retreats that students will go on during their time at Seattle Prep is the Young Men’s and Young Women’s Retreat. This year, the 3-day retreat in Port Orchard was filled with close bonding, fun activities, and delicious food like steak, waffles with hash browns, and fajitas. The Sophomores took this quick get-away to talk about issues such as self-confidence and dealing with difficulties at home and at school.

For Sophomore Jacob Le, going on the retreat had a huge impact on him; he was able to open up with surrounding peers and create stronger connections with fellow classmates. Le thought the retreat was an experience where he was able to open himself up to others and learn more about his classmates. Take-aways that Le had from the experience are that “there is no wrong in breaking the stereotypes commonly associated with men and everyone has an amazing story to tell.”

Sophomore Grace Wellman also felt empowered as a result of the retreat. She learned the importance of building up those closest to her and appreciated getting the time to get closer with the girls in her class. Wellman said, “I loved being able to bond with girls I had never talked to before, and I hope to lead the retreat when I am a Junior or Senior.”

Juniors and Seniors had the opportunity to sign up and go through a long process in preparing to become leaders. Senior Anisha Patton was a leader on the Young Women’s Retreat because of how impactful the retreat was for her when she was a Sophomore. Patton wanted to make sure that she could give back what she was once given. She also wanted the girls to know the importance of unity amongst themselves. Patton said that she hoped to “ensure that the Sophomore young women felt comforted knowing that whatever struggles they were going through, they weren’t alone.”

Wellman and Le appreciated the supportiveness of the leaders and how they genuinely tried their best to make the retreat enjoyable for everyone. This positive experience gave Sophomores the chance to open and build up their self-confidence. They have seen the importance of friendship and had a fun time coming together as a class.