With 100 middle school feeder schools sending new students to Prep yearly, building bonds among students can be difficult. Annual retreats play an important role in the faith and social formation of students at Prep and offer students the chance to spend uninterrupted time with their classmates through a variety of activities. The mandatory Freshman Retreat is designed to foster community and fun among the freshman class through a 3-day retreat both on and off Prep’s campus.
Taking place in late January during Retreat-a-Palooza weekend, The Freshman Retreat starts Thursday night and continues until midday on Saturday. Two senior Faith in Action classes and a select group of upperclassmen total 120 student leaders, who plan and execute the 3-day retreat. “I’m excited to experience the full multi-day retreat since my class had a hybrid format during COVID,” said Jay Yuen ’24, a student leader from FIA.
While the official theme is ‘you are the light of the world’, each individual retreat has a fun twist. This year, the retreat’s activities and souvenirs are creatively interwoven with elements from the beloved movie Smurfs. As a symbol of their journey on the retreat, each attendee will receive a blue Smurfs shirt, encapsulating the retreat’s theme and unity among the attendees.
“We want freshmen to know that they matter, that they should be proud of who they are, and that they can find their place here at Prep,” said Mr. Mack, who oversees the operations and student leaders for the retreat.
Retreat activities include small group time at leaders’ homes, Christian Service, fun time, prayer, an overnight at Prep, and a Catholic Mass. One of the most cherished activities is the service-oriented carnival, where freshmen are paired with pre-K and kindergarten students. This offers attendees hands-on experience with leadership through games and activities. “It’s one thing to hang out with peers, but it’s another to see these little kids’ faces light up with excitement during the games. They were so cute and enthusiastic, it made the whole retreat feel even more rewarding,” said Annelise Mullally ’26.
Chester Billerbeck ’24 expressed his love for the small moments during ice breakers and fun activities from his own freshman retreat experience. He recommended that future attendees fully participate in all the retreat activities. “The speed dating was cool; it helped me see that we are more alike than we think,” said Billerbeck.
With opportunities for fun, faith, and personal growth, this retreat offers freshmen one of the first opportunities to form meaningful bonds with classmates. As we look ahead to January, we send out best wishes to the freshman class as they embark on this retreat, ready to discover their own light and create new bonds with the Prep community.
