Every year, Lake Forest Academy freshmen and seniors participate in class retreats, creating lasting memories. Being one of the many beloved school traditions, the freshmen and senior retreats are a time for students to build relationships, prepare for the school year and, most importantly, have fun. This year was no different; both grades enjoyed two days of carefully planned activities – an exciting start to the fall.
The freshman retreat occurred at the start of the fall sports preseason as an opportunity for the incoming 9th graders to get familiar with each other and the faculty. On the first day, about 12 students were assigned to a faculty member chaperone, and they stayed in that group for the first day activities. The freshman participated in scavenger hunts, balloon tag, mapping out LFA’s campus, a few more bonding exercises and a visit to Boundless Adventures: a ropes course in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
LFA’s director of Experiential Learning Mrs. English organized this retreat. Her goal was to allow the students to get comfortable with the campus and become familiar with as many of their peers as possible. Mrs. English laid out the retreat so the freshmen could get to know each other before experiencing the ropes course as a group.
Within their chaperoned groups, each student wrote their name on one arm and an adjective to describe themselves on the other. She wanted to make them comfortable and “create moments where they could have fun and realize they were connecting” English said. She has kept the activities the same for a while, as she feels she hit the “sweet spot” in accomplishing all meant to be accomplished.
According to English, the biggest challenge was getting together a group of chaperones. English is hoping for a returning group of chaperones to prevent the time-consuming annual retraining she does in the Student Center.
Rylee Nelson ‘29 went on the freshman retreat and got to know her classmates better. She said the majority of students’ favorite part was the ropes course. The three different levels, yellow as the easiest, then blue, then black, provided an experience for the students without the guidance of adults, where they had to rely on each other for help and comfort. On the first day, Rylee found it less exciting, only because she felt she didn’t get to know most of her grade, only encountering 24 students that day in the activities.
However, when asked if the retreat helped her connect with her classmates and develop relationships, Rylee responded yes and no. Yes, because she was “hanging out with people [she] had already met during preseason” and no because she couldn’t see a lot of people.
LFA seniors traveled to Lake Geneva’s Covenant Harbor, a summer camp repurposed for retreats. They participated in outdoor pursuits, such as canoeing, rock climbing, archery and swimming, embracing the thrill of trying new activities in a supportive environment. Seniors also participated in small group activities – setting intentions and sharing words of encouragement – that enabled self-reflection, but still had plenty of built-in time to relax with friends.
The result was two days of connection, growth and enjoyment at the start of an important year. Seniors “just finished an intense junior year and are getting ready to send out college applications,” English explained. “The pressure is building. I want them to have a chance to forget that temporarily.”
English also highlighted the importance of friendship on the retreat; “after three years together, seniors have formed deep interpersonal relationships. Seniors were organized into cabins and activity groups with their closest friends, having shared their preferences during registration. The students were encouraged to strengthen pre-existing friendships: “These friendships are what will carry them [students] not just through LFA, but beyond,” English said.
A key aspect of the senior retreat was the absence of phones. Phones were taken before leaving campus and returned upon arrival; students spent over 24 hours without their phones, an experience that many had never had before. Seniors enjoyed the break from screens: “It was really nice not having our phones because it made us connect more with each other,” Christina Quiroz ‘26 said. “One of my highlights of the retreat was learning new card games. Without phones, we had to find new ways to stay entertained.” By going phone-free, students were able to focus on each other and the retreat activities. As English noted, “If nobody has their phone, all we have to do is engage.”
The retreat typically features a bonfire and smores, one of the most anticipated parts of the stay. This year, however, the event was cancelled due to heavy rain. Class bonding activities had to be relocated to the gymnasium, allowing seniors to adapt and still spend time together, even if the night didn’t go as planned. Some even welcomed the rain, not willing to let the weather ruin their fun. “The weather changed very fast, but it made the retreat very memorable. As soon as it started raining, we embraced it and went outside to play,” Quiroz said. The seniors made the most of their retreat, creating memories that will last until graduation and beyond.
