In Sept. 2023, just as FHC alumni Jia Neimeyer began her last year of high school, the much-anticipated senior retreat became one of her favorite memories she formed as a senior. Although the day was packed with a multitude of group activities, the end of the day is what really stuck out to her: the sunset bonfire turned out to be the perfect environment for people to stand up and thank their peers for the last three years they shared together.
Not only did this emphasize the sense of community in her grade, but it also provided an opportunity to reminisce without the separation from friend groups.
“It felt like such a full-circle experience going back to Camp Henry after the freshmen retreat four years prior,” Jia said. “I remember not knowing what to expect going into it, but it ended up being a lot of fun. There were grade-bonding activities—nine square, lip sync practice, obstacle courses, and smores—and a good amount of free time. The whole event was centered around connecting our grade better, and it did just that.”
This year’s senior retreat has a lot of the same goals in common; the main focus is strengthening the team that the senior class has been building since they first stepped foot into the high school four years ago. Even though the Camp Henry staff has a lot of responsibility in making sure the logistics of the day are coordinated far ahead of time, it’s the student body that brings the energy needed to make the day something special.
Senior Dia Sriram expresses her excitement, not only in the events that are planned but simply for being around her peers in such a different environment from what school normally is. She sees the retreat as a perfect place to connect with everyone without having to focus on doing work for class.
“I’m excited for an opportunity to just relax and be in a place with all these people at the same time,” Dia said. “I like the kids at school, but the fact that you’re at school makes [your social life] really stressful. You’re focusing on things, and you don’t really want to talk to the people in your class sometimes because you have to concentrate on your work.”
Dia has always put the assignments she applies herself to high on her list of priorities, so this experience is something she’s taking to heart as a good chance to relate to those around her in a distraction-free situation.
From past experiences she’s heard about, the amount of student participation is key to having a solid baseline to build off of with anything regarding senior year. FHC and Camp Henry staff can do their best to make sure every activity is engaging, and the entire day spent away from class has its personal, unique benefits, but involvement from the student body is the main thing people take away from this retreat—especially if people are just beginning to open up to what senior year has to offer and are looking for a way to reshape their past years of high school.
“I think it’s definitely going to be something you regret if you don’t go,” Dia said. “I know a lot of people have different things to say about their high school years, but I think that you will definitely have something to remember if you participate. For me, high school has been fine, but it hasn’t been amazing like a movie that people talk about; I feel like senior year is the time to really make those memories, especially if you didn’t get to do that before.”
Many events specifically targeted to those in their last year are seen as a celebration of how far the class has come since freshman year. While the new principal, Jonathan Haga, thinks this is a healthy perspective on the senior retreat, his mind is geared more toward making this the beginning of a personalized end to their four-year educational career.
He emphasizes his ability to brainstorm simple classroom icebreaker questions, but his main focus this year is putting together activities that the students themselves genuinely value. Haga’s conversations with student council members and senior advisors have given him the opportunity to form ideas for unique functions that keep the opinions of the upcoming graduates in mind while showcasing the leadership qualities of the seniors in the building.
“I feel like this retreat at the beginning of the year really solidifies that sense [of senior leadership],” Haga said, “but it also gives you an opportunity to take a step back and build those memories. When we create that sense of team, it looks different from when you’re freshmen to when you’re seniors. So this is your last hurrah, but you’re still one group of Rangers that are about to make a difference in the world.”
Similarly, when looking back on the day, Jia takes pride in her class’s enthusiasm to make the most of their final year working as a team. Their wholesome end to the night provided her the chance to look back with an honest outlook on the adventures of her high school years; having the retreat so early in school set the standard for what the rest of their time was to look like as some of the strongest social boundaries began to disappear.
“Senior events are such a special thing,” Jia said, “and you don’t even realize it until graduation. Take the built-in opportunity to meet or reconnect with people. Everyone is so much more willing to just enjoy each other’s company and tear down social cliques; that’s what makes it so special.”
