Seniors Skip School for Spiritual Sabbatical

Charlotte Catholic seniors traveled to Camp Thunderbird for the annual senior retreat on November 10. Originally, this retreat was two days, and students would stay overnight bunking together in the camp’s cabins. However, this year the retreat lasted only one day, and the following day was an excused absence.

Since COVID-19, the retreat has been only a day long, with the plan of returning to two days this year. For an overnight trip, the school required more volunteer chaperones than a regular day retreat in order to ensure comfort and safety. With over 300 seniors, the chaperones offer extra sets of eyes to watch everyone who attends. 

Administrators in Campus Ministry, who are in charge of planning the event, tried to find an equal number of male and female volunteers to represent the class, but not enough male parents volunteered. Mr. Quintero, who runs Campus Ministry, said, “I think the fact the retreat fell on a Monday and Tuesday made it difficult for those who work, which is a large number of dads. Also, because it hasn't been overnight in five years, it is possible parents saw volunteering as less of a priority.”

Credit: Charlotte Catholic High School

Mr. Pham, the head of the IT Department and Charlotte Catholic alum, has fond memories of his overnight senior retreat. He said, “The retreat being overnight allows the class the bond in a different way. It is one, if not the only time, everyone is together overnight.”

Ahead of the retreat, senior Danny Polking thought that one day for the retreat is plenty of time for the class to bond. He said, “Between long bus rides there and back and being at the camp for ten hours, I think the class will still be able to grow closer. Getting rid of the overnight aspect simply gets rid of the discomfort of sleeping in the cabins.”

Other students, such as Preston Beans, were excited about sleeping over at Camp Thunderbird. She said, “I remember my older brother talking about the retreat, and staying overnight sounded really fun. There were a bunch of contests held after dinner and it seemed like it really brought his class together.”

Although there were mixed feelings about the change in the senior retreat, it still accomplished the same goals. The seniors enjoyed a number of activities and bonding experiences,giving the soon-to-be graduating class a rich memory of their four years together.