Nicole Hivid | the broadview The Freshman Class will spend the evening of their retreat with retired RSCJ in Atherton where they attend Mass and a barbecue together.
Sophia Redfern Reporter
Students take a break from everyday
classes for their annual
class retreats to participate in
individualized activities that vary from
scaling rock walls to sitting in conversation
with Religious of the Sacred Heart
(RSCJ) who are retired from active
ministry.
“The point of class retreats is to
take a day off from the regular routine.”
Frances Cavalieri, who assists with Student
Life, said. “Friendship is reinforced
through each experience that the different
grades go through.”
Traditionally, freshmen spend the
day volunteering at Celebrate Spring
in San Francisco then visit the RSCJ
who are living in a retirement community
located on Sacred Heart Schools
Atherton grounds. Evening activities
include eating dinner and attending a
mass with the RSCJ.
“I’m kind of excited to talk to
the RSCJ and learn about their lives,”
freshman Natalie Helms said. “It’d be
interesting to listen to stories about the
Sacred Heart history.”
Sophomores are scheduled to
spend the day rock climbing at Berkeley
Ironworks. The grade is split into
smaller groups, each taking turns to
cheer on classmates as they climb.
“I think our class will get a lot
closer together,” sophomore Mary
Katherine Michiels Kibler said. “Rock
climbing is a challenging activity so
being able to help each other overcome
the challenge will make our grade’s bond
stronger.”
Trust exercises and team bonding
games start off the day of the Junior
Class retreat before they go through a
ropes course in Point Lobos run by the
Pacific Leader Institute (PLI).
“I really liked last year’s activity,
it was a great bonding experience for
the class,” senior Briel Renstrom said.
“We cheered each other on as we rock
climbed, it boosted confidence in all of
us about our other classmates.”
An overnight is scheduled for
the Senior Class at Bishop’s Ranch in
Healdsburg. The retreat gives students
the opportunity to reflect on their time
at CSH and the relationships that have
developed with classmates.
Seniors also spend several hours
going on a picnic and reflective silent
hike organized by theology teacher
Julia Arce.
“I think it was a necessary activity
for the seniors, especially when we went
into this one room where everyone sat
around in a circle and talked about
a single person,” Emma Freel (CSH
’10), who attended the retreat last year
as a senior, said. “It was like an estrogen
filled room, everyone was crying when
talking about their friendships.”
Class retreats are scheduled to
be two days before prom this year. The
Senior Class retreat is two days long
instead of one — leaving some students
unhappy about the close scheduling.
Celebrate Spring is also scheduled to
be on the same Saturday but in the
afternoon.
“It’s a little stressful because of the
shortened amount of time to get ready,”
senior Elena Dudum said. “Saturday
afternoon is a possible time to get ready,
but Celebrate Spring is happening,
which also makes it difficult to prepare
the main hall for prom, but I’m really
excited for both events.
Students take a break from everyday classes for their annual class retreats to participate in individualized activities that vary from scaling rock walls to sitting in conversation with Religious of the Sacred Heart (RSCJ) who are retired from active ministry.
“The point of class retreats is to take a day off from the regular routine.” Frances Cavalieri, who assists with Student Life, said. “Friendship is reinforced through each experience that the different grades go through.”
Traditionally, freshmen spend the day volunteering at Celebrate Spring in San Francisco then visit the RSCJ who are living in a retirement community located on Sacred Heart Schools Atherton grounds. Evening activities include eating dinner and attending a mass with the RSCJ.
Nicole Hivid | the broadview. The Freshman Class will spend the evening of their retreat with retired RSCJ in Atherton where they attend Mass and a barbecue together.
“I’m kind of excited to talk to the RSCJ and learn about their lives,” freshman Natalie Helms said. “It’d be interesting to listen to stories about the Sacred Heart history.”
Sophomores are scheduled to spend the day rock climbing at Berkeley Ironworks. The grade is split into smaller groups, each taking turns to cheer on classmates as they climb.
“I think our class will get a lot closer together,” sophomore Mary Katherine Michiels Kibler said. “Rock climbing is a challenging activity so being able to help each other overcome the challenge will make our grade’s bond stronger.”
Trust exercises and team bonding games start off the day of the Junior Class retreat before they go through a ropes course in Point Lobos run by the Pacific Leader Institute (PLI).
“I really liked last year’s activity, it was a great bonding experience for the class,” senior Briel Renstrom said. “We cheered each other on as we rock climbed, it boosted confidence in all of us about our other classmates.”
An overnight is scheduled for the Senior Class at Bishop’s Ranch in Healdsburg. The retreat gives students the opportunity to reflect on their time at CSH and the relationships that have developed with classmates. Seniors also spend several hours going on a picnic and reflective silent hike organized by theology teacher Julia Arce.
“I think it was a necessary activity for the seniors, especially when we went into this one room where everyone sat around in a circle and talked about a single person,” Emma Freel (CSH’10), who attended the retreat last year as a senior, said. “It was like an estrogen filled room, everyone was crying when talking about their friendships.”
Class retreats are scheduled to be two days before prom this year. The Senior Class retreat is two days long instead of one — leaving some students unhappy about the close scheduling. Celebrate Spring is also scheduled to be on the same Saturday but in the afternoon.
“It’s a little stressful because of the shortened amount of time to get ready,” senior Elena Dudum said. “Saturday afternoon is a possible time to get ready, but Celebrate Spring is happening, which also makes it difficult to prepare the main hall for prom, but I’m really excited for both events.”
