At the end of this summer, our beloved Class of 2026 and Class of 2029 returned to school not by diving straight into academics, but by participating in a longstanding school tradition: the grade-wide retreat. However, this year marked a significant shift for the freshman class. For the first time in the school’s history, the ninth grade departed from the typical overnight on the Spence Lecture Hall floors and instead traveled to Iroquois Springs, a scenic sleepaway camp located in the Southern Catskill Mountains.
While the Class of ’26 carried on the tradition of an off-campus senior retreat at the Edith Macy Center in Briarcliff Manor, NY, the freshman class started the new school year on a fresh foot. For the seniors, the retreat was a meaningful way to reunite after the summer and enter their final year together as a community. At the Edith Macy Center, the Class of ’26 engaged in leadership-building exercises, advisory discussions and a touching gratitude circle, during which each student shared something they appreciated about every classmate. Faculty members, including Ms. Wilks, Ms. Farhat, Dr. Flores, Ms. Pili, Ms. Walker, Ms. Burns and senior advisors participated, offering laughter and encouragement. The schedule also included moments of lighthearted fun, such as a haiku contest, a bonfire with s’mores, and an impromptu sing-along. Seniors Allyson Jimenez ’26, Maddie Zinzer ’26, and Klarke Johnson ’26 shared, “We loved the part where we took photos and just got to hang out as a grade. It felt like we were starting the year as a team.”
Meanwhile, the freshman embarked on a two-day retreat at Iroquois Springs that offered a wide variety of activities designed to spark friendships and build grade-wide bonding. Upon arrival, students settled into cabins and then jumped into a packed schedule that included icebreakers, advisory bonding, team-building games and carnival-style competitions such as tug-of-war, the egg-and-spoon race and water balloon tosses. The retreat also included outdoor adventures like hiking, aerial tree-top courses, and a lakeside campfire with s’mores. The day concluded with the iconic lip-sync battle tradition and movie night.
Alyssa Sugiyama ’29 reflected on the trip, saying, “The best part of the retreat was getting to meet my grade and being able to spend time and getting to know them better.” For many in the ninth grade, being off campus allowed them to connect more authentically and comfortably, away from the pressures of the school building.
Though Upperclassmen, including me, remembered the tradition of sleeping on the school floors fondly, several admitted that the new freshman retreat might be more effective. “It’s fun in its own way,” one senior recalled, “but let’s be honest, an actual retreat in nature would’ve been a lot more memorable and better for my back than lying on the hardwood floors of the Lecture hall.”
Overall, regardless of location, both retreats were highly memorable for our senior and freshman classes, showing that when students are given space to connect, meaningful relationships flourish.