Senior class president Steve Harper found himself surrounded by 230 classmates joining together to laugh, cry, and share memories. As he looked at his senior class occupying the crowded hotel ballroom, he realized that this was one of the last moments they would all be in the same room.

“It made you admire the people who told their stories,” said Harper. “You feel like you really know your class. We all came together like one big family, and I’m proud to be president.”

This year’s senior retreat took place on March 10-11 at Willow Valley Hotel in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. This mandatory trip for seniors proved to be “one of the best, if not the best, retreats I’ve been on,” said Guidance Counselor Carol Heflin.

“This retreat was one of the very best retreats in the 29 years I have been at John Carroll,” said campus minister Patty Murphy-Dohn. “I attribute this to the seniors themselves and their deep level of involvement in the planning and the facilitating of each session.”

The overall goal of senior retreat is that it is to be a “culminating event for the class with bonding and a spiritual component there,” said English Department Chair and retreat leader Susan Fisher.

Retreat activities included witness talks from students and teachers, music, Mass, and small group discussions.

“The key to an excellent retreat is when the students put their hearts and souls into the listening and sharing components of the experience,” said Murphy-Dohn. “This year’s seniors entered into their retreat with such great enthusiasm.”

The only activity seniors were unable to partake in was the pool party, because Willow Valley Resort was under renovations in its plan to turn into a Double Tree Resort.

Retreat has the ability to be emotional and moving. “The sharing was difficult and heavy to listen to at times for all of us, but the support and the love that was shown by the students was so beautiful to see,” said Murphy-Dohn. “I was especially moved by the students who shared during open mic with their friends next to me to give me strength and courage to get through what they had to say.”

With such positive feedback, the question arises about why retreat is so late in the year. Fisher said, “I think this is because second semester, seniors have a burst of maturity, realizing that they’re going out into the real world.  They are more receptive at this point in the year.”

“The retreat is usually scheduled during March right before spring sports season because we need to find a time when each senior is able to attend as required without the disruption of sports events and the theatre productions which involve so many students,” said Murphy-Dohn.

The only real complaint of the retreat was that a fire alarm that went off at four in the morning.  However, despite this minor sleep deprivation, seniors stayed positive. “It was really fun, and I feel like I know our class better,” said senior vice president Katy Sheward. “I think it will make the last three months of our senior year the best experience of high school so far.”

Charlotte Hagerman can be reached for comment at [email protected].