Karaoke, Campfires, and Leadership at Glendale Prep High School Retreat

For the seventh year, Glendale Prep students traveled to Lost Canyon, a camp in northern Arizona, just 30 miles west of Flagstaff, for the school’s annual high school retreat. It’s an experience designed to strengthen relationships with underclassmen, cultivate leadership with upperclassmen, and give all students time together outside of the classroom in a majestic and fun outdoor setting.

The seniors arrived 24 hours before the rest of the school. That early arrival gave them time to bond as a class. “I thought it was just a wonderful experience to get here beforehand because we got that intimate connection with our senior class,” shared Cameron, a senior at Glendale Prep.

Seniors participated in a series of leadership seminars and meetings designed to prepare them for guiding younger students throughout the retreat. “We had a lot of leadership meetings on what it looks like to be a leader for the conversations that we’re going to have with our groups during seminar,” explained Addie, another senior.

The retreat wasn’t just about the seniors, though. Once the rest of the students arrived, it was also about intentional leisure.Students and faculty joined together for games, outdoor activities, and plenty of opportunities to bond. “Last night we had two hours of karaoke where all students came together,” said Interim Headmaster Rachel Janssen.

9^th grader Caden said the karaoke was his favorite part. “Just the energy in the building and I also got to participate with all my other friends. So that made it wonderful,” he said. The evening closed with an unforgettable moment when one of the seniors led the entire group in singing “Rip Tide” with his guitar. “Everybody sang together. It was such a great closure to the evening together,” Janssen said.

Throughout the retreat, students enjoyed a wide range of activities including hiking, ziplining, painting, swimming, jumping off a pond raft, and a braving the giant swing. “Tonight, they’ll get together with a campfire. Everybody will be telling stories, singing songs. We’ll sing The Minstrel Boy and wrap the evening up together as a full school unified in building leadership and strengthening friendships,” Janssen shared.

For many students, the retreat was a rare chance to step away from daily routines and make new connections. “I feel like we just put our differences aside here and like we just grow together as a class and I’ve talked to people I don’t normally talk to,” shared Addie. “But we just form those relationships here and it’s just such a cool bonding experience.”

As the retreat came to a close, it was easy to see how the mix of fun experiences and time in nature brought everyone closer together through a tradition that helps students step away for a few days to build friendships and grow as leaders.

Get a glimpse of the retreat’s highlights from our students’ point of view in this student produced video: https://youtu.be/Nllu6Oz3pvU

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