A new tradition was recently started at Holton by two previous students, Sydney Ruder '16 and Claire Michael '16, who worked together to create HARP (Holton-Arms Retreat Program) for their senior project. The values instilled at HARP are leadership, legacy, global citizenship and diversity, empowerment of women, self-reflection, and stewardship. The overnight junior class retreat allows the class to bond in a powerful and meaningful way. Today we have a perspective from a current junior, Libby Mulligan '18, who just attended the retreat. Here is what Libby shared with The Scene,
"So this may sound cheesy, but this retreat may already be the highlight of junior year. I was pushed outside of my comfort zone, in a good way. Our class bonded like it has never bonded before. Going into the trip, I was a bit hesitant because I was told to keep an open mind. With this, we were not told the whole plan of the trip, so there were multiple surprises. One of my favorite parts was the bonfire that we had on the second night. We made s'mores and all gathered around the bonfire and sang songs from 'Lean on Me' to the alma mater. It was so fun to have the whole grade swaying to the beat with our arms around each other. I will definitely remember that moment forever. I also had a great time getting to know my classmates in the discussions. The discussions were about some tough topics, but when someone shared, it enabled everyone else to feel comfortable enough to share. That was significant because everyone would find out new things about the other group members. We all opened up which I think made us so close. Overall, l I had an amazing experience on this retreat. If I could stay a few extra days, I totally would! If I were to ask my peers if they had fun or not, I can guarantee that everyone will say they had a lot of fun."
Check out Libby's fun video below!
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