The freshman retreat was designed to familiarize students with both the campus and each other. The first day was on campus grounds for small-group activities, including a tour of Lake Forest Academy’s campus. Director of Experiential Learning Erin English helped plan all four class retreats. English said she hoped the freshmen would get to know “some of the special features that make our campus theirs.” She also wanted the retreat to help freshmen feel comfortable at Lake Forest Academy, so that it might become a second home to them.
On the second day of their retreat, the freshmen went to a ropes course at Boundless Adventures. English said that this day was planned to build camaraderie among the ninth graders and to serve as a “uniting event at the beginning of their journey together.”
The sophomore retreat allowed students to explore the local neighborhood and the city of Chicago. On the first day, the Caxys went to Lake Forest Park Beach for activities and challenges. This included relay races on the beach, building the academy bell out of sand and organizing the students into forming LFA letters.
On the second day, they took a trip to Chicago to do a photo challenge, eat deep dish pizza and take an architectural boat tour along the Chicago River. “I was most impressed by the scenic boat tour. It was really nice,” Abigail Dixton ‘29 said. As a new sophomore at LFA, she met new people and made friends before classes started. “I would definitely recommend it if you are new,” Dixton said.
The junior retreat was nature-themed to facilitate reflection and contemplation. English knew that time in nature would help students de-stress as this year is usually stressful. Juniors started the first day with a relaxing nature walk around campus. They took photos for a photo challenge. Afterward, they cut down invasive trees and moved them to a pile for a service learning project.
On day two, they took a bus to Devil’s Lake National Park. Students spent their long bus ride sleeping, talking to friends and reading “Jane Eyre” — the summer reading assignment for AP Language and Composition. At Devil’s Lake, they went on a short scenic hike. “It was mainly just driving in a bus, but it was fun,” Mikayla Gu ‘28 said. Juniors finally came back relaxed and ready to start the new year.
During the overnight senior retreat, students had the chance to make memories together in beautiful Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, before their final year of high school. On the first day, the seniors discussed their aspirations for the new school year in small groups and explored the grounds of Covenant Harbor. The class ended the day by playing games together outside and sharing stories and songs around a bonfire.
After spending the night in their log cabins, the senior class had fun alternating between different activities, including canoeing, rock climbing and archery. Adeline Blacksmith ‘27 called the retreat “an amazing experience to kick off senior year,” appreciating that it allowed her to “get away from the stress of school and pressure of preseason with friends.” After bonding together on this trip, the class of 2027 is now ready to be strong leaders in the community for their last year at LFA.