An Eighth Grade Experience

On Thursday, September 17, our oldest Wolfhounds boarded a bus bound for the Eastern Shore for the much anticipated Eighth Grade Spiritual Retreat. The cargo holds were filled to the brim with bags of supplies collected for migrant farm workers and the level of excitement continued to rise the closer they got to their first stop, Camp Silver Beach. Once the cabins were assigned and the bags unpacked, the fun never stopped with team building exercises focused on communication, trust, respect and self-control. Students had a chance to tackle the Alpine Tower, experience the rush of zip lining, and brave the Chesapeake Bay on kayaks. The evening included s'mores around a campfire, a game of Manhunt, storytelling, and some nighttime zip lining. It was a great bonding experience, and they found out some pretty interesting things about their classmates, too. 

On Friday, they woke early for Mass on the beach with Father Mike from the Eastern Shore Migrant Ministry. Students prayed together and listened to a homily extolling the virtue of kindness and treating others with dignity and respect. After breakfast, they headed to the Migrant Farm Camp. It was a very eye-opening and humbling experience for the entire group. For weeks prior to the retreat, the students collected clothes, shoes, and toiletries to distribute to the migrant workers and their families. The experience always serves as a powerful reminder of how fortunate and blessed we all are and students learn from interacting with people who embody humility, gratitude, and hard work.

 

The retreat came to a close with lunch in Cape Charles and a trip to Doumar’s - owned by a Wolfhound family - for ice cream. All of the students felt that this retreat was a great experience for bonding and service and they were grateful for the opportunity.