Senior Retreat: Back For The Last Time

Senior Retreat. Photos courtesy of RCHS Photography Class. Copyright Red Cloud Indian School.

Senior Retreat: Back For The Last Time

By Colton Sierra ‘14

The Class of 2014 experienced a bittersweet bus ride returning to the school from Storm Mountain on March 28th. The seniors just wrapped up their final retreat with their class here at Red Cloud High School.

The highlight was Thursday night during a candle-lighting ritual in which the students lit a candle and proclaimed and expressed their gratitude to whomever or whatever has helped them progress in their life. When this uplifting event was finished, the students went around and exchanged hugs and handshakes to their fellow classmates. The rest of the night was spent reading letters that the students sent to each other in their makeshift “mailboxes.” That night students also began to bond more, laugh together, and they even persuaded their chaperones to allow them to stay in Allison Hall (the main building) for one more hour.

The retreats serve a purpose for each class, and the purpose is tied into a theme that the students can relate to. Every senior class has two retreats, one in the fall and one in the spring. The theme for the retreat in the fall was “Hopes, Dreams, Prayers, and Goals” and the theme for the spring retreat was “Wopila: Gratitude for where we come from and where we are going.”

“Having gone on Junior Retreat, Fall Senior Retreat, and Spring Senior Retreat with you, this retreat had depth,” said Spiritual Formation Depart Chair Brad Held. On the retreat, Held took notice of the growth that the seniors had as individuals and says that “It was great to be with you on retreat as you let that growth show.”

Upon arrival, the students were seemingly in awe from the beautiful scenery that they weren’t able to see when it was October. The first day weather was almost too good to be true, and so it was. When they went to Matho Thipila (Devil’s Tower) the next day, they were taken aback by the cold winds that surrounded this spiritual site.

Prayer was a big factor in the travels around Matho Thipila. After everyone had caught up and caught their breath, the class stopped to pray four times with the prayer flags that were made the night before. After the final stop, a couple of students let the adventurer in them come out as they ventured off into climbing the boulders that rest beside Matho Thipila.

“The food was really great,” said super senior Jin Yup Jung. Jin was seen devouring each plate during each meal. Terra Garnier & Kirkland were seen saying, “Our favorite dish was the baked potato,” yet they claim that they loved all the food that they served.

Shortly after, Kirkland Ross, Jin Yup Jung, Garrett Waters and Clare Huerter took on Pedro Martinez, Brannon Cousin, and Marco Starr in an intense soccer game that mostly revolved around Pedro and Jin Yup.

Among soccer, there were basketball games, volleyball games, and the occasional sleigh ride. There were also games of table tennis, dodgeball, carpetball, and games of foosball on a broken table.

Seniors were seen around Allison Hall (the main building) bonding, laughing, and showing no signs of wanting to return home. There were seniors scattered everywhere either snacking or drinking tea (or hot cocoa).

This class has had its problems, and they sometimes weren’t always as close. This all changed when the bus finally returned the students back to Red Cloud High School. You see the seniors, both as a group and as individuals, in a new light. As they all await graduation day, the seniors spend their time mastering their new friendships, as well as fixing old ones. Their graduation day is May 24th, but they are all looking forward to May 14th, which is the final day of their journeys through halls of Red Cloud. 

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