Each grade level at DePaul Prep is required to participate in a retreat, a day or several days focused on relaxation, bonding with others, and spirituality. These retreats aim to “allow students to take a step back, and really lean into the day in front of them,” said Emelia Gleber, Campus Minister and retreat organizer.
In past years, seniors had the opportunity to go on Kairos, a three day retreat at the Loyola University Retreat and Ecology Campus, located in Woodstock, Illinois. However, the Kairos retreat has been shifted to junior year, and new options for retreats have been introduced for this year’s senior class.
Seniors have the option to choose between attending a Kairos retreat in early fall, or attending one of three different single-day retreats or one three different overnight retreats. Gleber said this decision was motivated by a desire to “allow seniors to put their own ‘spin’ on what theme they want to focus on.” Students can choose to attend a single day retreat focused on art and spirituality, strength and leadership, or transitioning between high school and college. Overnight options include a men’s and women’s retreat, as well as an overnight focused on the transition between high school and college.
A constant structure can be found across every retreat, however. Gleber explained that the most common way for a retreat to be structured is a combination of small groups, large group talks led by a featured speaker, and activities that help build on the focus of the retreat. For example, on the Art and Spirituality retreat, this meant a visit to the Art Institute of Chicago and a “neurographic drawing exercise,” led by DePaul Prep art teacher Victoria Aguilar.
Each senior retreat has a different topic or theme it focuses on. The Men and Women’s retreats aim to create “a single gender space for students to explore their identities,” says Bernadette Raspante, who led the women’s overnight retreat this past November. These retreats are modeled after the Kairos retreats that formerly served as the senior retreat option, with students being encouraged to spend multiple days reflecting on their faith and connecting with their peers. Senior Zoe Pileggi, who attended the Women’s retreat in November, said it “was great to be back in the Kairos environment, but focus on different issues.”
The Art and Spirituality retreat focused on helping students express themselves through art and form connections with their creative side. The Transitions retreat, which is offered as several single day retreats as well as an overnight in the spring, aims to help students prepare for the shift from high school to college and everything that comes with it, says Gleber.
Retreats are a unique part of the Catholic school experience, and aim to connect students with their faith. The retreat experience at DePaul Prep is “scaffolded,” says Florence Merkl-Deutsch, with each grade level retreat building on the one before.
The main idea behind senior retreats is allowing seniors to make their own choices and control their own experience, said Merkl-Deutsch. Giving seniors a choice of what retreat they want to participate in, and offering single day and overnight options with a variety of central themes allows seniors to “see what jumps out,” and make their own decision about what faith they need in their life, Merkl-Deutsch said.
Choosing a retreat is a personal endeavor, and by offering choice, seniors can choose what retreat fits best into their life. Pileggi said her overnight retreat was “a great break from school,” but a single day retreat can offer the same break from school without taking up outside of school hours. “You’re in charge of how you budget your time,” and deciding how that time is spent is a decision that is personal to each senior, said Gleber.
