Retreats

The Freshman Retreat is designed to foster community and fun among the freshman class. We feel strongly that this retreat touches Seattle Prep’s mission to educate the heart as well as the mind. As such, this is a mandatory retreat for all 9th graders.

This retreat takes place in late January, starting Thursday night and continuing until Saturday midday. The Freshman Retreat is planned and implemented by the Community Ministry Team and a select group of juniors and seniors leaders (50 in all). Retreat activities include small group time, Christian Service, fun time, prayer, an overnight at Prep and a Catholic Mass.

This retreat for sophomore boys is designed to help boys learn to grow in their maturity and leadership on their journey to becoming men. The Sophomore Young Men’s retreat is at the end of January.

The Young Men’s Retreat’s goal is to help sophomore boys grow in maturity and purpose. The retreat will center on adult and student talks, small group sharing, and fun activities such as a ropes course and paintballing.

Why have the Young Men’s Retreat?
Seattle Prep believes in the holistic education of its students. The Young Men’s and Young Women’s retreats, offered to sophomore boys and girls, provide students a chance to explore coming of age issues that affect each gender. This is Seattle Prep’s one gender exclusive retreat, and this setting enables us to explore and grow areas of life that are not possible in a mixed gender environment.

Issues explored on the Young Men’s Retreat are:

• What does it mean to be a man?
• What are stereotypes of males?
• How do these stereotypes help/hurt men?
• What is the difference between a boy and a man?
• Who are good role models?
• What can/should we do about the behaviors that lead to these stereotypes?

The mission of the Young Women’s retreat is “to assist each young woman to find the strength, confidence and empowerment she needs to follow her dreams; to find her inner beauty and own her unique gifts.” This retreat is designed specifically for the sophomore young woman as she faces the challenge to be a strong woman in today’s world. The retreat centers on student talks and challenges, small group sharing, and team building activities (high ropes course, horseback riding and paint ball). The topics addressed on the retreat include building a better body image, growing in our self confidence, sexism awareness, holistic women’s health , understanding emotion regulation, building healthy relationships, managing our stress and building on our spiritual faith life. 

Why have a Young Women’s retreat?
Seattle Prep believes in the holistic education of its students. The Young Men’s and Young Women’s Retreats, offered to sophomore boys and girls respectively, provides students a chance to explore coming-of-age issues that affect each gender. This is Seattle Prep’s one gender-exclusive retreat, and this setting enables us to explore topics not possible in a mixed gender environment.

Issues explored on the Young Women’s retreat include, but are not limited to:

• Body Image/Self-Confidence/Self-Esteem
• Sexism
• Holistic Women’s Health Concerns
• Healthy Coping Skills
• Role Models
• Building Community

The retreat for 11th graders is called Kairos, and embodies the value of Christian faith as lived and experienced in community. During the three and a half day retreat, juniors are given the opportunity to step away from the hectic pace of everyday life to look within themselves to find their true worth as people in relationship with God, family and friends. The retreat involves hearing faith talks, small and large group sessions, prayer, mass and other retreat experiences.

While this is not a mandatory retreat, 95% of the class will attend one of the three Kairos retreats offered over the year.

What does "Kairos" mean?!
Kairos is a Greek word for time which is distinct from chronological time (Chronos). We call it God’s time or the “opportune moment.” We try to provide an experience where ordinary time is left behind. Students are asked to leave their cell phones and watches at home to help them enter this “time out of time.” Kairos is a popular retreat model nationally for Catholic High Schools and Universities.

What is the format of the retreat?
Much of what happens on Kairos is a surprise, but our goal is to encourage students in their spiritual formation and how to become leaders in their own lives. Retreatants hear talks and participate in small group discussions. We include indoor and outdoor activities, so warm clothing is important. The retreat concludes with a mass.

My Family is not Catholic. What does my son or daughter need to know before going?
The short answer is nothing. The retreat is structured in such a way to deepen their own faith life, all are welcome to participate at their own level of comfort. Please feel free to contact any member of the Community Ministry team to discuss this or similar concerns.

Is there any follow up that happens after the retreat?
Students are invited to continue their retreat experience by attending weekly mass at Prep. Students can check out of their liturgy/study hall and attend mass in the Healy Chapel on liturgy days. Students are also invited to two separate reunions. One is held during lunch a month or so after the retreat, the second is held in the evening at Prep.

The Manresa Retreat is the final retreat offered at Seattle Prep to seniors before graduation, which has taken place over the past couple of years at Warm Beach Camp and Conference Center in Stanford, WA. Seniors who go on the retreat are invited to:

1. Reflect back over the past four years, calling to mind the gifts and the graces that they have received at Prep
2. Pray and connect with God through intentional times of silence and Liturgy
3. Strengthen and deepen friendships with fellow classmates through fun and meaningful bonding experiences
4. Recharge and Replenish through extended times of rest and relaxation