by Sara McKnight

STA is scheduled to host its first overnight retreat for the freshman class. The retreat will take place in several different locations throughout STA’s campus. The date has been rescheduled twice due to snow days.

In 147 years, students and faculty have seen countless in-school retreats, but this is the first overnight retreat in STA’s history. The purpose of the lock-in is to let the freshmen get to know each other and have a healthy spiritual and social experience with God and their peers, according to the principal of student affairs Mary Anne Hoecker.

“There’s more opportunity [for students] to settle in, talk with other students and get to know them better,” Hoecker said. “More time gives the magic of the night and makes it a little better for everyone.”

The students will be spending most of their time in the Goppert Center, which is where they will sleep, according to head of campus ministry Joe LaScala. The attendees are encouraged to bring sleeping bags and all their necessities for overnight stays.

English teacher Carrie Jacquin and executive director of development Mary Beth Compton are the female side of the planning and the ones who have made the retreat possible, according to LaScala. In addition, there are nine core team members, 36 group leaders, and 15 utility staff members.

“It takes a lot of time and volunteers to make something like this happen,” LaScala said.

Administration feels overnight retreats will be strictly for freshmen not only because they take months to organize and are costly, but also because it gives freshmen a chance to get to know each other early in their high school career, according to Hoecker

“Given that [the administration] has retreats for all other classes, especially Kairos, they will keep it to freshmen so they get that experience of knowing each other,” Hoecker said. “Hopefully that will increase a little each year.”

The retreat is going to be different than the others. In the past, they have been the “nuts and bolts” with small group discussion, icebreakers, and prayer, according to LaScala. Now, the 60 planners and volunteers can do a bigger variety of activities such as scavenger hunts and reflective board games.

“[Planners] are able to set up and enhance the nuts and bolts with the retreat being overnight,” LaScala said.

Two upperclassmen stated that they are “bummed” they did not get the same experience. Sophomores Shannon O’Rourke and Courtney Didier feel an overnight stay with their classmates would have been beneficial.

“I’ve always wanted to bond with my grade and get to know the girls I don’t talk to better,” Didier said. “It would definitely bring us closer. The freshmen are going to have so much fun. I’m jealous.”