Freshman Retreat for the Class of ’26

The transition from middle school to high school can be very challenging, some students come in knowing one hundred people and others only know no one. However, all freshmen came in with the same feeling, fear. Despite the many overwhelming feelings, the freshman retreat truly broke the ice. During retreat, the freshman class of 2026 started off with the first of many meetings in the PAC. Wearing their class of 2026 t-shirts, they listened to the administrators give them a layout of what is going to happen this school year and try to calm their nerves. During this time, they were given the opportunity to meet their classmates with whom they were spending the next 9 months. Many freshmen got to meet some of their long-term friends just by sitting next to a classmate. Each class was assigned two upperclassmen, taking them to all of their activities for the day. The morning was jam-packed with various activities, like writing themselves a letter that they will read their senior year. They sat in a classroom writing and chatting with their fellow classmates and two senior guides. Another activity that was included during this retreat was going into the gym and signing up for clubs, many freshmen were amazed by how many clubs there are to offer at Spalding. There was also a photo booth in which they could take pictures of this memory and make it last forever. Then the games began…literally. Freshmen were given the opportunity to play many different games on the iconic Whittles Field. They had all the games you could think of, from a big version of Jenga to a gigantic blow-up dart game! Finally, the freshman ended with lunch and exchanged numbers with the friends they have made today. The freshman class of 2026 started off the day with many fears but ended the day with excitement to start their freshman year!