On a dark and early October 24th, almost all of the grade 10’s went on a retreat to Camp Squeah. Spirits were high as the boys clambered onto the multiple buses excited for a packed two days of leadership activities. Most of the students immediately fell asleep in order to make up for the early 6:30am meet up at the school.

When we got to the camp we wasted no time at all and unpacked all our belongings in the cabins we were assigned. The outdoor cabins were fairly small and not very comfortable compared to the indoor ones. Overall, the facilities were pretty nice and a lot nicer than what many of us expected. Our first leadership activity was to create a poster based on our animal groups designated for each pair of advisor groups. These animals were first nation symbols that could be integrated into leadership. Animals ranged from the eagle, the orca, the turtle, and many more.

During the retreat we immersed ourselves in various leadership activities including low ropes, team building games, true colors quiz, high ropes, and a lecture on ethics. All the activities were enjoyable and helped the students figure out what kind of personality they had. Kai Yung commented, “The high ropes itself was exhilarating but more importantly the teamwork involved made the experience s lot more fun.” Another student, Stuart Park, mentioned that “the values activity gave me a new perspective on how to live my life in an ethical and moral way.”

The food at the camp was extremely impressive. The previous grade that went had already mentioned the food was quite good, but we did not believe it until we tried it. The cooks made great food all around and even provided two full trays of pastries during the last meal.

On Day 2 of the camp, the students woke up bright and early to breakfast. The meal presented was pancakes with meaty sausages on the side. Students also had a choice of adding fruits and syrup to their pancakes. Immediately after the revitalizing breakfast, students were placed into their respective activity blocks.

After working through their blocks, it was finally time to say goodbye to Camp Squeah. All Grade 10’s left the camp with a renewed sense of leadership. They will return to their daily life, at school or at home, with a stronger leader inside them; a leader that will put their team’s needs before them wherever they are.