Over 200 LT students headed to Camp MacLean in Burlington, Wis., on March 7-8 for the spring Snowball weekend, a retreat centering friendship, community, and issues of teen drug use and mental health.

“Snowball honestly has shaped my life,” six-time retreatant and first-year staff member Jacklyn Luckey ‘26 said. “It has taught me so much about myself and helped me find myself through some darker times as well. I couldn’t be more thankful towards [the adult leaders] for always encouraging us to do more, and that’s kind of what Snowball is, doing more.”

The retreat is made up of activities like team-building games, general speakers, small group sessions, and workshops, adult leader David Stormont said.

“The organization is a true partnership between youth and adults designed to build a community where all individuals are celebrated and supported for who they are, in an environment that promotes healthy lifestyle choices, connections, mental health awareness and substance use prevention,” Stormont said. 

A major event of Snowball retreats is the in-house theatre show. There are around 15 theatre staff members who typically meet twice a week for up to three hours to plan the show. 

“I loved the theatre shows and it made me want to try it out because I saw the sense of connection within the community, and that’s why I joined the theatre staff,” Luckey said.

On the retreat, teen staff have the main responsibility of facilitating small groups by crafting questions on the keynote speakers and large group activities, in addition to encouraging participation in energizers and making the participants feel safe and welcomed, second-year staff member Chika Nduka ‘26 said.

“When I saw how I could truly be myself with the community my staff created for me as a participant, I knew I wanted to be that person for others and contribute to the ‘Snowball effect’ of the retreat,” Nduka said.

General planning for Snowball involves weekly meetings between student leaders, of which there are around 30. These meetings include collaboration and communication training, community building and outreach, and fundraising. Most of their time is spent planning for workshops and committees. Workshops are for the participants while committees are groups focusing on particular aspects within leadership, like bonding, service, social media, and t-shirts.

“It takes a great deal of time and energy to ensure both our student leaders and our participants have the best possible experience,” Stormont said.

Spring Snowball Weekend is aimed at students returning to Snowball and is two days as opposed to the fall retreat, which is aimed at first-timers and is three days as participants need time to become familiar with the program. There was originally only one retreat per year before Spring Snowball Weekend was created by popular demand.