Operation Snowball is a school sponsored club that offers fall and spring retreats. The fall retreat is held at Camp McClean in Burlington, Wisc. from Nov. 4-6. Fall retreats are only open to new participants, creating a strong bond between all those who attend because no one has any previous experience. Operation Snowball prides itself on promoting a healthy lifestyle by bringing in multiple speakers throughout the weekend that can testify to the rocky road drugs can lead one down. In addition, the retreat also includes speakers about everyday high school stressors like relationships, diversity and being yourself.

“Camp McClean is a place that allows you to leave all the stress of school and daily life behind and just feel like you belong somewhere,” Staff Director Julia Andreoni ‘17 said.

Plymouth Fellowship is a youth group open to all high school students through the First Congregational Church of Western Springs. There is no requirement to belong to the church or be religious, anyone can join. The central themes of PF are focusing on service and aspects of faith, as well as how service can affect faith. The youth group which is typically called “PF” offers a fall retreat Nov. 4-6 at Tower Hill Camp in Sawyer, Mich. The retreat consists of ice breakers, games and minimal sleep. It finishes with an afternoon at the Indiana State Park Dunes, even though it is in November.

“The fall retreat is a great way to kick off the year and get to know everyone in the group,” PF president Meghan Bulger ‘17 said.

Kairos is a religious retreat sponsored by Saint Francis, Saint Cletus and Saint John of the Cross that is offered three times a year: summer, fall and spring. K24, representing the 24^th Kairos put on by these parishes, will be held at Dominican Retreat Center in Justice, Ill. Kairos is retreat focused on allowing students to grow in their spiritual relationship, learn more about and accept themselves and strengthen bonds with their peers. Most of the retreat is kept secret because of the “gifts of Kairos” that are given throughout the weekend. Many participants are reluctant to go due to uncertainty, and are strongly encouraged to leave all distraction, especially phones and watches, behind to get the most out of the weekend and focus on bettering themselves.

“Going on Kairos as a retreatant changed my life in so many ways, and I didn’t even originally want to attend it,” K23 leader Katie Andreoni ’17 said. “As soon as I got there I felt a sense of community, love and acceptance. I learned that every single person you meet has a story and that no matter what your story is, people will still love you.”