First-Year Students Focus on Leadership, Personal Growth in Annual Retreat

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by Erin Walch, Academy Avatar

The first few weeks at the Gatton Academy are never easy.

Studying for new college classes, waking yourself up every morning, and figuring out that you will type the words class, new, if, and then in java programming more than you every thought are all challenges juniors at the Academy face. College as a high school junior was never expected to be easy, so each year, our hardworking junior class travels to Camp Loucon for a leadership retreat to broaden their perspectives and refresh their motivation. While at the two-day camp, juniors interact with Academy counselor Dr. Christopher “Pokey” Bowen and director Tim Gott on activities involving personality styles, leadership dynamics, goal-setting and relationship maturity.

The activities on Saturday consisted of a morning drive to Loucon, followed closely by icebreakers and a crash course in leadership with Tim in the seminar Exploring Leadership. During this session, students made index cards that best represented their interpersonal qualities and strengths.

Saturday afternoon, Pokey dove into the types of leaders each student discovered themselves to be in the Personality and Leadership Style seminar. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator was taken by the students to determine their personality styles, and from that information, learn about the types of leaders they could be. In groups, the juniors figured out the ways in which different types of leaders can work together effectively in a professional setting.

Pokey ended the day with a session titled Creating a Life Mission and Vision, which contemplated the struggles and triumphs every student is bound to face at the Gatton Academy. Students separated into groups and collaboratively produced headlines that represented a future goal or achievement they thought Academy students would embody in the future. Hopes of world peace and cures for cancer were among the headlines constructed by students. Later, each student brainstormed a personal mission statement that reflected their goals for the future, and gave them a chance to introspectively analyze themselves.

First-year student Lexi Sunnenberg enjoyed the planning aspects of the day. “My favorite part of the seminar was mapping out my goals for the future,” she said. “It really gave me a better sense of who I am and who I want to be; the seminar also really taught me to focus on myself and my goals, and to not worry about the opinions of others.”

The juniors ended the day with a massive game of zombie tag and a midnight walk to Lake Loucon with Tim.  Both activities gave a chance for the students to bond over the shared experiences of the day and expend the pent up anxiety brewing from the first few weeks of classes.

Kesi Amira enjoyed this time to cut loose and relax, explaining the retreat was a good change of pace.  “I appreciated having time to get to know other students without the pressure of classes, and enjoyed taking a break from the rapidity of daily life during Tim’s peaceful night walk.”

Wade Vierheller described the natural surroundings of Camp Loucon, of which a bit of peace and quiet was a big change from campus life.  “I loved being around so much nature because it reminded me of home,” Vierheller said. “Campus is so loud all the time, so I really liked the quiet. In addition stargazing with Tim was really cool!”

Before leaving for the Academy Sunday afternoon, students spent the morning with Tim, discussing the growth and maturity juniors will begin to experience in the coming semesters at the Gatton Academy in the Exploring Relationships session.

For some juniors, this year’s leadership retreat was a release from the stresses of a newfound college life, but for others the trip to Camp Loucon provided insight into the traits and habits that make us unique leaders. Amidst the beautiful hiking trails and serene lakeside of Loucon, its evident this camp experience will provide lasting lessons and memories for the future.

Camp Loucon, Exploring Leadership, first-year students, Leadership Retreat, Life Mission and Vision, Pokey Bowen, Tim Gott