On Thursday April 18th, the senior class embarked on their last retreat as the class of 2013.  Padua’s graduating class spent the day at Westminster Church reflecting on the last four years. The retreat commenced with an opening prayer by seniors, Emily Branson, Maggie Fassano, and Sara Curley. Then the senior class enjoyed a game of “people bingo” to get the blood moving. The girls had to fill out all of the squares with the signatures of classmates who fulfilled a specific characteristic.  Examples included someone who could do a handstand, someone who could name all of the Harry Potter books, and someone able to French braid.  After the game concluded, seniors split into smaller groups ranging from six to twelve students.  The girls had chosen their own groups and selected two group leaders in the weeks prior to retreat.  The leaders led group discussions which began by reflecting on the girls’ earliest memories.

Questions like “what was your favorite outfit in kindergarten?” and “who was your first best friend?” allowed the girls to think back on their childhood.  They then took the opposite direction by discussion their futures and the current crossroads in their lives.  The contrast allowed girls to both reflect on where they came from and where they are heading in the future.  Many girls were unsure about the next four years and to quell some of these fears, Marykate McGurk, a college freshman at Neumann and Padua graduate, spoke about her experiences and answered questions.  The retreat concluded with a closing prayer in which groups offered their prayers of both thanksgiving and intercessions. The retreat was a great experience for the girls to reflect on both the time they have spent together, and look forward to a new adventure next year. The retreat was part of “Senior Spirit Week” which included add-ons, dress downs, and a senior luncheon as Padua celebrates the class of 2013 and wishes them the best of luck in their futures.