Operation Snowball retreat returns in D218

The pandemic took away many experiences from District 218 students, including the beloved Operation Snowball retreat. Focused on boosting self-esteem, leadership development, goal-setting, and healthy life choices, Snowball returned this year with a mini-retreat.

“The initial goal was to help give our students an abbreviated version of our full retreat in hopes that we can continue to build next year, but I learned that after the last few years these kids really just needed to relax, get silly, step out of their comfort zone and have fun,” said counselor Ali Foley, who helped develop the curriculum.

Snowball featured team-building experiences, activities that inspired reflection on life goals, group discussions exploring a range of topics and guest speakers

Students felt Snowball offered new and thought-provoking experiences.

“I liked the mini-retreat,” said Jasmine Vaszquez. “I was able to get to know other people and get a little bit out of my comfort zone.

“My favorite part of the retreat was the trust game we played. It was fun and it made others connect. It was an awesome experience overall.”

“What I liked is that we split into groups to get to know different people,” said Melissa Marquez. “I also liked how it was a positive environment, where if the teachers saw something that wasn’t positive they would correct the student’s behavior instead of just watching.”

Faculty advisors saved perhaps the best activity for last.

“The retreat finished up with a final small group session writing positive notes to their group mates,” teacher Melissa Krenkel said. “The students are excited to bring the Snowball retreat experience back next year!”