The YMCA Camp Triangle Hills partnered with Big Shoulders Fund Northwest Indiana to host a retreat for student leaders on September 26.
Big Shoulders Fund Northwest Indiana Supports White Family High School Scholars Retreat 2023
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Big Shoulders Fund is a charitable organization whose mission is anchored in the fundamental belief that a quality education is the foundation for lifelong success. Big Shoulders Fund provides youth with the tools needed to become the citizens and neighbors that make their communities and cities a better place for all to live. The organization became a fixture in the Region in 2019 courtesy of a generous gift from the Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation.
Sophomores, juniors, and seniors from Andrean High School and Bishop Noll Institute spent the day collaborating on team building activities and creating connections with one another.
Big Shoulders Fund Northwest Indiana Director of Community Partnerships and Engagement, Gisele Jones, described how these students were selected for the retreat.
“The White Family High School Scholars program features students that were chosen by their principals because of the leadership qualities they’ve displayed in their school,” Jones said. “This is their first meeting in person, since the scholarship program was started during the pandemic.”
Jones believes that the partnership between the YMCA and Big Shoulders Fund Northwest Indiana can create opportunities with long-term benefits for future students.
“I’m very excited about this,” Jones said. “The students’ willingness to learn, communicate and express vulnerability is refreshing. We really wanted to emphasize how important it can be to work as a team.”
YMCA Camp Triangle Hills Executive Director of School Age Development Sarah Johnson feels the retreat helped broaden the perspective of the students to expand beyond just their own school.
“High school students often get stuck with what’s next to them,” Johnson said. “We want these future leaders to expand their community by observing different skills and qualities in each other.”
Johnson went to high school at Bishop Noll Institute. She knew that bringing her alma mater together with Andrean High School, one of its biggest rivals, would make for an intriguing experience.
“As soon as we heard that these schools were going to be here, we knew it was going to be interesting,” Johnson said. “The rivalry has been there for decades. To connect these two schools together and recognize there’s an opportunity to be competitive and work together at the same time is what camp is supposed to be about.”
The rivalry primarily stems from sporting events, but both schools were in harmony all day long.
“Bringing two rival schools together is great,” said Jonathan Johnson, student at Bishop Noll Institute. “A lot of us were surprised at first, but I’ve already made some new friends. It’s been a fun experience that’s allowed me to express my thoughts more freely and connect with new individuals who I would probably not have the opportunity to otherwise.”
The students from Andrean High School had similar sentiments. Being able to interact with students from Bishop Noll helped the students from Andrean form new connections and perspectives.
“Working alongside students from Bishop Noll Institute was something that helped me see that I’m a good communicator and I love to socialize,” said Alexis Lockett, a sophomore at Andrean High School. “We were able to agree and cooperate with one another very well. We helped each other out; it’s fun when everyone gets along. I got to know a lot of people.”
Both the YMCA and Big Shoulders Fund Northwest Indiana aligned the activities to incentivize students to try new things and explore uncomfortable settings. Many students came to the retreat with uncertainty but left with new friends and experiences that coincide with the qualities of being a leader.
“We hope to have similar events in the future that provide the opportunity for students to work together and create a community service project that benefits the Region,” Jones said.
For more information on the YMCA Camp Triangle Hills or Big Shoulders Fund Northwest Indiana, visit their websites.
