On Wednesday August 10 and Thursday August 11, McKinney Christian Academy’s Upper School students headed out to Riverbend Retreat center for the annual high school retreat. This retreat gave students the opportunity to grow closer with their class as well as their small groups. The seniors left a day early to have their own time as a class. Students gathered together with no teachers and had the chance to open up with one another. Senior Belle Kanz adds that “I really enjoyed that seniors had a day to ourselves to grow closer as a class without distractions. The senior talk was very impactful as it allowed a space for the class to talk through issues and agree to make our last year great.”

Students are divided by gender into small group of about 10 to 15 people. In these small groups, there are discussions, prayer requests and friendships made between grades. The retreat opened up with joining in small groups and for new students to get to know their leader and their peers. This year, a sister group and a brother group joined together to create a lip-sync battle in a competition against the other groups. Throughout the year, there will be many competitions where winners will receive points to their small groups score. New freshman Audrey Wedemeyer said that, “as a new student, I loved getting to know my leader and the other girls in my group. I had so much fun making our lip sync for the battle.” After some small group bonding and planning for performances, students got to have free time.

During free time, students had the opportunity to explore the retreat center, go on a nature walk, play games and hang out with their friends. After free time and dinner, it was time for the guest speaker, Adrian Despres, to give his sermon through an analogy of four chairs. Despres talked to students about the importance of passion for Jesus Christ. We are called to be set apart and that our lives show a life of being on fire for Jesus, not lukewarm. Students broke into small groups again to debrief and share their thoughts on the message. Director of Student Ministries and Student Activities, Rebekah Bennett, said that “the student response to the message Thursday night was my favorite part of retreat. To see students praying and making commitments to the Lord makes all the work worthwhile. My prayer is that we can come alongside our students to love them and help them grow in their relationship with Christ.” Shortly after, the lip-sync battle took place to end the night with the winning group performing “Eye of the Tiger.”

The following morning, students gathered together one last time to listen to a devotional from Upper School Principal Laura Smith and singing the fight song. This retreat gave students time to have fun and grow closer as brothers and sisters in Christ before the school year begins.