“Setting Sail for a Lifetime of Friendship” was the theme of the eighth grade retreat at St. Anthony’s Retreat Center on Oct. 11. Students learned the importance of maintaining healthy relationships with their peers even in times of struggle.

Activities focused on the qualities students look for in a friend and how they can best exemplify these attributes themselves.

Eighth grader Dorothy Sanidad said, “My favorite activity was the skit. I wasn’t really close to the girls in my group, but after working with them, I got to know who they are and felt more comfortable around them.”

Madeline Sing agreed with her.

“Even though my immediate friends and I weren’t in the same groups, we each enjoyed ourselves with the people we didn’t know too well prior to the retreat. Our time at St. Anthony’s Retreat Center will definitely affect the relationships between classmates in the future,” said Sing.

Students start identifying their values in Junior High, a time when they are greatly influenced by the people around them. The retreat encouraged eighth graders to surround themselves with people who support their beliefs and promote individual growth.

LIFE team member Tiare Sadarananda said, “I enjoyed coordinating this retreat and helping the girls build new friendships. Hopefully, what they’ve learned will continue to impact their decisions, positively shaping the young women they will soon become.”