Freshmen Class Retreat at DaySpring Conference Camp
Each year the Shorecrest freshmen class participates in a 2 day-1 night trip to a Pathfinder Camp Site (either Cedarkirk in Lithia or DaySpring in Parrish). This year we will go to DaySpring Conference Center in Parrish, Florida (Bradenton). The students and their teachers participate in a series of outdoor experiences designed to enhance unity and leadership amongst the class. The classes are run by the Pathfinders Outdoor Education staff who are terrific with the kids. In addition to having a lot of fun, the retreat enables the teachers and students to get to know one another outside of the classroom setting. If you have any questions or comments regarding the retreat, please email Lisa Peck at lpeck@shorecrest.org
Freshmen Retreat Goals:

1. Community Building

The core of any strong community, especially among youth, is collaboration and shared experiences. Participation in the Freshmen Pathfinder Retreat will enable the class to develop collaborative relationships among each other, increase effective communication skills, foster support among class members (both new and returning), and improve group decision-making.

2. Leadership Development

Develop strong youth leaders among our class and challenge all youth to become true leaders. Participation in the Freshmen Pathfinder Retreat will enable the students to identify personal leadership characteristics, discover effective leadership styles for diverse groups, and apply intentional leadership techniques.

3. Develop Outdoor Comfort Level & Skills

Challenge youth to increase their comfort in the outdoors and to draw on their courage as they respond to perceived emotional and physical risks. Follow this path to provide opportunity for youth to transform frustration into action, identify both group and individual skills and abilities, think critically to develop solutions, and develop confidence through outdoor living skills.

4. Understanding Diversity

Help youth meaningfully understand their truly diverse world of today. Participation in the Freshmen Pathfinder Retreat will increase youths’ ability to work with students & faciliators whose ethnicity and culture are different from themselves. The program includes deepening an awareness of self, valuing differences of cultures other than one’s own, fostering inclusion in a diverse group, and being an ally for others.

5. Inspire Learning Through Creative Arts, History, Social Studies, Science, and the Environment.

Pathfinder experience inspires life-long learning through opportunities to increase youths' knowledge and skills within the areas of Creative Arts, History & Social Studies, or Science & Environment. Follow this path to increase knowledge of topic areas, foster inquiry that strengthens learning, develop critical-thinking skills, and encourage personal responsibility for our world.

6. Personal Wellbeing

Caring for self is the foundation for youth to be able to access effective learning. Particapation in the Freshmen Retreat will encourage physical and emotional self-care, to creatively resolve conflicts for mutual benefits, and to make healthier life choices.

 

 

 

Accomodations:

There are four youth cabins named Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John. Each has two spacious sleeping areas with separate shower and bathroom facilities. The sleeping areas are equipped with eight bunk beds. A large common room connects the two sleeping rooms. The chaperones (Shorecrest faculty & Mr. Manella) live in the cabins with the kids.

Youth Cabin Sleeping Room

Youth Cabin Common Room

Dining Room: All locations offer all-you-can-eat meals in climate-controlled dining rooms. DaySpring typically provides a buffet including at least two entrée choices and extensive salad bar, including soup, and freshly baked deserts and ice cream bar. Beverages are self-service and include several juices, fruit punch, lemonade, tea and coffee. A soda machine is on-site for your convenience.
DaySpring Camp phone number: 888-314-5744
Camp Address: 8411 25th St E Parrish, Fl. 34219
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