Carlmont’s Associated Student Body spent the weekend of Nov. 10 in Jones Gulch for their annual retreat. The service council spent Nov. 10 and Nov. 11 at the camp and the activities council went on Nov. 11 and Nov. 12.
The retreat was filled with various challenges and team building activities to help strengthen the bond among the members.
“The two main goals of the retreat are to create a tighter bond in the group as well as leadership development,” said Activities Director Jim Kelly.
A large portion of the retreat is dedicated to the ropes course, in which team members must work together to successfully complete both the low and high challenges. The low courses usually take place on the ground, while the high courses occur about 60 feet above the ground.
In the high courses, the group would have to climb a ladder connected to two trees without falling down the 60-foot drop.
Becky Kosovsky and Valerie Wang, both juniors, help each other complete the high elements of the ropes course.
ASB’s service council members work through one of the difficult trust activities.
In addition to the ropes course, ASB participated in team bonding activities and a talent show. One of the activities ASB did right after they arrived at the camp was a trust fall.
The activities encouraged the team to rely on and trust each other both physically and mentally. The exercises also require leadership skills, which are critical in ASB.
“You had to be really supportive and encouraging, and everyone was working on getting closer. When we got into groups, everyone branched out to be with different people, and we spent a lot of time together,” said Recognition commissioner and sophomore Samantha Phan.
After each activity, the groups shared what was done well and what to improve on.
This retreat is one of two field trips ASB attends during the year. The second field trip is at the end of the school year and is designed to welcome the incoming ASB members to the existing group.
“A lot of the activities require special bonds that have been created before that allow the group to successfully complete the challenges, especially the ones 60 feet above the ground,” said Kelly.
