This week I had the opportunity to participate as a volunteer small group leader at an exceptional event — the Courage Retreat.
The Courage Retreat has been operating annually for the last 14 years. All sixth grade students at Forestview Middle School get to attend this day-long motivational experience. Recently, we had 125 sixth graders come together with 16 adults to learn about what it means to be courageous.
The retreat was led by three staff from Courage Frontiers. These staff had an exceptional ability to get the sixth graders engaged in fun group games and activities. The excitement generated by these activities were then paired with large group inspirational messages and small group discussion about the emotional and social challenges that middle schoolers face. I was amazed at the ability of these youths to speak up about the sometimes unhealthy experience of being in sixth grade, and then come to understand they can and do have the courage to make their various relationships better.
Kudos to Trudi Storbakken and the staff at Forestview for their leadership in organizing this pro-social, resiliency building event.
