The High School Retreat Is Over- Now What? Practical Follow-up Programs for Small, Medium, and Large Schools

By Chris Miller

The scene is very familiar—Teenagers become excited about what they learned on the retreat and promise to take this knowledge and bring about change within themselves and the community. After a few weeks, it’s all forgotten. The High School Retreat is Over--Now What? Practical Follow-up programs for Small, Medium, and Large Schools addresses this problem by providing surveys for staff and students to develop a retreat program unique to the school. Twenty proven activities that reaffirm the commitments on the retreat covering individual, group, and leadership building provide the basis for meaningful projects and activities. In addition, chapters focus on model retreat programs for small, medium, and large schools and describe retreat programs in fifty high schools throughout the United States.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Robert Miller
• Release date: Nov 4, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005005429

Chris Miller

I am a religious studies teacher at a Catholic High School in the San Francisco Bay Area. Most recently, I worked for Catholic Charities Santa Clara County supporting the Community Action Poverty Simulation program as well as serving as the youth and young adult coordinator at a 5,000 member family parish in San Jose, CA. Prior to this position, I taught theology and served as director of the campus ministry at a Catholic boarding school in Connecticut. Also,I worked as the Director of Youth Ministry at a Catholic parish in Palo Alto and worked as a middle school teacher in Gilroy and San Jose, CA. My doctoral dissertation focused on the Kairos retreat.

Book preview

The High School Retreat Is Over- Now What?

Practical Follow-up Programs for Small, Medium, and Large Schools

Chris Miller

Copyright 2009, by Chris Miller

License Notes: This eBook is licensed for your your personal enjoyment only and may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this eBook with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. Thank you for respecting the hard work of the authors.

I gratefully acknowledge the support of the numerous people who supported me along the way in the development of this booklet. Without their help, this project would not have been possible. Special thanks to Suzanne Hoinski at Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose, Fr. Ed Harris in the California Provincial Office, Paul LeBoeuf at Jesuit High School in Sacramento, and Sarah Curran at St. Ignatius High School in San Francisco. A big thank you to Peggy Crawford at Brebeuf Jesuit High School in Indianapolis for the invitation to attend a Kairos Retreat—the generosity Peggy showed me will never be forgotten.

I also want to acknowledge the many campus ministers who answered questions and helped me in my quest to understand follow-up effective opportunities for our young people.

This project was inspired by my experiences at Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, and a big thank you to Dick Howard, Tom Motroni, and Steve Scott for their generosity and support along the way.

I would also like to thank my Father, Robert Miller, for all of his support and encouragement throughout the process, as well as Joe Pirzynski for his guidance.

Contents

Detailed Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Survey Of Institutional Resources

Chapter 2: Analysis Of Data

Chapter 3: Follow-up Retreat Programs for Groups

Chapter 4: Follow-up Retreat Programs for Individuals

Chapter 5: Follow-up Retreat Programs for Developing Leadership

Chapter 6: The Importance Of Follow-up

References

Appendix A: Survey Of Institutional Resources.

Appendix B: Student Letter Of Intent

Appendix C: Sample Program: Small-sized High School (Less than 900 Students)

Appendix D: Sample Program: Medium-sized High School (900-1400 Students)

Appendix E: Sample Program: Large-sized High School (More than 1400 Students)

Appendix F: Survey Data

About the Author

Detailed *Table of *Contents

*Chapter 1: Survey Of Institutional Resources

Institutional Resources

Finances

Physical Facilities

Staff

Time/Student Needs

*Chapter 2: Analysis Of Data

*Chapter 3: Follow-up Retreat Programs for Groups

Student Letter Of Intent

Hold a one-time reunion with pizza and cookies

Hold ongoing follow-up meetings

Provide for follow-up in religion class or advisory meetings

Offer a follow-up retreat

Weekly/monthly masses for previous retreatants.

Letter writing parties

Christian life community

Monthly social justice awareness day

Service immersion trips

Prayer partners at the retreat

*Chapter 4: Follow-up Retreat Programs for Individuals

Meeting regularly with a spiritual director/counselor

Writing letters to the next group of students going on retreat.

Writing a letter to self that will be sent later

Writing e-mails or using social media sites with retreat alumni

Journaling

*Chapter 5: Follow-up Retreat Programs for Developing Leadership

Planning/leading