Each year our YELLS teens embark on a journey of self-discovery and teamwork as the Mentoring “Bigs” and Community Action Café Scholars join together for an intensive weekend retreat in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The retreat focuses on servant-leadership and building upon YELLS’s core values while strengthening family ties among our older students.
Welcome to camp!
As we arrived at the camp, students were instructed to remove their shoes and socks, as the initiation process began. The tone for the weekend was set, as each student was challenged to go “all in” and walk through a pathway of “guck” as they entered the threshold of camp. Our fearless YELLS teens encouraged and cheered on their peers until each student made it through. Let the games begin!
Opening Ceremony
The first night, the students were introduced to our theme for the weekend, The Hunger Games! The teens were called up one-by-one as they were given bandannas and necklaces and placed in their “district” during the opening ceremony. Each district was assigned a YELLS value that they pledged to demonstrate for the weekend: Servant – Leadership, Professionalism, Positivity, Energy & Enthusiasm, Uplifting Others, Going Above & Beyond. May the odds be ever in your favor…
Competition was fierce among the districts as they sent tributes to compete for their honor and the YELLS Hunger Games Challenge, but all represented well and lived out their YELLS Values even through the trials – and even when it got messy…
Bonding by Firelight
Each night our teens shared incredible personal stories of perseverance, forgiveness, and hopes for the future. The annual candlelight campfire ceremony was a powerful time of bonding and storytelling as each YELLS Hunger Games tribute was challenged to share “What are you hungry for?” and “How will you keep your light shining?”
Alive, Awake, Alert, and Motivated
Sometimes we need a little motivation, and no YELLS Retreat is complete without the voices of our Bigs and Cafe Scholars echoing through the mountains!
Reflecting and Sharing Our Stories
The beautiful Blue Ridge mountains provide the perfect environment for reflection and visioning. Our teens were challenged to think about the important people, places, and values that define them, ultimately charting their Life Map. Youth reflected on their Servant-Leadership journey, where they are now, and where they want to go.
More than Fun and Games!
Camp was a great opportunity to show that learning about leadership can be fun! The districts competed in a series of challenges throughout the weekend including messy games and water relay races. Each activity focused on teaching how to use the tools we have to make impact in our community and work together to uplift each other when things get tough.
The YELLS Mentoring Bigs had time to plan their service project focus for the year, while the Café Scholars found out which Apprenticeship Team they will be serving on this year as the manage their Community Action Cafe. Teens had just completed resumes and interviews before the retreat, and they were eager to hear the roles they landed!
We ended the Games with an awards ceremony. The Red district took Grand prize for the most points earned during the weekend, but each district had a team member who was awarded for their dedication to upholding their district’s YELLS value. Once our young leaders had the opportunity to award medals to their peers who exemplified YELLS values, it was clear they had become a true family and true servant leaders.
The annual YELLS Retreat is just the beginning of our youth’s Servant-Leadership journey. As they return to our Franklin Gateway community, they are prepared to bring the lessons they learned with them. YELLS Bigs and Cafe Scholars will push through their trials, find their parachute, and continue to uplift others along the way.
