Abraham Lincoln High School is the only school that participates in an AP retreat.

The 2016 AP retreat consisted of the following: educational sessions, motivational speeches, campfires, designated cabin-made skits, team building activities, and personal strength building activities.

On Friday, March 18, AP students boarded buses and traveled to the Camp Campbell site in the Santa Cruz mountains. Once they got to the site, lunch was to be eaten and luggage was to be picked up. Each designated group had a set schedule to either go to a session or to an activity. All sessions were taught by AP teachers for their classes, ranging from: Ms. Detra, Mrs. Gurash, Mr. Cullison, to Mr. Adas, and more. Some counselors, office staff, and non-AP teachers attended the retreat as well, including: Mr. Hewitson, Ms. Stine, Sr. Luz., Mr. Guzman, Mr. Wan, Ms. Butler, and more.

The cabins accommodated all students. The girls got the 49er cabins — located near the stream and below the towering trees. The boys got the Tree Top cabins — located high among the tall redwood trees. Each cabin sleeps around 14-18 people, bunk bed style; each bed has its own window and lamp. The cabins are equipped with heaters, private restrooms and electricity.

One activity was going on the High Ropes Course. This course is attached to 5 giant redwood trees, at a thrilling 35 feet above floor level. It consists of seven individual elements, including a 150-foot zip line ride. Each element had a different style and difficulty. This course was daunting and invigorating, once you achieved getting across all courses, you have a sense of relief and self-poise. These courses were significant in helping one learn to embrace progress — one step at a time. The second activity was the rock climbing wall. The wall stands about 20 feet high, with variable rocks scattered across it. There are two sides to it, that way two people could climb at once: Ryan Webber — Senior, even raced his friend on their way up! This rock climbing wall helped students gain the personal confidence that trumps tension, even in stressful situations like these.

All in all, the AP retreat was a successful trip. We hope to see you attend next year!

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