Schools most commonly focus on guiding a student through the intellectual and the physical aspects of the teen years, but can lack an emotional support system. At St. Michael's Catholic Academy, we are in the unique position to be able to address the spiritual and emotional lives of our students as well. We do this through several channels, ranging from school-wide efforts to coaching individual students through their own spiritual journey.
The process begins with a freshman orientation retreat called Fish Camp. The retreat is run by upperclassmen, faculty and campus ministers to introduce new students to the St. Michael’s Community. This allows new students to be introduced and engage with each other in a non-school environment through games, a ropes course and other activities. It also enriches the older students St. Michael's experience as an opportunity to lead and mentor their younger peers.
Toward the conclusion of a student's St. Michael's experience we offer Kairos (divine calling) retreats. These 4-day Christian awakening retreats are offered to upperclassmen several times per year. The retreats provide guidance and self-reflective time for students to seek those gifts from God which reside in everyone, and which we have an obligation to find and use to our greatest ability. In these ways we encourage both a sense of responsibility and spiritual obligation which we hope students will carry with them past the walls St. Michael's through their entire life.