- Student Blog
When students hear the phrase “school is starting,” some smile while others wish they could hold on to summer just a little longer. But before school gets back in session and homework begins to pile up, Bear Creek high schoolers look forward to the annual bonding trip, Icebreaker.
Last year, Icebreaker became integrated with the House system. Many of the activities and challenges at Icebreaker are House-oriented, with the five Houses battling it out in hopes to win the Icebreaker Cup (and for the glory of being the victorious House). This year, some of the activities included waterfront games, a water balloon slingshot, night mission, and the hunt for other House “strongholds.”
Furthermore, each Icebreaker has a theme that is carried on throughout the year, and this year’s theme was “unite.” Although competition is a large aspect of Icebreaker, the ability for each House to unite not only with its own members but with other Houses as well is equally as important. Unity will be a central theme in Bear Creek’s Upper School this fall and will continue to remind us to work together as servants of God throughout the school year.
I spoke to senior Abby Campbell, who is one of House Robinson’s two House heads, about her experience at Icebreaker this year. She mentioned that, “Although it is in my job description to be happy and excited all the time about House, it came naturally. I was already very happy and excited about Icebreaker anyways.” Being a House head entails a lot of responsibility and helps students grow in his or her leadership skills. Each House has different people who have diverse character traits that make up the House’s personality. “I like Robinson House,” Abby told me, “because we are a very spirited house. Like Mr. Schuldt (the Upper School history teacher and Robinson House Dean), we are very energetic about everything we do but aren’t unsportsmanlike about it.”
One example from Icebreaker where both House heads and members demonstrated house pride was a challenge called night mission. In night mission, all students race to get as many stamps on their “passports” from various locations as they can within a certain time frame. This challenge requires speed, determination, and a good ability to navigate in the dark. Whoever wins this challenge gains points towards the legendary House Cup, which last year was won by House Hildegard!
When I asked Abby about a specific time she felt she bonded with her housemates, she said, “Searching for the strongholds.” Each House decorated a small stronghold box that they hid somewhere on the camp, and it was the goal of each House to find the other Houses’ strongholds in exchange for points. During the activity, Abby said she would “go out in a group of four freshmen and a junior, who I feel like I’m definitely friends with now. We literally went through the woods to find these boxes together, and it was such an interesting bonding experience.”
Bianca Quilliam, a freshman, talked with me about her favorite part of Icebreaker as well. As someone who is new to the house system, Bianca shared her perspective and still displayed the same house spirit as Abby or any other student would. “My favorite part was probably the water activities, because everyone was cheering each other on.” Bianca was a part of the water activities at Icebreaker, representing her house, House Athanasius, in the inner tube flip game. “I was really nervous, but it was also really nice to hear everyone cheering me on in the background!” This sort of support and encouragement was evident all throughout Icebreaker by students from different grades, and even from different houses.
In the end, Icebreaker and the House System boil down to more than just winning games. According to Bianca, “In each house, everybody has fun; everyone supports each other. It’s not about winning. Of course, everyone wants to win, but we focus more on supporting one another and I think that’s really great.”
What Bianca explained to me is definitely a key element to what Icebreaker is all about. Though we’re all in different Houses, we are still one school; one student body; and all brothers and sisters in Christ. In my experience in House, I find that each House really bonds throughout the school year, but it all stems from Icebreaker. New freshmen are welcomed in, and seniors make the best of their last year being in a House. In the words of Abby Campbell, “the community that House is developing has made Icebreaker a lot of fun.”
Image Credit:
Group Picture and Mattress Surfing: Siena Cysewski
Mr. Schuldt: Zach Carlson
Water Games: Lily Parker