As the crucial academic year of the secondary school certificate benchmarks approaches, the students of Class 10th stepped away from their standard routines to embark on a highly anticipated two-day educational and spiritual retreat. The journey began at the break of dawn on July 17th for Std 10th A, accompanied by Fr. Ronald, Sir Francis and Tr. Snehal, while Std 10th B on July 21st accompanied by Fr. Melwin, Sir. Shrikrishna and Tr. Neha.
By 9:00 AM, our bus rolled into the serene, palm-lined avenues of the Don Bosco Animation Centre in Benaulim. The campus turned into a colourful panorama as the entire class donned their respective school house T-shirts—creating a beautiful display of green, blue, red, and yellow. Following a hearty breakfast, the class was structured into seven distinct groups to prepare for the educational itinerary.
The first day was packed with diverse insights from the Don Bosco Fathers. Fr. Simao opened the day with an introspective session exploring faith and the metaphors of life. Following a brief mid-morning recess, Mr. Noah conducted a detailed career guidance seminar, showcasing an expansive list of modern vocational pathways. Post-lunch, Fr. Bernardino delivered a powerful presentation on environmental conservation, highlighting the contrast between the past and present day. Translating awareness into action, the seven groups designed creative, impactful charts on vital themes like “Save Water, Save Life,” “Pollution,” and “Peace, Unity, and Harmony.”
At 4:15 PM, the focus shifted to Benaulim beach, where Fr. Austin challenged the teams to an intricate A-to-Z sea item scavenger hunt, followed by a memorable group photoshoot. The evening concluded with a delicious dinner and a special screening of the movie Chhichhore, which carried a resonant message about handling academic stress and valuing friendships.
The next day’s morning opened with a review of Chhichhore‘s core lessons, followed by an impactful session by Fr. Austin on mass media literacy and digital focus. Later, Fr. Bernardino spoke candidly about navigating teenage relationships, separating the realities of love from infatuation. The retreat concluded with student chart presentations and an open panel forum featuring Fr. Infancio, Fr. Simao, Fr. Bernardino, and Fr. Ronald, who graciously answered heartfelt questions regarding life and personal choices. Boarding the buses at 4:30 PM, the contingent safely returned through Kudal and reached Oros by 8:00 PM. Class 10th returned home not just with fond memories, but with unified hearts and a collective strength ready to take on the academic milestones ahead.