There is a particular talent needed to deliver an impassioned speech only an hour after the yolks of nine eggs cement themselves to your skin and clothes. One that Paul Gallagher has seemingly mastered.
It was a sign of commitment from the grade dean, reminding Juniors that while the weight of the coming year is real, having a tight community ensures they won’t carry it alone.
This year, 11th graders set off from Nueva in the early morning for their retreat to Guernville. But the bus wouldn’t make it too easy for them; to reach camp, students had to embark on a four-hour canoe journey down the Russian River, pausing for lunch on a rocky beach before their arrival.
Students found many ways to relish in the campsite’s amenities during their free time. “I was surprised by the amount of activities we were able to do,” said Alex Park ‘27.
Some gravitated towards the vast lawn with its volleyball net and basketball hoop, while others threw footballs and frisbees nearby. By the river, a few students tried fishing and managed to pull a small bass.
The carefree energy quickly shifted as STUCO-run advisory games started, with April trip preferences at s
take. The games had consequences for nine of the losers: a raw egg cracked on their head.
The nine students, crowned in dripping gold helmets of egg, earned a unique privilege from this, though—a chance to return the favor to their dean. Thus, after the games, the juniors gathered as, one by one, the “losers” thoroughly baptized him with raw eggs.
Only after this bizarre sequence did the juniors head to dinner. The day came to a close back at the campfire, where students listened to a guiding speech from Gallagher, now delivered with the evidence of his commitment marked in dried yolk on his clothes.
In a conversation after the retreat, Gallagher reflected, “Communities are stronger if people are willing to give themselves over to the group. I don’t expect 16 to 17-year-olds to do that always, but I want them to aspire to it.”
As the fire died down, juniors roasted marshmallows and sang before settling into their tents for the night.
Some students, like Nikhil Sastry ‘27, braved the freezing cold to stargaze. “It was cold, wet, and miserable outside,” Sastry admitted, “but I saw a shooting star!”
The morning brought some advisory time and a classic Nueva appreciation circle. The juniors boarded buses back to campus, holding with them the certainty that they wouldn’t be alone, and a new resolve to a community that carries its weight together.
