Peak Experiences

This month, sixth and ninth graders kicked off their annual leadership journey at Camp Merrowvista. Set against the backdrop of New Hampshire’s Ossipee Mountains, the retreat gives students the opportunity to step away from campus, explore what authentic leadership means to them, and set intentional goals for the year ahead, empowering them to make a positive impact on our school community. While each class has its own Merrowvista experience, the two classes overlapped midweek for a morning of games and activities, giving the older and younger students a chance to get to know one another and build connections that they will bring back to campus this year.

For sixth graders, the retreat provides space to reflect on who they want to be during their final year of Lower School while bonding in nature—an especially meaningful experience for students who are new to Fay. A central goal of the trip is to encourage students to step out of their comfort zones and realize they can tackle hard things.

Dean of Lower School Kara Mertz points to the high ropes course as a defining moment, thanks to its "challenge by choice" design. “You get to choose which element will push you in the exact way you need,” says Kara, noting that most students come away proud of conquering a goal that might have felt out of reach. The course also teaches self-advocacy and mutual support. “Students learn to articulate what they need when facing a challenge,” adds Kara. For example, some discover that loud cheering is actually distracting for them, and expressing that and listening to others in turn is important growth. Students also go on a mountain hike as part of the trip, and experiencing that challenge and conquering it together makes the achievement feel even more special. At the top, students take time to journal and connect their physical achievements to their broader leadership goals. These goals could range from immediate steps, like speaking up more in class, to longer-term aspirations, like serving as a Color President in ninth grade. “They take the time to reflect on who they are and who they want to become,” says Kara. “Ultimately, we want them to realize they have the agency to shape their own path.”

Ninth graders centered their Merrowvista experience on discovering their personal leadership styles and understanding how their strengths contribute to a group. Through a Leadership Compass activity, students identified their own leadership style and aligned themselves with one of four cardinal traits: North (action and assertiveness), South (empathy and values), East (creativity and big-picture vision), or West (analysis and thoughtful execution). By discussing each style's strengths and limitations, students recognized that effective teams need every point on the compass to be successful.

They put these insights into practice during complex team-building challenges, which required them to navigate setbacks, elevate quieter voices, and rely on one another. For Ninth Grade Dean Courtney Sargent, the retreat showcased both individual achievements and collective growth. “It was powerful watching students step outside their comfort zones, whether dangling 20 feet in the air to reach that next foothold, or working through a web of ropes as a group to achieve a shared victory,” she reflects.