The Salesian Leadership Retreat, also known as SLR, is a retreat that seven junior students from ILS and other Salesian schools get nominated for every fall and spring in New Jersey. This specific retreat in the fall is called the October Leadership Retreat also known as OLR. At this retreat, students of different Salesian high schools come together to share the Salesian spirit and learn about different ways on how they each express their faith.
The retreat models the four pillars of the oratory of Don Bosco: home, school, parish, and playground. Each day on the retreat is dedicated to one pillar of the oratory. Students on one day played Salesian games against other schools and on other days participated in religious prayer services such as adoration, confession, and daily Mass.
This retreat brings out the very best in the junior students, cultivating new friendships and bonds. This retreat allowed for students to meet others from across the country and grow closer with their own school family.
Junior Emma Larralde explains her feelings on SLR and the impact it made on her: Emma tells the Royal Courier on how SLR changed her in just a week. Her spiritual journey was expanded on this trip and so did her friendships with those around her.
Other students in the retreat also felt as if the retreat was a vital moment in their lifetime.
Another junior from the trip, Emma Gonzalez, states the importance of SLR for her: Emma Gonzalez felt as if the retreat reshaped her life and showed her a new side of experiences she never had before.
Many of the students from the trip shared similar views on the importance of the SLR trip, but it is also important to value the experiences and viewpoints of the chaperones.
Director of Student Support Programs at ILS and one of the chaperones of the SLR trip, Dr. Dennise Leyva states the effect the journey had on both herself and students: “Students will grow as leaders by learning how to serve others in the spirit of St. John Bosco. Through reflection, community-building, and faith-filled experiences, students will develop responsibility, confidence, and empathy. By the end of the retreat, students will be more prepared to lead with kindness and make a positive impact in their school and community. As a chaperone, I experienced a wide range of emotions throughout the retreat. I felt joyful watching students open up, grow in their faith, and build strong bonds with one another. I felt proud when I saw them step into leadership roles and support their peers with compassion. There were moments when I felt reflective during prayer and group sharing, as the retreat environment encouraged my own spiritual growth as well. At times, I did feel tired from the responsibilities of supervision, but that feeling was outweighed by a deep sense of fulfillment in guiding students and being part of their transformative journey. Overall, I experienced a retreat that was emotionally rewarding and inspiring, reminding me why accompanying young people is so meaningful.”
Dr. Leyva felt an excessive amount of emotion for her students and was proud of the leadership they showcased throughout the trip, opening themselves up as Salesians and future leaders.
