The entire eighth grade class participated in the second annual Eighth Grade Pilgrimage Retreat on Tuesday, September 24, along the Snoqualmie Valley Trail. The students were accompanied by their Mentor teachers and Campus Ministry and Student Life team members.

This pilgrimage retreat, modeled after the High School Senior Pilgrimage (one of EC’s oldest and most beloved retreats), is an approximately five-mile walk with periodic stops for talks led by high school students, discussion groups, prayer, food and rest. Students walked for about four hours before arriving at Camp Don Bosco and joined the sixth grade students for Mass.

The pilgrimage experience is a metaphor for a student’s journey through eighth grade and into high school. As "pilgrims," students had an opportunity to explore influences on their past, their attitudes toward the present, their concerns about the future and the role that God plays in their life journey. Students built relationships with classmates and reflected on how to be leaders and role models in middle school.

Retreats are often a highlight for students, faculty and staff!

View additional eighth grade retreat photos on our Facebook page. Discover the retreats students participate in throughout their EC school experience.