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College & School Retreat

For more than a decade, school retreats to Bryn Mawr have been a highlight of the year for thousands of students — and maybe even more so for our staff! Dozens of schools visit Bryn Mawr each year for outdoor experience, team building and character development programs. Students learn teamwork, problem-solving and critical thinking skills that they take back to the classroom to help them approach learning and leadership in new ways. We have developed longstanding relationships with many of these schools, and students and teachers alike have found kindred spirits among our staff. Returning students rush off the buses looking for their favorite facilitators, and the legends of previous years’ Bryn Mawr retreats are passed down from class to class.

Team Building

We are pleased to offer a variety of specific programs that will meet your school retreat needs. Many of our schools opt to devote a significant portion of their time at Bryn Mawr to our team building programs. Our flexible curricula and facilities allow us to accommodate any age group at any time of year. Team building programs are particularly beneficial for groups in transition — seventh graders, for example, looking to set the tone for the upcoming year, or ninth graders preparing to embrace the upcoming challenge of high school.

Many of our optional recreational activities incorporate and reinforce team building skills, including wacky Olympics and running “The Gauntlet,” our ultimate challenge course. We also provide participants with plenty of time to enjoy the outdoors or join our staff in a game of ultimate Frisbee. Many of our school groups have established their own traditions, including talent shows, campfires, dances, boat races, and students vs. Bryn Mawr staff football games.

“Village Community School's annual trip to Bryn Mawr is a much-anticipated and exciting event in our school community. Very frequently, students define their year-long identity as 6th, 7th or 8th graders by the experiences they had during our 3-day trip. They often revisit special memories or apply things they learned while there. The staff is warm and welcoming, the facilities are spectacular, and the activities are fun and challenging. The feeling of community that we create while there is one that stays strong throughout the entire year. The bonds that are formed, the friendships that are started, the strengths that are found, and the challenges that are overcome - it is these intangible gains that make Bryn Mawr such a special place.”

Jessica Spielberger
Principal, Village Community School