After a year of being absent, Snowball members and sponsors are preparing to take on a three-day weekend in Laredo Taft from Jan. 18 to 20.

“Snowball is a weekend retreat where we (leaders and students) go to Laredo Taft and we work with small groups and it’s led by two teen leaders and an adult leader in each small group,” Snowball sponsor Krysta Schoenbeck said.

The leaders were chosen after going through an interview process.

Schoenbeck believes the goal is to help students make smart and positive choices in their lives as well as working together to make a stronger community.

“(Through Snowball I have learned) that it is okay to make mistakes but let’s learn from our mistakes and become a better person and realize that we’re here for one another and that you’re never alone,” Schoenbeck said. “And if you ever need someone you’ll have a good group of students or teachers to meet with if you ever need anything at any time.”

Staff members going on the trip are Schoenbeck, English teachers Jen Culbertson, Kyle Etheridge, and Lauren Stewart, MIS database administrator Beth Schuck, math teachers Charles Vokes and Emily Kordick, special education teacher Tim Dovichi, social worker Jeffery Anderson, science teacher Christina Sladek and world languages teacher Mark Poulterer.

While on the trip, students and staff participate in multiple activities.

“A lot of time is spent in a small group and it’s a variety of participants. We have a speaker come out and we do workshops on the morning of Saturday. Basically, it’s a great weekend for us to unwind, rejuvenate as both students and teachers,” Schoenbeck said.  

Schoenbeck invites students to participate because “it is a great opportunity to meet a lot of students that maybe you wouldn’t have known through your classes.”

Applications to attend are available in the student activity center and are offered to all grade levels.

“We take a maximum of 100 students every year and it costs $140 to go,” Schoenbeck said. “We do have scholarships available if money is an issue because we don’t want anybody not to come because they can’t afford it.”

Student applications are due on Dec. 21.

Students will leave on Jan. 18 after eighth period.