Second Baptist School Prefect Trip

In April, when six of my peers and I were chosen to lead the school as Prefects for our senior year, we excitedly prepared ourselves for whatever road lay ahead. Each of us was assigned a unique and important role to leave a lasting mark at SBS.

Our first journey in preparation for the school year was a summer backpacking trip in Snowmass, Colorado. From the moment we received our Prefect titles, we began to train physically and mentally. Dr. Williams gave us a leadership devotional to work through, and we broke in our hiking shoes at Hermann Park.

The Prefect Trip is intended to challenge and grow us as leaders, unite our vision as a team and bond us over hours of quality time together. I was excited and nervous. Of the seven of us heading into the wilderness, six had never done anything like this before. I was ready to be the Publicity Prefect, but first I had to conquer the Colorado mountains. Even our Student Life Prefect and Eagle Scout Jason Daniels had his concerns.

Nevertheless, we packed up our nerves and eagerness and landed at our starting spot, Four Point Trail. We snapped a quick photo and started walking. Head Prefect Kate Steelman remembered the first 30 minutes of the hike.

“As we hiked through a dense valley, Dr. Williams described how in the valley, you can’t see far in front of you because of all the foliage. Yet, when you work your way to the top of the mountain, you can see around you for miles. It was something that I will never forget,” Kate said.

While this quote certainly applied to the physical journey we were on, it also had many implications regarding the obstacles we would face in the upcoming senior year. Simply put, perspective is everything.

For Alyssa Aramburu, our Service Prefect, the tough miles we hiked left much room for bonding with her fellow classmates.

“When you don’t have anything other than nature and the nine people you are with, you bond very quickly,” she said. “Some of the best memories I have from the trip are sitting around the camp in hammocks with the other Prefects. I have never laughed so hard in my life. It was pure, natural joy.”

One of the more physically strenuous legs of the hike, Buckskin Pass, certainly did its number on us. We were excited to conquer it, though, since we knew it was the spot where the Prefects take a picture every year in celebration of the experience. For Jason Daniels, this was his favorite memory.

“The views from the top of the pass were worth the strain of climbing it,” Jason said. “Having my picture taken where every Prefect before me had taken theirs made me feel as if I were becoming part of the legacy.”

This journey pushed us beyond our limits. The challenges we confronted and conquered benefitted each of us individually and as a group. Academic Prefect Jaret Prothro discussed how the trip prepared him to lead.

“I found that it’s in these difficult settings that I learn the most about myself,” Jaret explained. “I learned more about how I work and how I work with others that will translate to helping my committee and the student body this year.” 

It’s hard to fully explain the bond and personal growth that occurred as we were surrounded by the sights and sounds of God’s untouched creation. There is an air of mystery that surrounds the Prefect Trip. It’s best not knowing what to expect, so that you can fully experience each moment as it comes.

Through the pains and struggles of the hike, we stuck together and formed an unprecedented bond. Looking back, my fear of slowing my peers down was unfounded. Making our own way and doing it together was the reason for the journey and what made every moment count.