Shot in the Name of Leadership

 By Joycelyn Fung

With the sound of paintballs whistling overhead, paint splattering on helmets, and thuds of bullets marking their targets, masked figures scrambled to claim a victory in a war that waged amongst a group of students who otherwise seemed to get along pretty well.

Last Friday, the Leadership Development Class left for a retreat to bond, learn about leadership, and set their mindsets for the year ahead. The group of students, gathered in a questionable array of clothing, were ready to brave the first lesson of the trip: paintballing. Taking to the battlegrounds, students could let loose while firing enthusiastically at one another with no signs of remorse. Even Mr. Tom Penland, who joined them, fully embraced the ordeal and skilfully disposed of any unsuspecting victim.

Cheerfully recounting the trip, Sharon Kang (12) boasted, "My favorite part of the trip was shooting my roommate in the head!"

Following paintballing, the students shared a meal at Viva Stalls, where they continued to play games and solidify their bond as a class. Once full of food and laughter, they journeyed back to the retreat centre where Mr. JJ Davis led a session on the values of leadership. Using the sports field as a learning experience for life, he broke down the core values into four key points: to be willing, to commit, to give your best effort, and to have a growth mindset, all leading to glorifying God.

Mr. Davis shared that these core values represent his vision for Dalat's athletic department, and he explained that these values not only apply to athletics but also lead us to succeed in life.

Encouraged from the day, the Leadership Development Class treasured what Mr. Davis shared. Evan Juday (12) expressed, "I struggle with finding the motivation to start things, and I am prone to just letting projects go, so hearing what he (Mr. Davis) had to say about staying committed to what you say you're gonna do was really helpful for me and got me thinking about how I should approach tasks or goals."

After the session, the class enjoyed a campfire on the beach where they made s’mores and sang worship songs. Lauren Worten (12) took full advantage of the ocean and said, "I enjoyed throwing Joycelyn into the ocean!"

Despite the fatigue, students continued bonding as Haylee Douglas (12) shared, "My favorite part was eating candy and singing with my friends in our pajamas." Worn out from a day full of activities, the students wound down for the next day.

Inspired for the year and filled with goals and aspirations, students returned the next day after another session and an array of team-building activities on the beach. As Eleanor Emis (12) shared, "I hope to build a community at Dalat (and even outside) that can lean on and encourage each other."

Decorated with a collection of bruises, the newly bonded Leadership Development Class was now more ready than ever to "Compete Today, Win Forever!"

Paintballing, Photo Credit: War Museum

S’mores and worship, Photo Credit: Sister (Ms. Henderson)