Under the tall pines of Yosemite’s high country, more than 35 students and faculty from Los Medanos College’s honors program traded textbooks for trail maps, swapping classrooms for campfires. The three-day retreat to Camp Tuolumne Trails offered students more than just fresh air—it was a chance to build community, challenge themselves in nature, and experience the kind of hands-on learning that has become the hallmark of the honors program.

Students left campus Friday afternoon in cars driven by students and faculty. Upon arrival at Camp Tuolumne Trails, students unpacked and settled into the night by doing icebreakers.

There were workshops for students to partake in, consisting of activities that allowed students to truly take in their atmosphere of nature for the weekend. Puente Co-Ordinator and Professor Yollotl Lopez, held a writing in nature workshop.

She explains her thought process behind the workshop. “I structured the workshop to begin with using our five senses outside to absorb nature and then coming back inside to do the writing. I hope that helped students learn how to focus on their surroundings and listen to what nature had to tell them,” Lopez said.

Professor Eric Sanchez held a teamwork exercise on drawing a professor’s face divided into 12 squares. The goal was for students to collaborate amongst one another as they practiced drawing on the paper.

Saturday afternoon was filled with laughs and activities. There was leisure time for students to fully relax and do whatever their hearts desired. From swimming in the pool, to archery with Professor Cynthia McGrath, sports on the grass field, basketball, volleyball, card games, table tennis and being able to hang out with friends and classmates. All leading up to the dinner of the night.

Moments such as these are what brings students across grade levels and majors together. The Co-communications and publicity ambassador for the honors club, Adrian Ochoa mentions the highlight of the retreat, “I had a blast at the retreat where I had fun, laughter, enjoyment of nature, stargazing, and staying up all night enjoying the company and conversations with my fellow classmates,” Ochoa said.

Sunday morning, it was time for the final hike. Students hiked to Lake Elizabeth. Making their way up, students got the chance to enjoy the beautiful scenic view as they made their way up to Yosemite’s high country. Encountering wildlife on the way, and upon arriving, they ate lunch, swam and appreciated the pristine lake setting. Leaving students with a sense of accomplishment after finishing the hike.

Returning back to campus, Professor Joseph Bahlman reflects how he learned a lot from the retreat, “For me, the most impactful activities were the group challenges, especially the making a mosaic portrait on post-its activity. While the assigned task was fun, the purpose was not the task, but something else.  It was assessing group dynamics. How you follow instructions. How you respond to criticism.  There were lots of lessons revealed through the process instead of the goal. To me, that was a powerful teaching tool. I learned a lot,” Bahlman said.

The honors program is a space where learning extends beyond the classroom. Students engaged in many activities and had the chance to step outside of their comfort zone, all while making new connections with their peers.

Professor Lopez emphasized the importance of the honors program and how it helps students understand themselves. “The Honors program mission is to help highly-motivated students transfer with a competitive edge, but it is more than that. I know a common concept people have about honors students is that they are nerdy, book-smart, intellectuals, but they are much more,” Lopez said.

“The Honors Program is about harnessing the talents and skills we already possess and pushing our minds to use them in creative ways,” Lopez said.

A weekend in Yosemite was what brought students together. The retreat was a vessel for students to get to know each other on a deeper level. It’s about strengthening the community and leaving the retreat with lasting connections. Students had the ability to personally open up and grow together bonds with their classmates.