Oak Park's secret weapon
At Oak Park High School it's the best kept secret on campus, so we'll do our best not blow anyone's cover. At the same time, to ignore any mention of the school's popular Life Skills Retreat program would be a mistake. The yearly outoftown getaway has proven to be an excellent educational tool for teenagers coming of age; it's even been a lifesaver for some wayward students.

We think it's time the Oak Park Life Skills Retreat got the credit it deserves.

Held three times each school year, the retreat brings a group of Oak Park upperclassmen- sometimes 100 or more- together on a four-day trip to a remote location in the mountains with no computers, no cellphones, no iPods and no contact with parents. Group leaders and chaperones make sure the students follow a well-planned schedule. Strict control is kept at all times.

The goal of the retreat (please don't tell future participants and ruin the surprise) is to give the kids an opportunity to open up with their emotions and to build feelings of love and self-worth. They read letters from home and learn just how much their friends and family care for them. Some of the letters are read aloud amid laughter and tears.

Group sessions allow the students to learn the value of relationships and that when choosing their friends they shouldn't always read a book by its cover. Most importantly, they finally get a clue as to what their parents really mean to them. It's an eyeopening experience in every sense of the word.

The inspiration behind the retreat is Dr. Jeff Appell, a school psychologist and certified family therapist. Appell tells the parents during a pre-retreat meeting that their children may not come back totally changed, but that a spark will be ignited and that many will develop a new sense of caring. Most of the students admit later that the retreat moved them deeply, even though some are quite skeptical before they leave. One thing's for sure: It's a time in their lives that none will ever forget.

And what about the secrecy behind it all? There are younger children who will attend the retreat in the future and school officials don't want their experience spoiled. That's understandable.

The Life Skills Retreat is Oak Park's secret weapon in helping teenagers learn to become good adults. Spread the word. It's a program that other school districts should emulate.