Every spring at YMCA Camp Maclean in Burlington, Wisc., students volunteer to sit in cabins and be asked questions no classroom ever asks, to speak with faces that in LT’s hallways some may not even offer a smile, and to hear stories not based in history or literature but in the present from their peers. 

This year, as Operation Snowball returned for the weekend of March 6-7, participants and leaders created honest friendships and unforgettable memories.

“Something I’d love to tell someone about Snowball [this year] is that our leaders [did] such an amazing job including and connecting with their participants,” Theater Director Makenzie Lemna ‘26 said. “The leaders worked so hard to make sure the retreat [was] the absolute best.”

The Snowball retreat is an indoor camping experience primarily created by students to cater to students. The retreat offers a theater show made by student staff, “Energizers,” meant to spread enthusiasm (for example, camp songs), non-LT-related motivational speakers, and general bonding with team building and various traditions. This year, their theater team chose themes of growing up, eating disorders, and discrimination to spotlight. 

“The week leading up to the retreat, our theater team has a night meeting every night to make sure the show is the best it can be,” Lemna said. “It is important that the skits are written by students because it makes the show more relatable for the audience.”

On the other hand, Snowball’s staff team took on different responsibilities, hand-selecting speakers in preparation for the event after attending showcases with various presenters. Two speakers presented on cultivating positive mindsets alongside Lasada Pippin, who spoke on purpose, potential, and perseverance. In addition, staff also added a new “Energizer” practice for the first time. 

“[We chose speakers with] impactful stories personal to many high school students,” Director Gabriella Awad ‘26 said. “We felt it was very important for students to hear [their] messages to carry with them for the rest of their lives.”

Aileen Cahill ‘26 is a participant who first attended her sophomore year following the lead of her older brother, who joined the staff and loved Snowball. The biggest takeaway from her last retreat was that one may never know the difference one can make in someone else’s life by simply being oneself. Snowballing with her and many of her peers brings a change in perspective, even after just a weekend, which is why she has attended year after year. Her goal this year was to take every moment as it came.

“Snowball is so difficult to describe to someone who’s never gone without making it sound like group therapy or a cult,” Cahill said. “It’s a place you are truly supported by every single person around you [and] accepted just for existing.”

Furthermore, a spring-only tradition meant for the staff’s enjoyment was also shared this year, named “Where do we go from here” (WDWGFH). In the tradition, senior staff and theater members shared speeches about how their peers have impacted their lives, essentially saying goodbye to Operation Snowball. This tradition not only marked the end of leadership for many but also brought tears for even more.

“This [was] my eighth retreat, so I [was] looking forward to connecting with some of the participants as well as fully enjoying the atmosphere for the last time as a student,” Lemna said. “Snowball is important [as] an accepting and judgment-free place [where students] can be themselves and form genuine connections with the people around them.”