Sophomore Students Embarc on Journey to Covenant Harbor to Strengthen Leadership Skills

Thirty sophomore students involved in Embarc left their ChiTech classrooms on Thursday, April 5 to travel to Covenant Harbor.  There they engaged in leadership activities alongside thirty other students from New Trier High School to build new relationships.

The trip was part of an annual event called Leadership Academy that all Embarc sophomores participate in.  Covenant Harbor, located in Lake Geneva, WI, was chosen as the destination because it possesses a staff well-trained in team-building, which was the overarching purpose of the trip. The camp provides multiple rope courses that are excellent in facilitating teamwork.  Through the rope courses the students learned how to trust one another and communicate efficiently, but most importantly, they had fun!

Embarc is a non-profit program that provides community-driven, experiential learning opportunities to students in 18 Chicago high schools serving low-income students. Embarc’s goal is to drive college and career success with long-term social 

and cultural exposure. Through the transformative power of these journeys, they “awaken students to the possibilities of their potential by dissolving the borders of the city and in their minds.”

Embarc has been a vital academic partner for ChiTech for the last three school years. Only 8% of Embarc students have a family member who graduated college, but the program produces a 97% high school graduation rate and a 93% college enrollment rate.

Sarah Nelson, a freshman English and sophomore Embarc teacher, says for her, “Embarc is an opportunity to support my student’s social and emotional health and build relationships”.  

As the ChiTech leader of the journey, Nelson was asked what she thought the students gained from the trip.  She said, “Students really grew on this trip, they have a new perspective on themselves, and their ability to navigate new and challenging events.