Time at Tejas is more than just a field trip to escape the tedium of everyday school life. For Central Texas Christian School, their sixth grade fieldtrip to Tejas has been a life-changing and community-building event that has helped the school grow closer together over the years.
Middle school is a pivotal time in a child’s life. The sixth graders that have spent time at Tejas have learned how to become leaders in their grade and eventually in their schools, as many students eventually become counselors for the same trip in their eleventh and twelfth grade years. Spending time together in close quarters has taught students to respect each other more, because they are able to get to know each other on a level the classroom just doesn’t allow for. Students were taught how to serve their classmates, as cleaning tables became a blessing instead of a chore. Students are able to look back on their retreat and be reminded of the moments that made them who they are today, as the seemingly small lessons have had even greater impacts as they get older.
As students come back as counselors, they are able to serve with compassion and sacrifice for the sake of the maturity of more sixth graders coming through. Time spent at Tejas not only grows the students but also has helped grow the school as retention rates have gone up. Teachers even become more effective, because they have the opportunity to get to know their students outside of the classroom. Retreats like this at Tejas have ripple effects in the school, home, local church, and surrounding community for generations to come.
The students at Central Texas Christian School are able to look back at their time spent at Tejas as an Ebenezer in their walk with the Lord. “Being taken to Tejas is like being taken out into the wilderness. You’re out of your comfort zone, so God can be heard more clearly.”