Student Activities - Annual Grade Seminars

Grade Seminars
Our Annual Grade Seminars are created to enable students to develop leadership skills and foster critical thinking, imbue a greater love of Judaism and a greater connection to Klal Yisrael.  These seminars offer our students a chance to bond in an out-of-school setting and to discuss issues that typically affect students during those years.  The learning and growth which occurs on these retreats, provides some of the most memorable and meaningful moments of our students’ educational experience.  Upon returning to school, the students integrate the lessons learned on retreat back into the classroom and the school community, helping to make Frisch a unique high school environment where everyone feels comfortable with each other and is able to establish their personal role in the school community.

Freshman Retreat
At “Freshman Retreat,” our newest students have the opportunity to get to know one another, and to begin forming relationships with members of the faculty and administration in a relaxed, informal atmosphere.  During the course of the weekend, freshmen play ball, swim, socialize and experience a wonderful Ru’ach filled communal Shabbat.  Students participate in formal and informal learning sessions designed to stimulate thinking and discussion about a wide range of topics and issues, such as peer pressure, identity and self-esteem.  They also have an opportunity to begin dealing seriously with some of the religious and philosophical issues that thoughtful yeshiva students will inevitably confront during their high school years. Selected members of our senior grade are invited to serve as mentors and advisors on this seminar.  Students learn to feel comfortable with themselves and with their role in their community. 

Sophomore Slam
As the sophomores are suddenly thrust into the heart of the hectic high school experience and forced to deal with the transition to adulthood, they travel to Niagara Falls for “Sophomore Slam.”  The image of the rushing waters of Niagara Falls is a catalyst for meaningful discussions concerning the transitional period of development in which these young men and women find themselves.   Each day on the “Sophomore Slam” is packed with a mixture of touring and educational sessions which are geared towards enabling our students to grapple head-on with the issues they may encounter. 

Junior Seminar: Frisch Freezefest
With great awareness of how hectic the junior year can be, the junior seminar has been designed as an oasis from the students’ day-to-day pressure and work.  The seminar, entitled “Frisch Freezefest,” is a combination of stimulating educational sessions as well as unique winter activities, culminating in a shared Shabbat experience.  The theme of the seminar, “Frozen in Time,” asks students to examine various time periods throughout Jewish History and relate it to how it impacts them in their daily lives. 

Senior Sayonara
The goal of the “Senior Sayonara” is to solidify all of the formal and informal learning that the students have been exposed to over the past four years which will serve as a guide for them in their college years and throughout life.  As part of the seminar, the students travel to the top of a mountain, a metaphor for the place they have now reached in life, and look skyward towards the heavens and contemplate their futures.  The seminar also gives students one last time to bond and reminisce about their Frisch experience.  The seminar allows the faculty and seniors a final opportunity to spend time together as a grade touring, traveling, socializing and sharing a meaningful Shabbat.  Discussions are included which touch on the many issues seniors will encounter as they enter their post-Frisch years.