The sophomore class is hitting the ground running this fall.

The Class of 2024 participated in the annual Sophomore Retreats, broken up in groups of 60 over four days at St. Anselm’s Church in Tinton Falls.

Led by Campus Minister Mr. Matt Butler, the boys took part in a series of breakout sessions, listened to guest speakers that included seniors, faculty and alumni, and celebrated Mass.

The main message of the retreat was “being a man for others,” which is a central theme in Catholic, Lasallian education. With service opportunities ramping up again, students were encouraged to step outside of their comfort zone and volunteer in different types of settings.

“I remember getting close to a lot of my classmates during this retreat for six hours,” reflected senior Gabe Noble during his guest speaking turn. “In terms of being a man for others, I think just going that extra step to the point where this type of service becomes something that helps you as a person and you become accustom to. It helps me bring out my role model qualities and helps me be the best person I can be.”

Other guest speakers included faculty members who were chaperoning, Father Chris Dayton ’06 of St. Rose, Father Gary Koch of St. Benedict, and Mr. Joe Tort ’76.

Before the end of each retreat session, the sophomores gathered for Mass, celebrated by the Pastor of St. Anslem’s, Father Gene Vavrick.

Listen to some clips of the guest speakers below.