STAR Weekend

This past weekend the Development and Counseling offices hosted STAR weekend at Camp Panther outside of Rishikesh on the Ganga River. The weather was hot but the students spent hours in the small swimming pool playing and cooling down. The camp was a perfect location for relaxing, visiting and playing games.

The STAR weekend programme, which stands for Senior Transition and Assimilation Retreat, provides an opportunity for seniors to address some of the aspects of creating a healthy transition between cultures and life-events. STAR weekend is the culmination of the process known as "RAFT building", as defined by the late David Pollock. To build a RAFT four main concepts are emphasized:

R- RECONCILIATION- This is the time seniors are encouraged to tend to damaged or even broken relationships with classmates, teachers and administrators. This is a time for forgiveness and is very important in order to avoid feelings of regret.

A- AFFIRMATION- Seniors were reminded that affirmation of friendships keeps relationships strong and also makes it easier to create new healthy relationships in one's new location. Simply put, seniors were encouraged to leave as little unsaid as possible.

F- FAREWELLS- seniors are encouraged to say good byes and thank yous to all the people, places and things that they will miss. Senior cards are written, photos are taken and places are visited for the final time. Star weekend is a time for beginning these goodbyes.

T- THINK DESTINATION- Finally, seniors are encouraged to think about their destination, whether going to college or not. Sessions hosted by counselors, alumni coordinators, former graduates and experienced guests cover campus safety, academic and living practicalities and address some of the stumbling blocks new graduates might face. Topics covered range from learning services offered at most universities to financial responsibility.

Building a "RAFT" is meant to facilitate the healthy closure of one location and a positive entrance into another location, culture and/or social status. RAFT building eases this transition. The RAFT process is most effective when started up to 6 months before leaving, which is why the senior class met this past October to be introduced to RAFT building at a senior dinner at the Kasmanda Palace in Mussoorie.

The best part about STAR weekend is that it provides a time for a class to bond and to be together before everyone leaves the hillside. Class bonding and cohesiveness encourages our new graduates to remain friends and to remember Woodstock for years beyond their graduation. Such memories are the backbone of our extensive alumni network and the Woodstock Old Students Association, WOSA. Woodstock School alumni are very global and the WOSA network supports new graduates by connecting available local alumni to help graduates settle in and even to provide holiday meals in new cities.

Woodstock is able to boast that their graduates have been given ample opportunity and information to make their transitions after graduation both positive and healthy. Woodstock is also pleased to provide graduating classes a final opportunity to meet and bond with each other and members of staff from the alumni office. These successful transitions and ties are what make Woodstock's alumni network one of the most expansive and loyal.

For more materials on the transition process see Third Culture Kids: The Experience of Growing Up Among Worlds by David C. Pollock and Ruth E. Van Reken, published by Intercultural Press Building. Click here for a series of talks by the late David Pollock on RAFT building.