2026 Wellness Weekend: A Purposeful Pause for Junior College Students

For two weekends in April, the 26YP students of the Junior College Program of UA&P flocked  to Tanay Epic Parc for their Wellness Weekend—a camping-retreat that gave them a much-needed pause from the usual pace and noise of school life. 

Forty-eight boys gathered on April 18-19, while 75 girls attended on April 25-26, for rest and reflection, both physical and spiritual, as they began preparing for college. Both groups were accompanied by UA&P faculty and staff.

The weekend opened with a camping component, which also served as the culminating activity for the students’ Health Optimizing Physical Education subject. Organized with the Sports Department and led by UA&P’s Physical Education coaches, students went through a camping and cookout experience that brought out teamwork, resilience, and camaraderie. More than just an outdoor activity, it was a formation-through-sport experience, where life skills, leadership, and community were built through shared effort, not just inside the classroom.

Through the retreat-seminar component, faculty and mentors from the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) walked the students through guided sessions on Identity, Desires and Influences, and Understanding One's Purpose, inviting them to look inward and reflect on the values and convictions that will carry them forward. 

Conversations were held in gender-specific groups to encourage openness and focus, with dedicated time for silence, guided reflection, and meaningful dialogue. Beyond the structured sessions, students also took time to enjoy the experience—exploring the campsite, gathering around the bonfire, and sharing moments of laughter.

Fr. Carlos Estrada, the University Chaplain, officiated the liturgical celebrations and guided prayers.

Overall, the Wellness Weekend offered something both formative and restorative—a reminder to junior college students that growth does not happen only in the classroom but also in community, in nature, and in those quiet moments where they get to pause and reflect.