INDUCTION WEEK AT FBRA: The Secret Sauce to a Strong School Year

September 11, 2025/Elizabeth Douglas

By Will Yeiser, Executive Director & Co-Founder

The 2025–26 school year is off to a wonderful start, and a big reason for that is one of our most cherished traditions: Induction Week at FBRA at Camps Green Cove for the Girls and Mondamin for the Boys.

At first glance, Induction Week might look similar to the retreats many schools offer. But in truth, it is something much deeper—an intentional, teacher-led experience that lays the foundation for trust, growth, and community all year long.

Here’s What Sets FBRA Apart

Teacher-led from start to finish. Every element of Induction Week—from paddling lessons to campfire reflections—is planned and carried out by our teachers. Students see their educators not just as instructors, but as mentors who guide them through challenges both inside and outside the classroom.
History and purpose woven in. Camps Green Cove and Mondamin are not just locations; they are central to the origins and mission of FBRA itself. Their legacy, values, and setting shape who we are as a school community.
Intentional design. Each adventure, meal, and overnight trip is deliberately crafted to build resilience, connection, and confidence in students. Nothing is accidental.

Relationships, Relationships, Relationships

Perhaps the most powerful outcome is the relationship of trust between students and teachers. It is one thing to work on trust through traditional team-building games. It is another when a math teacher safely guides a student through the technical Nantahala Falls in a solo canoe, or when a Spanish teacher patiently teaches a beginner how to paddle on Lake Summit.

These shared challenges create what we call authentic opportunities for failure. Students learn that mistakes are part of the process, and they do so with the steady support of the very people who will soon guide them through essays, equations, and science labs. That bond carries back into the classroom, onto field lessons, and even into international experiences like Costa Rica.

Induction Week is more than an adventure—it is the cornerstone of our school year. It fosters courage, resilience, and respect, while building a community rooted in shared experience. This “secret sauce” ensures that when our students return to campus, they are ready to learn, grow, and thrive—together.