By Florida Catholic staff - Florida Catholic
Photographer: COURTESY PHOTO
Students from Archbishop McCarthy High School in Southwest Ranches participated in the annual Steubenville Conference held this year in West Palm Beach. Pictured for left to right: Amanda Gonzalez-Hialeah, Gaby Abreu �Miami Lakes and Alexandra Rivera-Pembroke Pines.
�Our students had the unique opportunity of participating in a conference which provided nationally recognized Catholic speakers, and interacted with musicians, priests and prayer warriors,� said Karen Stalnaker, theology teacher and retreat coordinator at Archbishop McCarthy High School.
�This was the first time our students attended the [Steubenville] retreat,� she said. �The students and I felt it was a transformative experience which was only possible with the support of Father Dalton and Dr. Perhla.�
Stalnaker explained that AMHS students attend other retreats organized by theology teachers Cardeen Martinez and Eric Beltran, as well as science teacher Chris Caprio in conjunction with Stalnaker.
�We have such gifted faculty members," said Stalnaker. "Throughout the school year, each teacher brings a different gift to the table of God which helped create the necessary understanding for our students to get the most out of this retreat.� Stalnaker heads up the Transfiguration retreat with Chris Caprio; Cardeen Martinez provides music and Eric Beltran heads up the sophomore Antioch retreat.
The students who attended the Steubenville retreat are involved in peer ministry and help lead Antioch retreats. During the retreat, the soon-to-be seniors participated in workshops such as Developing Personal Prayer, Praying the Mass, Witnessing to Your Friends, You�ve Been Lied To: The Culture Exposed, and Daring to Date and Keeping it Holy.
�It was an invigorating and busy conference and over 1,000 students attended from as far away as Texas,� said Stalnaker. �Our day began with daily mass at 8:00am followed by speakers and workshops until 10:00p.m!�
