Former U.S. Army Major Ryan Tackett encouraged attendees at Riverside High School’s Men’s Junior and Senior Retreat on Wednesday, Sept. 18, during his presentation about integrity, opening your heart and dropping your ego, with the theme of “Becoming a Well-Driven Nail. “
This year’s 3rd Biannual Men’s Retreat took place at Winner Harvest Barn and Family Farm. Superintendent Dr. Scott Mann began the event in 2020 as an idea for 11th- and 12th-grade young men to hear inspirational speakers discuss how to overcome life obstacles and strengthen their mental health.
Tackett had students participate in a several activities — a push-up challenge showing physical strength won by Landon Purtee, hammering nails into a board to show skill won by Travis Brooks, and then participants nominated their peers based on integrity.
The students voted senior Jorden Dunham as their classmate portraying the most integrity in his daily life.
When students compared the values of physical strength, skill and integrity, they concluded a person with integrity to be the most valuable to have in your circle.
Tackett presented Jorden with a Husky hammer, stating that your heart matters more over muscles and skillset.
After a break with outdoor activities including a Battle Light Challenge and Archery Tag rented from A-1 Amusement & Party Rental, the stories of three men from the class of 1986 was shared with students. Their stories started from humble means to build a lives of success.
Attorney Jeff Teeters of Cincinnati presented his talk on, “Why Should I Care Who This Guy Is?” Jeff spoke about mistakes, failures and consequences. He shared his experience with grief and loss and not allowing others to determine your success. He closed with the important of being prepared for when your opportunity comes.
Brian Hodges, owner and operator of two businesses, shared with the students about not letting others define who you are. How you set your own limits is importnat, and not letting others set them for you.
Dr. Mann spoke about survival and to stop blaming others for your circumstances. He reiterated the importance of not using excuses for how your life turns out. What you do after you fail says a lot about who you are.
Once the participants fueled up with lunch catered by Davis Meats and City Sweets & Creamery, they were given time to enjoy more outdoor activities and team building.
The day concluded with Jeff Pinkleton, executive director and founder at The Gathering (of the Miami Valley). His topic was “Your Words Matter.”
“For every one positive interaction, a person also experiences 14 negative ones,” he said. “Life is really good and life is really hard, who are you doing life with?”
School officials expressed appreciation to all of the speakers and to Main Street Signs for creating the T-shirts for the day.
