Every August, a new group of Greater Tampa Bay juniors walk into a room full of strangers and walk out two days later as the newest cohort of the Ryan Nece Foundation’s Student Service Program. This year’s Orientation Retreat welcomed 35 new members, and if their post-retreat reflections are any indication, this class is going to lead with heart.
We asked Class of 2028 members to share what they learned, what surprised them, and what they’re already planning to do with it. Here’s what stood out:
“Everyone comes from a different background, and that’s the point”
If there was one lesson that showed up again and again, it was this: Leadership doesn’t look the same for everybody, and that’s a strength, not an obstacle.
One student put it simply: when people from different backgrounds come together, “they create something incredible.” Another learned that people’s thoughts come from their backgrounds and experiences, while a classmate took away that everyone interprets situations differently based on where they come from and what they believe.
That awareness is already shaping how students plan to show up for others. One member is committing to more patience with people who are having a hard day, “Because you never know what somebody’s going through.” Another plans to remember, the next time she volunteers, that not everyone wants help the same way.
Leadership isn’t a personality type
Several students arrived expecting leadership to look a certain way and left with a broader definition. One student learned that a leader doesn’t need specific personality traits… What matters is the impact you make. Through the Small Magic Foundation‘s presentation, two students walked away understanding how much genuinely goes into running a nonprofit: The logistics, the budgeting, the constant compromise required to work well in a group.
For one student — treasurer of her class council and co-chair of her school’s pep rally committee — the retreat offered something she can use immediately: Learning to read a situation and choose the right leadership approach for it. Another is already thinking about how to be a better teammate and a more effective leader in daily life, and a classmate is planning to bring what they learned about using people’s individual skill sets back to their ROTC unit.
Confidence, built one conversation at a time
For a lot of these students, the hardest part of the retreat wasn’t the activities. It was walking in not knowing a single person. One student admitted she was nervous about rooming with someone she’d just met that morning, but called it “a super great experience” by the end. Another said it was the first time he felt completely comfortable with a group of new people. A classmate described leaving with real confidence and a commitment to share her ideas more openly instead of holding back.
One student captured a moment that stuck with several students: When asked what they were grateful for right now, a new friend answered “a full stomach.” A small, simple reminder not to take everyday comforts for granted.
What’s next
This class isn’t waiting until the school year to put their retreat takeaways to work. One student, vice president of her school club, is already planning to lead her officer team with more diligence and passion. Another is looking into applying for a Small Magic Foundation grant. A classmate learned that students in SSP can create their own service opportunities, not just show up for the ones already on the calendar, and is already looking for more ways to get involved.
As one student put it: The retreat gave this group the chance to build real relationships with each other before the work of serving Tampa Bay even begins. Based on what these 35 sophomores are already saying, that foundation is exactly where it needed to start.
