Another year and another intake of students have arrived at the Academy. This past weekend, which marks the beginning of OLSWA's twelfth year, was dedicated to welcoming the newcomers and introducing them to the Academy and to Barry's Bay. Activities over the weekend included a beach party, a town scavenger hunt, volleyball, karaoke, and a hike that the students will remember for as long as it will take to recover!  Elizabeth Morris, 19, from Edmonton, AB, stated that the weekend's experience gave her a "great community feeling" to start off the semester. Matthew Krol, 23, from Cornwall, ON, (member of the winning team of the annual scavenger hunt) expressed his appreciation of how the orientation weekend gave him "a chance to get to know classmates" outside of the classes which were to begin soon.

Once again, students come from all over Canada and the United States—as far east as the Maritimes, as far west as British Columbia, and as far south as Colorado. This first-year class of thirty-six has, for the first time in Academy history, more men than women, the numbers being a stunning twenty to sixteen. The returning students, however, had more than one surprise when they pulled into the Bay. Over the summer, St. Paul's men's residence had been turned into Blessed Kateri's women's residence, and a brand new men's duplex dormitory had been constructed and dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul.

Another change at the Academy was the coming of the new Dean of Students "team", Jason and Sarah Gould. The couple mingled with the students over this past weekend, participating in activities and getting to know names and faces of the 2011/2012 OLSWA crew. Most of the student body had arrived by Sunday evening, out of breath but excited for classes which were to begin the following day.

First-years form "OLSWA" during orientation activities

OLSWA hikers at Kluke Lookout