Week 6: Camp and Youth Ministry

After coming off of a week of sailing the students started the first half of their Camp and Youth Ministry class with Sid Koop. Our students come from a variety of camp backgrounds and experiences. This class has helped them to articulate many things that they may have already experienced in working with youth, while also highlighting key strategies to use moving forward working with young people in our 21st century world.

This is our only class in the Kaléo program that is separated into two separate blocks, one in each semester. This gives the students an opportunity to learn about working in a camp and youth context and as the program continues they are given the opportunity to work in a series of retreat weekends that Camp Qwanoes runs. Also putting their skills to the test in the youth groups that they serve in throughout the year. Then the second half of the class takes what they have learned through their experiences and they learn different aspects of organizing and running a youth event or camp retreat.

Immediately following the class students jumped straight into a busy retreat weekend serving in many different capacities.

Many of the students served as; counselors, helpers in the kitchen, running activities, and everything else in between.

This retreat gave students ample opportunity to put their challenge course skills that they learned in the early weeks of the program to the test.

As Camp Qwanoes settles into their fall retreat season we have several more retreats coming up around the corner that the group will have more opportunity to stretch their serving muscles, serving in different capacities than they have previously. 

This is beginning to become quite a busy season for students as more classes come, and along with the class comes the homework, as well as continue to serve in retreats, and at their churches. As the students have continued to grow closer together they are loving the experience of living in such a small community together. 

Continue to pray

That our students will continue to find the balance between when they are serving and managing their school work. 

That their academic learning will continue to spark personal curiosity and growth in their lives. 

That the community will continue to grow closer together as one unit.