Another "adult" perspective

This is from Jack Donato. I have been involved with the Mid-High Youth Group for the past two years (since we resurrected it). It certainly has been a pleasure to work with these youth and see them grow into the young men and women they now are. We started the youth group on the premise of showing the youth what it meant to be a good person and to serve others. This group has grown from a group that focused mostly upon fun and games to a group that has honest and direct discussions of topics that pertain to their age group coupled with service to others. When we started the group, it was comprised of all First Pres. youth. Now we have as many youth from other congregations as we have of our own. In a sense, our group went from a source of fellowship for youth to become a sort of mission serving youth.

To watch the Mid. Highs building picnic tables and benches in the pouring rain after having slept in leaky tents speaks most clearly about these youth. They clearly see what it means to be responsible for each other in the broadest sense - each person looked for ways to help the others. Between sharing tools or insights into solving problems, every youth served each other while serving the retreat center that we were working for. When all of the work was completed, there was a very distinct sense of accomplishment that was a joy to behold. These weren't individuals, they were a mission team, and, in truth, they were, and are, what we hope to be.

When we leave tomorrow, we will go our separate ways back into our separate worlds. However, this group will keep forever their bonds and the sense of service that comes from accomplishing a task of significance in the service of others. This outcome can be traced back to the specific efforts of a number of people, to all of whom, we in the youth group, owe a debt. At the same time, we should remember that you, the members of First Presbyterian Church, have also played a significant, yet less obvious role. It is you who welcome our youth at events, who provide them positive feedback, encouragement, and support, who look for new ways to integrate them into our church family. Your support of our programs makes possible the opportunity for those of us involved in youth programming to see lives change - change positively, change dramatically, and change forever. It is my hope that you, too, have the opportunity to see what we have seen.