Ohio-Meadville District Unitarian Universalist Association |
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Kenyon College, Gambier, OhioBrochure Index ~ SI Basics ~ Theme Speaker ~ Music ~ Children's Program ~ Youth Program ~ Young Adult Program ~ Adult Morning Workshops ~ Afternoon Activities ~ Evening Activities ~ Workshifts ~ Registration ~ Kenyon |
The Youth Program is for youth who have completed grade 6 or higher. Those who have completed 6th grade may opt to attend either Children’s or Youth Programs. Youth Programming at the OMD Summer Institute is designed to create opportunities for youth to learn more about their beliefs and values while forming selfconfidence and long-lasting friendships.
An important aspect of this programming is youth empowerment. Youth SI panel members design and implement much of the youth programming that happens at SI with shared adult leadership and mentoring. This model of mentored selfgovernance helps all youth take ownership in the program and teaches them to take responsibility for themselves and each other as they grow together.
Part of this youth self-governance model includes building community from the ground up. Every youth is placed in a “touch group,” a small group that meets daily for games, conversation, further exploration of the morning topics, or sometimes to address a member’s concerns. These groups provide a comfortable and accepting environment away from the larger youth community. Also, the youth program also provides its own trained youth chaplains who are available for youth to confidentially talk with about their concerns at any time, day or night.
Junior and Senior High youth attend morning theme talks and workshops created especially for them. This year, our theme speakers are Mindy Simmons and Hal Walker, both awesome musicians who will speak and work with youth on the topic of weaving meaning and spirituality into their music and their lives.
Youth morning workshops and activities include:
… music jam sessions … political discussion … board/card games … free-form arts and crafts … cooking … tie-dying …dancing … worship planning… film and television … and MORE!
In the afternoon, youth are welcome to participate in the wide variety of intergenerational workshops (everything from ultimate frisbee to art space to tie-dying) with the rest of the SI community. In the early evening, youth often join in community activities, like vespers, concerts or the ever popular Peek! Or, they can simply hang out with friends.
At 9:31 every evening, it will be time for Youth Vespers, created by and for youth (all SI community members are invited to attend). There is no way to describe Youth Vespers – quiet or loud, short or long, often very beautiful. After Youth Vespers, all youth not living in the Youth Dorm will be walked back to their own dorms by pairs of older youth volunteers. Curfew is at midnight for all youth!
Our seven principles are hard to keep in mind with everything we do. How do we stay in full awareness and maintain integrity as we go through our daily lives? How about FOUR AGREEMENTS? Only four! And these agreements you make with YOURSELF! Our activities will refer to Don Miguel Ruiz’s book The Four Agreements which are based upon ancient Toltec wisdom. (Sounds mysterious!) We’re gonna discuss these agreements and practice applying them.
Okay so it’s summer camp. We’ll get as deep as YOU want to go with lot’s of humor and horsing around expected!! =-) We’re going to write and act out short skits, songs and poems as we learn about the Four Agreements and how they help us stay “real” as we are growing and maturing into the adults we choose to be! We will also be exploring how, by making these agreements with ourselves, we become better UU.’s in practicing our seven principles.
Mindy Simmons is a 30 year veteran singer/songwriter/entertainer whose musical travels have taken her all over the United States. Her spiritual journey has moved through and includes Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism and Unitarian Universalism. She has worked with Middle School kids as a teacher in Drama, Chorus, Band and Multi-Media classes. “I can’t wait you guys! It’s gonna be a fun week! Bring your instruments, writing pads and pencils, and your creative minds!”
Combining the art of play and the discipline of practice, for one week this summer, we will create an imaginary culture – the Banakula Culture. Through rhythm, song and movement, writing, listening and interacting, we will practice being in community.
A “banakula” is a modern version of an African rhythm instrument — two balls tied together with a string. We’ll make the colorful shakers with polymer clay and ping-pong balls and then we’ll shake, throw, bounce, spin, play and practice ourselves into “Banakula Culture.” Founded in Unitarian-Universalism, our motto will be gratitude. Our work will be connection. Our challenge will be growth.
This summer, we will practice and play… Banakula!
Hal Walker is the music director of the UU church in Kent, Ohio. A familiar presence around Kenyon, this summer, Hal will celebrate his lucky 13th year in a leadership role at SI. Twenty years since graduating from Northwestern University with a degree in postadolescent exploration, Hal has gracefully entered middle-age. He makes his living as a solo musician, a choir director and a teaching artist in schools. He specializes in writing songs and teaching musical instruments that fit in your pocket. The son of a Presbyterian minister, Hal finds a natural place for himself in UU pulpits around the Ohio-Meadville district. He lives in a household full of musical instruments with his 11 year old daughter, Hallie.
Youth Workshift Opportunities:
Everyone 11 and older is strongly encouraged to contribute, as fit and able, at least two hours of time during the week. Please select first and second
choices on the registration page. Looking at the busy Youth Schedule, we have chosen some jobs with good time slots for the youth:
| DURING AFTERNOON FAMILY TIME #7A Physical Activity Helper #7B Artistic Activity Helper DURING AFTERNOON WORKSHOP TIME #4 Afternoon Nursery or Preschool: Assist with the littlest ones #8APhysical Activity Helper #8B Artistic Activity Helper |
OTHER TIMES: #5 Luggage Assistants: Available Sunday and Saturday to help carry luggage #12 Cafeteria Line Assistants: Assist individuals or families with young children that may need help getting through the line #16 Peek Assistants: Set up and take down Peek game, bag gifts (peek evening and an afternoon) #14 Newsletter Workers: Help publish daily paper. Computer input, gofer |
Senior High Youth Dorm
The Youth Dorm is an option for youth entering 10th grade and above. It is a separate building that houses youth where they can continue to build community together, share their joys and concerns, sleep (or not sometimes), and generally have a lot of fun rooming together. A number of adults including many parents/sponsors and all of the adult panel members also stay in the youth dorm. If you want to pursue living in the youth dorm, as a youth or adult, you must read about and agree to all the rules related to the Youth Dorm. Please see the Contract Pages and understand the items pertaining to the Dorm.
If you have any questions regarding the Youth Program please contact:
Dave Dunn, Adult Youth Program Coordinator at dave.dunn at eci.us
Susan Young, Asst. Adult Youth Program Coordinator at youngs2 at ohio.edu
Beth Straubhaar, Adult Jr. High Program Coordinator at bstraub at neo.rr.com
Caleb Sykora-Bodie, Youth Panel Co-Chair at zeritule03 at yahoo.com
Lydia Delphia, Youth Panel Co-Chair at lydiayak at gmail.com