Archive for April 2016
Meet Next Year’s Freshmen: 5 Ways to get 8th Graders to Club
As you near the end of the school year, it’s super strategic to invite 8th graders to one of your last clubs! In just a few months they’ll be freshmen. Let’s give them a taste now so they know what they have to look forward to as high school begins. How To Get 8th Graders To…
Read MoreJoin a Work Week at a Young Life Camp Near You
If you’ve never been to a Young Life Work Week, this could be your year! They’re only a couple weeks away so look at the dates below and mark your calendars. It’s a great opportunity to add another YL shirt to your collection, to join old friends and make tons of new ones…and to help…
Read MoreWyldLife Wednesday: What are Middle Schoolers Thinking?
Written by Kevin Chao, Area Director, Greenwich, CT and WyldLife Coordinator, Metro North Region Take a moment and think back to your middle school days. What were you like back then? How would you describe who you were in middle school? What was your biggest fear? Biggest insecurity? In order to best reach our friends…
Read MoreSummer Movies 2016: Opening Dates & Trailers
The summer movie season begins in just 10 days. Our job as YL leaders is to lead our middle and high school friends into the adventure of following Christ. Part of that means helping them discover better ways to use their time than just settling for the big screen. But another part of our role…
Read MoreHow to End the Year with a Bang: Tips for Senior Club
If you’ve not yet had your final club for this school year, the end is in sight. It’s become a tradition in many YL areas to end each year with “Senior Club,” giving the graduating seniors a chance to lead club and share about their experiences. Below are a few tips to help make the…
Read MoreJesus Goes to The Movies
You may have noticed that in nearly every conversation, web article, or even Sunday sermon, people are talking about, referencing, or using as illustration a favorite or memorable scene from a movie. Movies are huge and going to the local cineplex is one of the most participated-in activities in America— especially by teenagers. In 2016 alone, the…
Read MoreScorekeeper XL App
Looking for an easy way to keep score for YL events and club games? Click here to download the Scorekeeper XL app. You can also mirror your device and put the scoreboard on the screen! Thanks to Eve Sarrett for passing along this idea after they used it for donut olympics.
Read MoreA New Fundraising Idea: miYLstore & How To Win A Free Shirt!
miYLstoreis a platform for Young Life Staff (Areas, Missions, Regions, etc) that makes it easy for Young Life staff to create and sell high-quality products with your custom Young Life logo that people will love, with no cost or risk! This is a platform that can help you raise money for your budget or campership…
Read MoreWyldLife Wednesday: Sample Script for Calling Parents
Getting kids to WyldLife camp means calling their parents. Not sure what to say? Try this sample script: May I speak to Mr./Mrs. Smith? Hello, my name is Sarah and I’m a WyldLife leader at East Middle School. I’ve enjoyed meeting your daughter, Ashley and getting to see her at WyldLife this year. I wanted…
Read MoreHow to Say Goodbye: Thoughts on Young Life Leaders Leaving Well
Some of your Young Life teammates might be entering a season of transition. Maybe they’re graduating, moving, burned out or called to another ministry. Their absence will be noticed. Not just by you or your team, but by the kids. Change is hard. Trust is expensive. Abandonment issues are real. Would you consider sharing this…
Read MoreThe Young Life Masters: A Frisbee Golf Fundraiser
Written by Austin Drake, Dave Mahon, and Derek Hay. Are you looking for a fun and unique fundraising event this spring? This past weekend we hosted the “5th annual Rome/Floyd County Young Life Frisbee Golf Masters.” The event is held on Berry College’s campus, our local leader-farm. The event is open to, not only our…
Read MoreFamily Camp Songs
Our area went to Family Camp at Windy Gap last weekend. My friend DL (David Lin) led music and sent me his set list to share. Hopefully it can be helpful to any of you planning music for Family Camp. Friday Night Chicken Fried Happy Look All Around You Home (Phillip Phillips) Let There Be…
Read More“Encouragement for a Weary Young Life Leader” by Pablo Otaola
We’re looking for helpful ideas and encouragement for folks doing Multi-Cultural & Urban ministry. If you’d like to contribute, email us here. This post below was written by Pablo Otaola, YL staff in Denver, CO. It’s the end of the school year and if you’re anything like me you’re tired. You’ve carried the burdens of your kids…
Read MoreWyldLife Wednesday: 7 Questions for Contact Work
Written by Kevin Chao: Area Director in Greenwich, CT and WyldLife Coordinator for the Metro North Region. During a recent WyldLife event at a sportsplex in town, I was walking between the trampoline dodgeball area and the gymnastics room. As I looked down into the gymnastics area my eyes met with one of the middle…
Read MoreAn Audience of One
Written by Jen Payne: Young Life Leader in Gig Harbor, WA. I’ve had the privilege of being involved in Young Life for the past 30 years and have spent many of those years as an adult leader walking alongside girls. As leaders, we often find ourselves concerned with the numbers. We count heads at club…
Read MoreSoda-Can Mat-Ball
Last week I was in Charleston, SC and ran into the James Island Young Life team after they just finished a game of Soda-Can Mat-Ball! Brooke Swetenburg sent me this video of Helen-Grace Hall hitting the can along with some instructions on how to play. If you’re looking for a fun club alternative for the spring…
Read MoreEmoji Club
Emojis are a fun way to communicate and have almost become a new language for this generation. David Pressgrove, Area Director in Craig, CO, recently sent in this creative club idea. (If you have ideas to share, email us here.) EMOJI CLUB IDEAS Emoji-Face Mixer Have all the leaders on your team download the free Insta-Emoji Photo…
Read MoreThe Young Life Leader’s Guide To Prom Season
As prom season is upon us, below are a few ways we as Young Life leaders can serve our high school friends, parents, and school administrations. PRE-PROM Prom-posals Some of your high school friends are beginning to ask dates to the prom and would love your creative help thinking of a fun promposal idea. One…
Read MoreWyldLife Wednesday: Fun or Funny
“I’m Howdy!” “And I’m Rowdy!” “And we like to get loud-y!” When we think about planning program characters for our WyldLife friends, some of us get intimidated. “I’m not funny enough.” “I can’t write clever lines like that.” “I never have any new ideas.” Good news! When it comes to middle school kids, FUN is…
Read MoreHow Spring Break Broke My Heart
I tried to avoid social media last week. It was Spring Break for my high school friends and the few tweets I’ve read and posts I’ve seen have broken my heart. It seems everything we’ve talked about in Campaigners this year just got thrown out the window… …of a jeep …while speeding down the strip…
Read MoreLast Minute Game for Club Tonight: Mascot Challenge
Tonight ends March Madness with the national championship game between Villanova and my beloved Tar Heels! If you’re looking for a last minute game for club, here’s an easy one. Thanks to Amy Brooks for creating the game and sending it in. If you have game ideas to share, email us here. March Madness Mascot…
Read MoreKanye Tweetstorms about YL
It’s crazy to see all the people who have been influenced by the ministry of Young Life! Last night I was on Twitter and it was so cool to see Kanye tweeting about YL! Not all of it makes complete sense to me, but it will surely give us some credibility when we visit schools.…
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