Student Ministries Kicks Off the New School Year

Fall programming for Student Ministries is in full swing thanks to its inaugural kickoff held at the end of August. From 5 to 8 pm on August 18, the Student Ministries Kickoff welcomed 7th-12th grade students to the new school year and helped them get acquainted with youth group. The event took place across all three levels of the WCC building and outdoors with attendance estimated at over 130 people.

One of the unique highlights of the event was the introduction of three pickleball courts, a new addition to the Student Ministries activities lineup. Although the rain caused a brief delay, the courts quickly became a hit among the students once the weather cleared. In addition to activities, the kickoff also unveiled the new design and theme for Student Ministries, giving the youth group a fresh look for the school year.

Volunteers played a key role in making the night a success, from small group leaders stationed around the building to a dedicated welcome/check-in team led by Maria Demopoulos. Additionally, three recent graduates of Student Ministries returned to serve behind the scenes, assisting with setting up activities, food tables, and assembling welcome bags for new students.

“My favorite part of the event was the activity time as a large group (middle schoolers and high schoolers) to hang out with the students!” said Nick Gordon, newly hired high school pastor. “I would deem the event successful as many students seemed to enjoy themselves. Additionally, several students expressed interest in coming back.”

With more time built into the schedule, the kickoff was an hour longer than a typical youth group night, allowing for extra activities, more time for relationships to develop, and plenty of pizza to go around. All-in-all, the event was a tremendous success and set a positive tone for the year ahead.