Trek: Defined

Another definition piece! I'm excited - this is the last "meta-program" that we'll be looking at in this series of 'what's-what' at HYPE Youth Ministries, and from here, we'll begin to look at some other aspects of our ministry; we'll especially be looking at some of the changes in the upcoming year.

Trek is very similar to Core, at least in it's intention. Where Core exists to develop depth-level accountability and discipleship primarily in high school students, Trek serves the middle school students. This is a Root level program.

Trek is an AWANA extension for Junior High students, targeting 7th and 8th grade students with Scripture memorization, life lessons and other activities. The usual implementation would be in a youth group setting, with games, handbook time, a teaching time, and other activities.

In HYPE YM, we've chosen a different implementation. Although CrossOver targets 6-8th grade students, we generally reserve Trek for the 7th and 8th graders. We meet on Monday evenings, at the church, during the regular AWANA time. For the first hour and a half of AWANA, Trek students are used as volunteers for the younger kids. They serve in the game times, in the Cubbies, and during handbook time. Near the end of the evening, we break away for an hour to do Trek-specific work. Our emphasis has been on teaching and community, while also spending some time working on our handbooks, too.

This year will be the third year of Trek, and I'm more excited than ever. I think we'll have a strong number of returning students - with weekly attendance hovering around ten. That mean ten middle school students who have committed to memorizing, learning and reciting Scripture, and then serving on a weekly basis. That's pretty awesome.

The implementation will be firmed up this year as well, with a more pragmatic and intentional placement of students in service roles. I want to see students serving more hands-on with the younger kids, helping at handbook time and during the lesson time.

Overall, Trek serves to give the AWANA program valuable volunteers, while creating an environment of service and study for Middle School students.