Summer 2020
In Emerald Youth’s nearly 30 years of ministry, summer 2020 was like none other.
While many adjustments were necessary due to COVID-19, what did not change was the unwavering commitment of staff and volunteers to our city’s young people, including:
Nearly 500 elementary and middle school youth in JustLead summer day camp.
120-plus high schoolers in our Calling & Career Ministry
150-plus athletes in Emerald Youth Sports.
In place of the traditional camp week event, during which students typically visit businesses and organizations to learn new skills, “Camp Kits” were created that provided art, cooking, fitness and STEM lessons.
High school students took the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, learned about career opportunities through virtual tours and meetings, and discovered new crafting skills by creating masks. Recently graduated seniors were also honored during small, family-type gatherings to recognize their many accomplishments.
Emerald Youth’s faith and discipleship curriculum was utilized regularly, which opened doors for conversations between adults and children about the challenges in our country due to COVID-19, racial injustice, and other issues.
In sports, volleyball and soccer players continued to develop their skills with physically distanced, individual training sessions. The Emerald Force Swim Team practiced twice weekly and held its own meet at the end of July, so swimmers could enjoy an end-of-season celebration. And in performance training, middle and high school athletes gained strength and agility during workouts, culminating in a combine, won by Jeremiah Foster, a rising sixth-grader at South-Doyle Middle School.