Middle School Youth Forums 2005

Middle School Youth Forums are an excellent way to bring leadership skills to young teenagers. “I can make a difference and I’m only 13,” said one young person, after attending a youth forum in 2003.  Isn’t that exactly the result we are looking for?  Young people experience community building, learning, prayer and leadership; then they make plans for providing some kind of service to their school, church or organization. 

In 2005, the following districts and clusters held youth forums for students in grades 6-8:

                 ● 2 October 2005
                    Lumen Alliance of Catholic Schools

                    Washington and Dodge Counties

                 ● 19 October 2005
                    Central City Milwaukee schools

                 ● 5 November 2005
                    Ozaukee County parishes

                 ● 19 November 2005
                    Southside Milwaukee parishes

Two hundred and twenty young people, from 28 schools and parishes participated.

The youth forums, sponsored by the Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee and the House of Peace, were facilitated by Peggy Kober of Sonburst Consulting, Ben Brzeski of the TYME OUT Youth Center, and Ralph Stewart of East Side Child and Youth Ministry. The format of the youth forums was designed by Lisa Calderone, of the House of Peace.

The first two youth forums focused on Social Justice. Ralph Stewart used activities and discussion to teach the concept of Catholic Social Teaching. They used Bishop Ken Untener’s summary of the seven themes to aid their memory: “Please Send Round Pizza With Square Corners.”

The third youth forum was facilitated by Peggy Kober. The focus was on attitude and gratitude, for family and faith communities, for friends new and old, and for the day spent together learning and growing.

The fourth youth forum explored the corporal works of mercy and ways that young people can give back to their community and serve the world. Ben Brzeski used word plays to help the participants look at service options, based on the different works of mercy.

All four youth forums used the “SODAS” method of problem solving and decision-making, popularized by Mike Carotta and Valerie Vance Dillon from St. Mary’s Press:

Young Teens enjoy word play and acrostics.

Frogs were also a common scene in several of the youth forums:

Frog stickers, frog posters, and even stuffed frogs.

Why, you may ask?

It’s reminder of our spirituality:

At each of the youth forums, the young people designed outreach projects to serve their community and create better relationships.

Here are some examples of the projects that resulted form these four youth forums:

● Food drives                    

● Toy drives     

● Clothing drives           

● Shoes and boots

● Fundraising (for hurricane victims,

   the homeless, cancer research,

  various agencies):

            ◦ Bake sales      

            ◦ Penny drives    

            ◦ Talent show     

            ◦ Recycled can collection

● Locks of Love, shaving heads for solidarity     

● Selling bandanas         

● Making cards

● Serving food to the

  homeless                

● Organized efforts to rake leaves and

   shovel snow for elderly neighbors

● Mentoring younger children,   

  creating a buddy system for all grades in the school

● Creating lessons for younger children on various topics:

            ◦ Catholic Social Teachings                      

            ◦ Clothing labels and sweatshops

            ◦ Scripture stories                        

            ◦ The Environment                       

            ◦ Prayer journaling

● Creating a prayer board for prayer

  requests, monthly collages,

  reflection for Sunday

● Intergenerational/Family events

           ◦ Game night                                  

           ◦ Movie night

           ◦ Lenten craft projects                 

           ◦ “Senior” prom for senior citizens

           ◦ Family picnic/ Bible scavenger hunt

           ◦ Dinner to celebrate parish life w/testimonials, slide show,

               collection for sister parish

● Developing a youth room for parish teenagers

● Active effort to increase youth participation at all-school Mass or

  parish Mass (music, gospel drama, lessons on the Scripture

  readings)

● Creating Junior high nights

On April 3, youth representatives gathered at St. Rose school to present their projects and talk about their experiences.  It was a celebration of their learning and leadership.

These youth forums were co-sponsored by the House of Peace and the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.