2007-2008 Catholic Leadership

Middle School Youth Forums

October 10, 2007

November 9, 2007

January  10, 2008

This year, the focus of our three Middle School Youth Forums is on the Communion of Saints.

Each youth forum is a day-long experience of leadership and learning.

Students in grades 6-7-8 come together from different schools and campuses, get to know each other, talk about how things are done in different places, and learn from and with each other.

The day begins with some general activities that teach leadership skills such as communication, problem solving and creativity.

The participants self-divide to form tables that include representation from all participating schools, both genders, all three grade levels, and at least one adult.

After initial introductions, they use large looped pieces of rope to create different shapes, sometimes with their eyes closed.

To learn about the saints, different members from the table groups systematically gather cards about 61 saints. They look over the pictures, quotes, and information and decide as a group which saint(s) to focus on and whether to plan a prayer service or a lesson about their chosen saints.

The groups who choose to do a prayer service use this simple format for planning:

• Call to Prayer
• Word
• Reflection or Response
• Blessing or Sending Forth

The groups who choose to do a lesson use this simple format:

• Grab my attention
• Give me something new
• Get something out of me
• Go make a difference

The groups then present their lesson or lead their prayer for the rest of the gathered participants.

After lunch, the students re-gather in their school groups. Each school plans a service project or activity that will reflect their understanding that we are called to be holy, to follow the examples of the holy saints, and to recognized that even those we serve are holy.

Here are some of the comments made by Middle School Youth Forum participants at St. Boniface, St. Kilian, St. Gabriel, Holy Angels, Holy Trinity, St. Katharine Drexel, St. Mary – Mayville, St. Mary – West Bend, and St. Francis Cabrini on October 10, 2007:

I liked it because I was showed today that I can be a leader and show people what I know and what my opinion is (which I normally don’t do).

One thing I really liked about being a leader is helping make our school fun and faithful.

Today, I learned about new schools and what they did.  Listening to what other schools did sounded cool and gave me ideas to bring back to my school.

The best part of today was listening to people’s speeches about saints in their lives.  It’s nice to have a chance to hear people express themselves.

Today I learned that sometimes being a leader may be difficult, but if you work with others, you can accomplish anything.

Today I learned how to be a great leader, how to speak in front of an audience and how to listen to other people’s ideas.

I learned how to be a better leader, a lot about the saints, and that it’s okay to stand out.

One thing I really like about being a leader is that I can stand up for what I think is right.

The best part of today was meeting new people that I had fun with and I wish I could see them again.

The best part of today was going up and saying things on the microphone because I felt comfortable talking in front of all my Catholic friends.  It’s cool that everyone here is Catholic.

If you mess up, they won’t laugh at you, they will show respect and support.  I like taking in new ideas from others, too.  You can really get some neat ideas if you listen to others. 

The best part of today was the prayer service we did. 

Their projects include these plans:

Holy Angels, West Bend: Popcorn sale to benefit Dr. and Mrs. Rice, going to Haiti to provide eye care to the poor.

St. Katharine Drexel School, Beaver Dam: Sending inspirational notes to the parish homebound and soldiers serving outside our country.

St. Gabriel, Hubertus: School-wide food drive.

Holy Trinity, Kewaskum: Bake sale to provide money toward painting the church.

St. Frances Cabrini, West Bend: Saint Awareness – Each classroom will adopt a saint, with a picture, informaiton about the saint’s life, feast day and some symbols. The students will see the saints on the doors, and read the facts; a different  saint will be highlighted with the morning announcements, and a sutdent from that classroom will speak about their saint.

St. Mary, West Bend: Saint Fair – involving many activities that reinforce information about the saints, including scavenger hunts, skits, coloroing pages, saint bingo and word searches.

St. Mary, Mayville: Saint education – teaching the 3rd and 4th graders about the saints with stories, activities, skits, and worksheets.

St. Boniface, Germantown: Teaching the class – teaching one period of a class for each teacher about one of the saints.

St. Kilian, Hartford: Penny drive for air purifiers for the school. 

Here are some of the comments made by Middle School Youth Forum participants at Messmer Prepatory, Catholic East, Notre Dame, and St. Joseph – Waukesha on November 9, 2007:

One thing I really like about being a leader is that I get to be myself and serve others.

I can really show all of my confidence and I can shine bright!

Today I learned about all the different saints that I have never heard of.  I also learned thay working as a team is important.

The best part about today was when we had to tell about our saints and their lives.  I had a good time teaching the audience in a fun way.

Today I learned how to be a better leader and a daughter of God who loves and shares with others.

One thing I really like about being a leader is having people look up to me.

One thing I really like about being a leader is you can teach everyone about your knowledge.

I really liked the skits about the saints because it got the message across in a funny way.

Good leaders have to listen to others. 

Today I learned more about saints, the essentials of teaching, and the four movements of prayer.

There are many things you can do to make a difference.

I learned that following the saints’ examples can teach us to be better people. 

Their projects include these plans:

Notre Dame Middle School: Toy and Clothes Drive for a village in Mexico.

Catholic East: Fundraiser to build up the school library.

Messmer Prep: Raising awareness for domestic violence – with rallies, education, collection of supplies and fundraiser (penny drive and bake sale).

St. Joe’s Middle School: (1) collection of personal hygiene items for stocking stuffers for Women’s Center and St. Vincent de Paul Center. (2) Penny drive for Red Cross for aid to countries in need.

Here are some of the comments made by Middle School Youth Forum participants from the Blessed Savior School system – and their North, South, East and West campuses around Milwaukee. Their forum was held on  January 10, 2008:

Leaders have to communicate well with others, to work hard as a group and to get things done.

When you are good leaders, you get to have more opportunities.

I learned how to stand up for what I believe in. If you don’t stand up, then you can’t really be a leader.

I learned you don’t have to be flawless to be a leader – or a saint.

If you can learn to think “outside of the box,” then you can come up with new ways of doing things and solving problems.

It feels good to know that adult people and kids both can look up to you and respect you as a leader.

I learned about saints that are famous, and some saints that weren’t very famous.

Being a leader is all about being your own self with honest and dignity.

Leadership comes from thinking critically.

I learned how to do team work and how to talk through things with others, and to not isolate yourself.

Acting out the stories of the saints is a good way to learn about them, and a good way to teach others about them.

It’s important not to be afraid to be different. It’s OK to speak your mind and not blend in.

In order to get things done and move forward, you need someone else’s help sometimes. You can’t do everything on your own.

The Saints can lead me to do the right things.  I won’t follow somebody else who doesn’t know where they are going in this lifetime.

Their projects include these plans:

Blessed Savior North: Leadership Day – an activity day to teach other students leadership skills and teamwork.

Blessed Savior East: Helping the community Stay Clean – picking up trash and cleaning up the whole neighborhood.

Blessed Savior South: High Interest Day – involving a food drive, pep rally, plays and drills for the school.

lessed Savior West: (1) Raising money for Children’s Hospital – with a car wash, school festival, and mowing lawns; (2) Green Team – planting plants and trees.