Goal for the Retreat
The transition from middle school to high school can be daunting. This retreat is designed to address the middle school youth’s fears and anxieties and connect them with high school youth and adult Core Team in your Life Teen program.
Retreat Overview
Are you looking for a retreat to help your 8th graders to transition into high school? You’ve found it. This retreat is designed to help your transitioning 8th graders as they move from “big fish, little pond” to “little fish, big pond.” Some 8th graders are ready to move on to high school, while others have a great deal of anxiety thinking of what high school could possibly look like. One of the most important things we can do in ministry is to make sure our outgoing 8th graders are ready and welcomed into our high school ministries. Throughout the day, your 8th graders will become familiar with your high school youth ministry program, your Life Nights, Life Teen Core Team, and high school juniors and seniors.
The world of most 8th graders is rapidly changing. They want to be perceived as “grown up” while at the same time they are still dependent upon their parents. For the past few years, the 8th graders have likely developed a certain sense of “self” based on their friends and activities both in and out of school. The idea of starting over and trying to fit in to a new environment is stressful. Use this opportunity to pray with the youth about their fears, anxieties, joys, struggles, doubts, hopes, and dreams. The theme of the day is to help the youth recognize the importance of faith and trusting God through this transition. Have fun with the “school” theme, but try not to make the day feel as if they are stuck in a classroom.