why we do it
"Our group discussions have helped me put my life in perspective and our activities have helped me learn more about myself. Older group members have given me people to look up to and they've helped me in so many ways. School just doesn't offer any of this."
"Youth group has taught me many valuable things that are just as important as the things we learn in school, but different. At youth group I've learned 'street smarts' -- life values, morals, my beliefs, how to treat people, etc. It's a great place to talk about life and things that are important to me."
"Youth group is a second home to me. It's a stable group I can go to when I have problems. I've learned a lot about 'community' and it reminds me that there's more to life than school."
"WUSYG is a place where I know I'm always welcome, and I come here when I can't talk to anyone else in my life. I've made life-long friendships with people I'd never have talked to otherwise. It's been the best experience of my high school career."
"I've learned a lot about leadership and working with others in youth group. I haven't gotten this anywhere else in my life."
"Youth group has given me the chance to feel completely comfortable and safe expressing my thoughts, ideas, feelings, opinions and emotions, which is something I have yet to find any place else. Youth group and the church has taught me so much about myself and the world around me and has given me knowledge and experiences such as Habitat that I couldn't have gotten anywhere else."
"Youth group is one of the few things I look forward to each week. It gives me more valuable information and experiences than school can provide - spiritual, religious, moral, and social."