Senior High Youth Cluster

The Senior High Youth Group begins the year with an off-site retreat to plan the year ahead, re-establish friendships, and get to know new members. After the initial kick-off retreat, youth enrolled in the Senior High Youth Cluster meet every Sunday evening, starting the year with a bridging ceremony for the incoming 9th graders. Youth leadership is nurtured and empowered by trained volunteer adult advisors, and a professional Youth Programs Coordinator, Alison Green Will.

The First Parish Senior High Youth Group is active! Among many other activities and events, the youth lead an annual worship service for the entire congregation, volunteer at the Boston Food Bank, bake bread at Thanksgiving for the congregation, go on retreats, have sleepovers at the church, host a morning food booth on Patriots Day, manage their own finances, and participate in district and national Unitarian Universalist (UU) opportunities (district conferences and General Assembly, the national annual gathering of UUs). In recent years, members of the Senior High Youth Group have traveled twice to New Orleans to gut houses and help rebuild the city after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, as well as a February 2011 trip to Pipestem, WV, for similar work.  They are eager to return to West Virginia, and have reserved a week in February, 2013, for their next adventure.

In addition to the weekly Sunday night youth group, high-schoolers are invited and encouraged to attend the weekly Sunday morning worship service and any Adult Programs that interest them.

Coming of Age

Every other year, 9th and 10th graders are also offered a yearlong Coming of Age (COA) program in addition to youth group. Coming of Age is an exploration of faith that includes reflection, challenge, service, and celebration. The year ends with the COA class leading the congregation in worship, often touted as one of the most meaningful services of the year. COA will be offered again in 2012-2013.