Conference here, Conference there, and another Conference!

Greg and I had the privilege of joining the Alaska United Methodist Church Workers retreat in October.  We were able to make connections to people of all different backgrounds all over Alaska. It was amazing to compare our communities and share stories. Alaska is so vast and unique.  Even though we all live in the same state, our climates and geography are so different from one another. Even though the community sizes may vary, the weather drastically different, and the dynamics unique, we all share similar struggles and joys and just love for others. We also enjoyed relaxing and rejuvenating with the theme of Sabbath for the retreat.  It was a much needed step back from our busy life to breathe and enjoy the nature setting of Birchwood Camp in Chugiak.  Not only did we get to enjoy meeting new people and spending time focusing on Sabbath and God, we also got to meet the new Bishop, Elaine Stanovsky.

I was also able to attend two Conferences in November for the second time.  The first was for the Alaska Afterschool Network conference, which I attended as the representative for Nome Boys & Girls Club.  I was able to regain some energy for our programs and I acquired some new ideas and resources.  I also continued to build relationships with other afterschool programs in the region. This was a very jam-packed conference, so it was tiring, but well worth it. I loved being able to hear about all the different ways that people are engaging youth and providing opportunities and empowerment.

The second conference I attended was as a chaperone for two high school ladies.  Lead On is a conference for high school youth who want to be leaders in their community. It is amazing to see the transformation that happen with these youth in just the short amount of time during the conference. Youth become empowered and are able to express themselves wholeheartedly. These individuals want to make a difference and Lead On gives them tools and opportunities to help make that happen.  We heard quite a few success stories while we were there from other Lead On attenders from over the years. The two ladies that I chaperoned thought about what they see in our community, both positive and negative, and what they would like to see in our community.  They decided to focus on positive outlook and attitude this year by leading a positive campaign and making a video.  Youth in our community often struggle with positive attitude and hope for the future. There is often a feeling of being "stuck" and isolated, especially in rural Alaska, which is one of the highest suicide rates in the country. I'm excited to support these two as they embrace this goal.  They were lots of fun to chaperone on our trip and I look forward to continuing that relationship throughout the year.