Leaders in Training (LITs)

You’ll undoubtedly have a lot of friends who will choose to sleep in summer. But “there comes a time when winter asks what you’ve done all summer”, and when that time comes, you’ll look back and thank your alarm clock for helping you keep your 5-week commitment to give back to your community while you learn, grow, and have a blast!

Sure, it’s your transportation, but it’s also your first opportunity to lead by example and help hold middle schoolers accountable for being the best versions of themselves, even when teachers aren’t around.

Cost-free breakfast is served with a side of cross-grade connection. You may find yourself reaching out to a quiet PATHfinder to extend a welcome, or you may find yourself surrounded by a group of kids excited to hear more about the high school experience. Either way, you will definitely not be eating alone!

Each morning with the LITs starts with a time for building intentional community and deepening your faith. Spanning 3 grades and multiple high schools, you’ll be amazed by the new friendships you’ll form and old ones you’ll deepen, and you’ll have a chance to reflect daily on how you can re-commit to being who God called you to be.

We are always learning, and that holds true when it comes to leadership skills as well! You’ll dive into interactive lessons and hands-on workshops to discover the skills and dispositions needed to be a strong and holistic leader.

Servant leadership is a deeply important part of the way that LITs shape the quality of PATH Rising Summer. From creating decorations to planning activities, you’ll find that you very much need every bit of this time for productivity!

This looks a whole lot like breakfast… maybe just with a little more singing and dancing! :)

Not many high school students can say that they have experience as a Teacher’s Assistant (TA), but you will be able to after the summer! Electives range from dance to theater to engineering and everything in between, and you’ll work with the Rising Teacher leading the course to plan and implement an engaging summerlong course through which the PATHfinders can create something they’ll proudly showcase.

Who knew leadership could be so fun?! Your role is to participate in the games and activities of this structured version of recess. Modeling effort and positive attitude is its own form of leadership.

Those courageous enough to say “yes” will find themselves on stage from time to time acting in a silly skit that will help hammer home important lessons for the PATHfinders.

Participants of all ages enter into this varied time of prayer together to reflect on the day and prepare our hearts to apply what God has been calling us to learn.

You’ll play an important role in small group reflections. While the Rising Teacher may facilitate the conversation and activity about how we’ll apply the lessons of the day to our lives, your insight into what these lessons look like in high school (and how you wish they might have looked in middle school) are likely to be the most influential. Plus, your modeling and encouragement of all participants to share will set the tone for the depth of this small group, and you’ll be amazed at how much everyone can grow in such a short time.

If the PATHfinders didn’t have so much energy, you’d probably fall asleep on the way home! :)