Young Quakes
an FGC conference for high school age Friends
Honoring Our Faith
October 6–9, 2006. C.A.Vines Arkansas 4-H Center, Little Rock, Arkansas. Our engaging team of presenters are Hope Braveheart (Baltimore YM), Aaron Fowler (Great Plains YM), and Elizabeth Lyzenga-Waterman (New England YM).
Honor honesty or integrity in one’s beliefs and actions
Faith being sure of what one hopes for and certain of what one does not see; commitment to a religious tradition or community
Explore the connections.
What is a Young Quakes conference? Young Quakes is interactive workshops, Quaker-friendly Bible study, invigorating discussions, presentations, games,worship and worship sharing, singing, hanging out and building incredible community. It's both terrific fun and awesome content.You will explore with other Young Friends in our unprogrammed tradition what it means to honor our faith in the world today. In addition to all the great stuff we will do together, each Young Friend will be in a "family group" that meets each day for discussion and worship sharing. Our core Bible passage will be The Beatitudes, Matthew 5:3-10 (see left).
Download Registration Form (PDF)
Young Quakes 2006 Information
How much: $160.00 for registrations postmarked by September 9th, $190.00 for registrations postmarked after September 9th. Scholarship aid requests must be postmarked by no later than September 15th. Don't delay and lose your place! FGC has limited scholarship assistance available for those who cannot afford the full cost of this conference. Friends requiring financial assistance are asked to seek help from their monthly, quarterly, and yearly meetings.The medical permission form in this flyer is the registration form.
Getting there: Please be thoughtful in sending us your travel arrangements, whether or not you are flying, by September 25, 2006. If you are flying, we guarantee a Friend will meet you at Little Rock National Airport provided we have received all flight details by that date. A map and driving instructions will be provided for those arriving by car.
When to arrive and leave: Check-in is on Friday evening, October 6, between 5:00 and 7:00; please plan your flights accordingly. As a rough estimate, you should allow at least 30 minutes to get to the camp from the airport. Light supper will be provided at 6:00.The program will begin at 7:30 PM.The conference will end with lunch at noon on Monday, October 9. Cancellations: If you need to cancel you r registration and we receive your cancellation by September 9 you will get a full refund. If you cancel between September 10 and 25,we will retain $64 and return the balance. For cancellations received after September 25,we will retain $153 and return the balance because FGC will still need to pay the camp for your room and board.
Accommodations and what to pack: Beds, bed linens, and towels are provided. Please bring toiletries, jammies, flashlight, any required medications, sweater and jacket, and rain gear.Acoustic musical instruments are welcome. Bring a camera, if you wish to photograph all your new friends! Please do not bring skateboards, computer games, or pets!
Special diets: Please indicate on the registration form if you are vegetarian, vegan, or omnivorous (meat-eating).Also, let us know of any food allergies.We cannot promise to accommodate your dietary needs if we are not informed of them by September 25.
Letter of excuse for school: This conference is held over the Columbus Day holiday weekend (observed in the United States). If you need an official excuse to miss classes, you may request a letter from Michael Gibson at Friends General Conference requesting that you be excused for a religious holiday. If you need such a letter, please request it by September 15, 2006, as it will not be possible to honor last minute requests. Snail mail address is FGC, 1216 Arch St., 2B, Philadelphia, PA 19107.You may e-mail Michael at michaelg@fgcquaker.org.
Expectations at the 2006 Young Quakes Conference
- No alcohol or illegal drugs during the conference, please (for health and liability).
- No coupling up (so that we can build community).
- No girls in the boys' rooms; no boys in the girls' rooms (for privacy and safety).There are other places to socialize.
- Be in your bed with lights out by the designated time each night (so we can all be alert for the program the next day).
- No driving, riding, or sitting in cars during the conference. Unless you have special permission from Michael Gibson, leave your car parked once you arrive on site if you drive (for safety and liability).
- Arrive on time for programs throughout the conference (to keep things going smoothly).
- Participation is expected at all events, including cleaning duty (so we can build community).
- Treat all persons with respect and respect the property of Friends and of Arkansas 4-H Center (for obvious reasons, right?).
- Smoking policy:Young Quakes have the same policy that exists at the Gathering: if you must smoke, smoke alone.No smoking inside or near entrances. Please minimize time spent away from the gathering.We will have a resource person (FAP) who will shepherd the smokers and help those who are in smoking cessation.We will have suggestions for ways to avoid smoking. [Although we make this accommodation for addiction, aspects of smoking are obviously inconsistent with testimonies on several fronts: care for one's body; care for the community (being absent inhibits community); and giving money to businesses that exploit and manipulate teenagers and others to their detriment.]
Note: If a participant is asked to leave the conference due to infringements of the rules, no refund will be given. If you feel you cannot follow these guidelines, yet have already registered, let Michael Gibson know by September 9 and he will cancel your registration and send you a refund. Contact information is below.
Still have questions? Contact Michael Gibson, Religious Education Coordinator, at Friends General Conference, 1216 Arch Street, 2B, Philadelphia PA 19107. E-mail is michaelg@fgcquaker.org and phone is 215-561-1700. Please note that he will sometimes be out of the office on FGC business or on vacation, but he will get back to you.
Young Quakes Friendly Adult Presence in Training
FAPIT is a new volunteer staff position at the FGC Young Quakes conference called Friendly Adult Presence in Training (FAPIT). The FAPIT program was created to foster and develop leadership skills among Young Adult Friends.
Read the invitation here (deadline September 1, 2006)
Application form (PDF)
This annual Young Quakes conference is a project of the
Religious Education Committee of Friends
General Conference. For further information, contact Michael Gibson, Religious
Education Coordinator at 215-561-1700 or send e-mail to michaelg@fgcquaker.org.
Photo by Sarah Richardson
