High School Program
We wholeheartedly welcome you to join more than one hundred high-school-aged Quakers from all over North America in one of the most spiritually uplifting experiences of your life. High schoolers are housed together and create their own self-governing community (with a little help from their adult f/Friends). The program includes workshops, support groups, an afternoon out-trip, interest groups, campfires and an all-night final celebration. There are also opportunities for dancing, sports, singing, committee work and hanging out.
For many participants, workshops are the heart of their Gathering experience. Please choose workshops that you feel will best enhance your experience of the week. Consider workshop selections carefully, as program participants must attend their assigned workshop throughout the Gathering.
Twice during the week, the entire high school program convenes for a meeting for worship with attention to business. These meetings are integral to our community-building process: to better create the experience we want for the week, as we seek discernment of the Spirit and hold relevant issues in the Light.
The high school program is a unique and wondrous community. All who participate are asked to commit to the safety and health of all community members, to use common sense and to meet the following expectations:
- No sexual activity is permitted
- No illegal drugs or alcohol are allowed
The complete program guidelines will be mailed in advance of the Gathering, as will the all-Gathering expectations. These may also be viewed at our website. There is an established limit of 150 high-school-aged participants, so please sign up early!! Andrew Esser-Haines and Cari Burke are serving as the coordinators for the high school program this year. Please contact High School Coordinators Cari Burke cari...@plantemoran.com or Andrew Esser-Haiens esse...@earlham.edu with any questions or concerns.
We welcome people with specific needs of a medical or non-medical nature. If a young person, parent or sponsor believes the young person has any needs of which the program should be aware, they should contact the coordinators.
Age of High School Participants
The high school program is open to young people who have completed ninth grade, have not yet turned 19 as of July 1, 2008, and have not yet completed their first year of college. 18 years olds choosing not to participate in the high school program should register as Adult Young Friends.
Registration Details and Deadlines
Registrations from high school Friends will not be accepted after May 31 (postmark or web timestamp) but please be aware that the program or the Gathering itself may fill well before that deadline. Register online and get immediate confirmation of your acceptance, plus a $10 discount! Non-Quaker teens are welcome in our community. However, we invite them to seek clearness from a local meeting before registering. All participants, even those already 18, must have a sponsor and a parent-signed Parental Release Form in order to participate in the program. (No exceptions!) All participants must identify their sponsors when registering for the Gathering.
High School Sponsors
A sponsor is a parent, family member or other conscientious person 25 or over who knows the high school program participant well. If the sponsor is not the parent, (s)he should be someone who is actively concerned with the young person’s activities and well-being. We request that a sponsor be responsible for no more than two high schoolers. Both the participant and sponsor must be full-time Gathering attenders residing on campus. High schoolers may not arrive before sponsors or remain at the Gathering after sponsors have departed. Please make travel plans accordingly. The sponsor (or designated alternate) must be on campus (or with the sponsee) at all times during Gathering. Alternate sponsors are designated in writing in advance. Complete sponsor guidelines will soon be online, and will be explained in detail at the high school sponsor orientation on Saturday evening.
