Welcome from the Youth A-Team!
The Youth Advisory Team (we call it the Youth A-Team) is a team of youth, young adults, and adults that seek to grow disciples of Jesus Christ through planning awesome events, conferences, and mission opportunities for the youth of the Presbytery of Arkansas!
Each A-Team member serves for one school year (June-May) and can re-apply perpetually as their schedule allows. We’d love to have you join us!
More information? Questions? Contact Brianne Christiansen, Interim Director of Youth Ministries for the Presbytery of Arkansas, at brianne@presbyark.org.
Check out the awesome year YAT put together!
YAT 23-24 application is now open!!! Please apply by May 31, 2023 through the link below. The 23-24 team will be contacted by June 15, 2023!
You can also pay for events by mailing a check addressed to the “Presbytery of Arkansas” (9221 N Rodney Parham Rd, Little Rock, AR 72227) with your name/church name and event on the memo line.
Also, if you are a church that offers additional scholarships to help your church participate in YAT events, we ask that you collect the money individually from your participants and then write one large check from your church to cover the total costs. We are happy to work with you so please contact Brianne (brianne@presbyark.org) to work out the details!
Note: All payments for Presby+ are being processed through Ferncliff. Please see the Presby+ info sheet below for the specifics.
Mission: Possible – April 14-16
Mission: Possible is a Junior High spring retreat centered around service. This year we had planned on returning to Russellville, but in the aftermath of the tornados in Central AR, we are moving the retreat to Little Rock! Come stay at Trinity Pres, serve with your friends, and hang out with cool students from around the state!
Who can attend:
Student Participants (6th-9th Grade)
Leader Corps (10th-12th Grade & College Students)
Adult Chaperones
Event Schedule:
Friday April 14 – Evening fun at Trinity Pres in Little Rock
Saturday April 15 – Day of Service Projects around Little Rock (including a morning packaging relief kits at the Ferncliff Disaster Relief Center) and ending in a Campfire Cookout at Trinity
Sunday April 16 – Breakfast and Morning Worship, Event wraps up at 9am
Summer Trip Fundraiser
Purchase a shirt and support the YAT Summer trip to the Montreat Youth Conference!
T-shirts are $20 each, and Sweatshirts are $30 each.
Adult Sizes available: S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL
To purchase a shirt, please contact Brianne (brianne@presbyark.org).
Youth A-Team Summer Trips
Registration for summer trips has passed. The Montreat trip is full, but we still have spots for 3 male-identifying students at Presby+. Please register asap!
Email Brianne Christiansen with any summer trip questions: brianne@presbyark.org
Inviting all 5th-8th grade students, high school helpers, and adult chaperones!
The Youth A-Team (YAT) is excited to bring this new junior high experience to y’all! Presby+: Your Junior High Ferncliff Experience is like summer camp at Ferncliff plus a little extra! You’ll spend the week in cabins with Ferncliff counselors plus other Presbytery junior highers. You’ll attend all-camp vespers and some all-camp activities, plus you’ll have special activities hosted by Presbytery adult chaperones and high school helpers. Plus on Wednesday afternoon, you’ll head off-camp for a special Little Rock outing! We hope you join us for extra fun at Presby+!
Who can go? Any current 5th-8th graders! We have 16 guaranteed spots for students and will look to add more as needed. We are also looking for 4 adult chaperones & 4 youth helpers to join us!
- Adult Chaperone Responsibilities: Adult chaperones must be 21 or older and pass a background check. You will stay in the Brown Center with other adults. You will lead one special activity each afternoon (planned by YAT) and drive/chaperone/host the Wednesday afternoon outing. You will take turns spending time with our Presbytery cabins, and will also supervise the high school helpers.
- High School Helper Responsibilities: High school helpers must have completed 10th grade by Presb+. Priority is given to youth on the Youth A-Team. You will stay in the Brown Center with the other helpers and report to the adult chaperones. You’ll help lead one special activity each afternoon and attend the Wednesday outing. You’ll also take turns spending time with our cabins.
How do I register? There is a two-step registration process.
- Fill out the interest form (Step #1 blue button) to share your info with the Presbytery of Arkansas.
- Follow the instructions in the Ferncliff Cheat Sheet below to register for Presby+ through the Ferncliff database. There are different links for the JH students and the HS/Adult Helpers, so please use the appropriate link (Step #2 green buttons). Pay the $50 deposit to Ferncliff directly through the Ferncliff website. All payments for this trip should be paid directly to Ferncliff and not to the Presbytery.
Please register by March 1, 2023.
We want YOU in these Ferncliff photos!
Inviting all 8th-12th grade students, adult chaperones & adult drivers!
Join us for Montreat, a Presbyterian youth conference just for high school students! At Montreat, young people from across the country gather for a week of worship, recreation, and friendship. You will spend time exploring your faith while enjoying old and new friends in the beautiful NC mountains!
Who can go? Any current 8th-12th grader! We have 16 guaranteed spots for
students, and then will work at adding more spots as needed beyond that! We are also looking for at least 4 adult chaperones and 3 adult drivers! If your church sends 5 or more students, we ask you to send an adult participant.
Adult Participant Job Descriptions:
- Chaperones are adults whose primary job is to take care of
students. Your role is to travel with the students and attend
conference events, caring for student needs as they arise during
the week away. - Drivers are adults whose primary job is to drive the participants to
and from Montreat. Your food and housing during the conference are included in your trip costs. You are welcome to pay an additional $300 to attend the Montreat conference with the students & chaperones or to spend the week in a personal retreat at Montreat. - All adult participants must be 21 or older and pass a background check. The Presbytery must approve all adult participants. Adults will stay in shared rooms with other adults.
Photos from Montreat 2022!
How can my church encourage youth to attend YAT Summer Trips?
- Please share this information with all the youth connected to your church! Friends are welcome as well!
- The Youth A-Team encourages churches to help make these trips affordable by offering scholarships to participants connected to their congregations. If your church is offering scholarships, please alert Brianne (brianne@presbyark.org) so we can process billing appropriately.
- We always need good chaperones and drivers for summer trips. You don’t have to have a student participant on the trips to send an amazing adult. Please pass this info on to adults in your church who you think might be willing to volunteer. And then please support those adults with scholarships if you are able.
- Finally, churches are also encouraged to support our youth in prayer before, during, and after the trip! Keep an eye on our social media for trip updates: Facebook & Instagram
Upcoming A-Team Events
