Programs : Youth Ministry : Teen Programs

Junior High Retreat

The annual junior high retreat is facilitated through a collaborative effort of several local parish high school groups and youth ministers to provide an opportunity for sixth, seventh, and eighth graders to meet new friends, deepen existing friendships, and experience our Catholic faith in a dynamic way! If connecting faith to real life experiences is a priority for your youth, then the junior high retreat is for them! Registration is required.

If you are a junior or senior high student and you are interested in participating in this retreat, contact your parish youth minister or a CYO Youth Ministry Team Member.

SEARCH

SEARCH weekends, facilitated by high school students for high school students, are held three times a year. The retreat provides young people, ages 15-18, the opportunity to:

• Develop a fuller understanding of God and His Church
• Enter into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ
• Discover how they can assume a more active role in the Church.

Since its inception, there have been 168 SEARCHES (as of November 2007). SEARCH retreats are open to adolescents of all faith denominations. Registration is required.

Junior High and Confirmation Retreats

The CYO Youth Ministry Team is able to help you design and implement junior high and Confirmation retreats for your parish. We offer cost-efficient presentations with an “outside voice.” Retreats are tailored to fit your parish needs. Contact any CYO Youth Ministry Team Member for more information.

JAM (Justice Akron Ministries)

JAM was established in 2000 to offer teens the opportunity to participate in social justice service projects, build community with one another and grow in their faith. The goal of JAM is to provide summer service opportunities for teens involving direct contact with the poor and disadvantaged in our community. Currently, the JAM program is designed for students in grades 10-12. Junior JAM programs provide students in grades 7-9 an opportunity to participate in two-day service retreats.

2006 marked the first year of Junior JAM West. Junior JAM West is held yearly at Sacred Heart Parish in Wadsworth. Participants served meals, helped with gardening, home repairs, cleaning, and childcare, as well as spending time with the elderly.

In both cases, CYO partners with local social service agencies to match teen work groups with those in need. This allows the youth to have direct contact with those being served and emphasizes the social justice aspect of service. More JAM sites will be considered as the program grows.

Home Service Project

The purpose of the CYO Home Service Project is to build community and enable low-income older adults to remain in their homes by matching them with caring volunteers who can provide ongoing light home and yard maintenance services. The CYO Home Service Project connects people of different generations, beliefs and cultural backgrounds within the same community. Through service, meaningful connections are made that benefit young and old alike.

Volunteers are needed both individually and as a group. One-time projects are available as well as projects that need on-going assistance. Some examples include:

• Mowing
• Weeding
• Trimming bushes
• Leaf removal
• Gutter cleaning
• Painting, interior/exterior
• Spring and Fall clean-up

If you or a group are interested in volunteering for the CYO Home Service Project, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator at 330.762.2961, x232.