A&M Youth
High School Week Packing List and Travel Info
We're so glad you can come to come to High School Week! This is going to be a memorable, impactful, and Christ-focused week. We ask you to begin preparing your heart for the things God will show you on this trip. Pray about the trip. Pray for all of our hearts to be open to the Lord. Pray that God's Spirit will work powerfully throughout the week.
This page has travel info details about the week and a packing list. If you have any questions after reading all of this info please let us know.
Before this trip begins, we want to make sure everyone understands we have very high expectations for all students in our group. Your behavior...your willingness to be kind...the way you treat other people...the words you say to or about other people...your actions...your words...we want and expect everyone to hold themselves to a high standard. (You can read more about this at the bottom of this webpage by the asterisk.)
We'll ask you to save romantic interests and relationships for another time. And we'll ask you to step outside of any cliques to be a friend to everyone.
Also, if your plans have changed and you can not join us for High School Week, please let us know as soon as you can. If you drop out at the last minute or if you don't show up, we still have to pay for most all of your activities for the week.
***Very important:
There are some medical releases/waivers we need each parent to sign (for students under 18.) We will communicate directly with parents via email about how to get these signed. Since this is a "destination unknown" type of trip - and these releases have locations and ministries on them - we'll ask all parents to help keep this info to themselves. Our group will find out where we are going once we are on the trip. (students 18 and older can sign the forms after we leave B/CS.)
***Also Important:
All students need to follow this link to answer a few questions:
Info about our travel plans:
Meet to depart: We will meet on Sunday, July 28, at 1:15pm. We will leave shortly after this. When you arrive at the church building, you can put your stuff in the trailer and then come inside the building to check in. When you check in, we will make sure we have all necessary medical releases, collect phones, and give some last-minute info before we leave.
What about lunch? Make sure you eat before you come.
Where are we going once we get in the bus? North.
Transportation: We'll be taking our youth bus and trailer. And be ready to sit by people. The bus is mostly full for this trip.
Return: We will return on Saturday, August 3, by 1pm. We may be a bit earlier.
How will students know where we are going next? We will tell you each day where we'll be going that day. Part of the adventure is not really knowing where you're going next. But trust us, it will be awesome.
How will your parents know where we are going next? We will email parents throughout the trip with updates about where we are and where we are going. At any time parents need to reach us or find out more info, they can call Monty or Heather's cell phone, or text them. We will also send out links to our location on google maps each day we are on the road. (Google maps has not worked perfectly for us on youth trips this summer. We will hopefully figure out what is not working correctly and get it resolved.)
Registration Payment: If you have not already made the full registration payment, or if you have not paid the balance of the registration payment after making the deposit, you can put it in the youth box anytime. We will email everyone who still has a remaining balance in the coming days. If you need additional time to pay, or if you need financial help in the form of a scholarship, let us know.
ADVENTURE RELATIONSHIPS TRUTH
Packing List:
-Clothes for Sunday through Saturday. Shorts and t-shirt type clothing is great for this trip. (we will check the forecast for the areas we are going to as HSW gets closer, and let you know if anything other than hot and dry weather is expected.)
-Clothes to sleep in / pajamas
-Swimsuit or clothes to wear while swimming. Swimsuits for guys and girls need to be modest.
-Clothing which can be worn outside for a day involving water...this can be a swimsuit, or swimsuit and tshirt and shorts, or a swimshirt and swimsuit or anything like that. (You'll need water shoes / sandals /shoes that can get wet for this as well.)
-Socks and underwear (this is plural)
-Things for your feet. At least one pair needs to be closed-toed. Other suggestions include: tennis shoes, shower shoes, and (as mentioned above) water-shoes / sandals / shoes which can get wet.
-Bedding - be prepared for two kinds of places to sleep:
1) twin beds - kind of like at a camp - you'll need pillow and sleeping bag or sheets or whatever you want
2) floor in church classrooms - you can bring a sleeping mattress or cot if you want to. Or just sleep on the floor with a sleeping bag.
-2 Towels: one for showers and one for swimming (actually it's for after both of these things, but you get the point)
-Toiletries (hair stuff, teeth stuff, deodorant (please!), soap, shampoo, etc.)
-Bible (please do not forget this)
-Pen
-Sunscreen
-Backpack or small bag - to be used when we need to shower at a YMCA or Rec-Center type place. So, something that can hold a towel and change of clothes.
-Bug spray (or you can borrow - don't go buy this if you don't have any)
-Flashlight (not a must, but you might want to have it at night in the cabin or the other places we will stay.)
-Blanket for the bus (optional - only in case you get cold with the really good bus a/c - let's keep hoping)
-Camera (optional)
-Snacks (optional)
-Watch (optional - but a good idea)
-Anything fun like games, goofy things, funny things, or anything similar (optional)
-Life-jacket (optional - two places we are going require everyone to wear life-jackets for their activities. If you have your own life-jacket and want to bring it just to make sure you don't have to wait on life-jackets to be available, you can.)
-disc(s) for disc golf (optional)
-And hey - don't forget the medical releases which we're talking to parents about. (They'll get an email with a link to sign them.)
If you want to bring cards, games, books, DVD's to watch on the bus, or other things to do on the bus, you are welcome to do so. If you bring a DVD movie to watch, it needs to be squeaky clean.
Things Not to Bring:
-Earbuds of any kind - or anything that goes in or around your ear and plays music.
-Electronics such as: video gaming devices, iPads, laptops, etc.
-2nd cell phone to use after you put a cell phone in the phone box
-Spam
-Anything intended to be used to play a joke or prank on someone
-Anything you know you shouldn’t have
-Anything illegal
-Weapons or knives of any kind
Faith-filled.
Christ-Focused.
And absolutely awesome.
A Note about phones:
As always, we are not trying to keep anyone from their digital best friend or keep you from being able to communicate with your parents. Instead, we are trying to take a break from the distractions that phones so often bring. So get ready to not have those funny little cat videos for a little while...and be ready for your streak to be broken (no one really cares about that anyway)...and tell your friends you'll talk to them in a few days.
You can either leave your phone at home or turn it in to the phone box when we leave. If you need it to talk to parents at any time, you are welcome to do so. If your parents need to contact you during the week, it would be best for them to call or text Monty or Heather. We'll let you use our phones or get your phone out of the phone box, if you need to talk to them.
What about other money?
Well, you technically do not need any additional money for this trip, however, if you would like some for rest stops / gas-station stops or for souvenirs or various other things, you can bring some. We will make maybe 4-6 rest stops / gas-station stops...and...there are shirts and other things available at a few places we will go...and we'll be in some other places where souvenirs, and other things are available.
Questions?
If you have any questions about anything, let us know - except about where we are going - that's a surprise.
Again, so glad you can join us for High School Week.
Be praying as you prepare your heart for a week of faith and adventure.
Get ready...it's going to be great!
Going to a week of camp with students from your own church can provide friendships and encouragement which can last throughout the whole year. It allows students to grow closer together while also growing closer to God. It provides a place where life-change can happen. It’s gives opportunities where memories are made. It will take you to places where you’ll see and experience new things and where you can’t wait to go back.
(The info below is from the original information we posted about High School Week.)
Summer always provides a chance for many students to go to a summer camp. High School Week is our youth ministry’s version of high school camp. It’s also our youth ministry’s version of what we hope will be one of the greatest highlights of your year. It is different than many other camp-type weeks because we find times to serve others during the week. In other words, it's not just about us. It will be a time when you can come, away from the structures and expectations of the world, serve, have fun, and grow closer to God.
* The following paragraph was included in the original sign-up form:
All students participating in High School Week should read the following agreement and then sign at the bottom by typing their name. This section is not to be signed by a parent.
We are glad you can be a part of High School Week. We think it is going to be a great week, and we are glad you can join us.
This is a trip where expectations for behavior are high. Personal responsibility is expected. When we are doing a service project, be willing to help without having to be told repeatedly. When it's time to go to bed at night, go to bed. Treat everyone with Christ-like love and kindness. Romantic relationships are discouraged so that you focus on your relationship with God and be friends with everyone. Profanity and coarse joking are not acceptable.
Any items brought by students which are illegal, or any immoral behavior will result in students being sent home. If a student acts in a way which causes them to be removed from the trip, parents have the responsibility to pick their son/daughter up immediately.
Transformational
Relational
Purposeful
Awesome