Children & Youth Programs
Sunday Mornings
- 3 year olds - 5th graders: parents will sign children out to RE after the Time For All Ages. After service, parents will come to pick up their children at the CARE building.
- 6th - 8th graders: parents are invited to come to RE with their youth during the September 11 service for a one-time Neighboring Faiths orientation. Parents will hopefully be able to stay for some time after service to have some deeper discussion about Neighboring Faiths while Middle School youth can go to Middle School Youth Group. Register below.
- Middle School Youth Group (MSYG): Middle School Youth Group will usually meet after service on 1st Sundays and sometime during the third weekends of the month. For September, they are meeting on September 11. Open to all Middle School youth!
- High School Youth Group (HSYG): High School Youth Group will meet after service every Sunday starting September 11. Open to all High School youth!
- Coming of Age (COA): Coming of Age is a curriculum designed to encourage youth to examine themselves and their beliefs through the lens of Unitarian Universalism. COA is open to all 9th-11th graders who have not already finished it. This program includes retreats and hopefully a larger trip in the summer of 2023. COA will meet after service from 11:30am-1pm on 2nd and 4th Sundays starting September 25. Orientation for youth and parents will be September 18 at 1pm. Attending the orientation is strongly encouraged, but if you cannot attend, Rev Jim can meet with you to get you information. Register below.
- OWL 8/9 and 5/6: OWL Parent Orientation will be held on September 11. Orientation is mandatory for all parents of OWL students. Orientation for 8/9th grade parents will be 1pm-4pm Orientation for 5/6th grade parents will be 1pm-3pm. A few spots are still available in both programs. Register below.
- Children’s Choirs: Hopefully starting Sunday, October 2 after worship. More news coming soon!
- Nursery Care during worship coming soon!
Programs
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![2 - 4 year-olds: Preschoolers and Parents of Preschoolers]()
2 - 4 year-olds: Preschoolers and Parents of Preschoolers
Updated 2022-23 Curriculum description coming soon!
Preschoolers and Parents of Preschoolers (POP!)Preschoolers are invited to play with friends on the ERUUF playground under youth staff supervision. Parents of Preschoolers are invited to gather at the picnic tables on the playground for discussion, camaraderie, and support. What are the unique challenges facing POP during the pandemic? How can parents be the primary spiritual guides and spirituality educators for our children? The facilitators of the Parents of Preschoolers will be following this curriculum.![K - 2nd Grade]()
K - 2nd Grade
Updated 2022-23 Curriculum description coming soon!
World of Wonder (fall)
This program delves deep into our Unitarian Universalist seventh Principle. It instills respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part, and appreciation of nature's beauty, excitement, and mystery.
Wonderful Welcome (spring)
The Wonderful Welcome curriculum engages and challenges participants to explore how and why we are willing to welcome others into our lives. We welcome not only strangers, but family, our peers, our neighbors, and even entities that are not people such as our animal friends and nature itself. Come join us in opening our hearts up for radical welcome.
![3rd Grade - 5th Grade: Harry and UU]()
3rd Grade - 5th Grade: Harry and UU
This program is based on the Harry Potter series of books by J.K. Rowling, books that immerse children in the idea that one can work to make the world better.
The curriculum includes many fun wizarding activities, including herbology, potions, runes, and divination. Over the course of the year, the class forms a chapter of Dumbledore’s Army and fights against seven Horcruxes. The Horcruxes are real-world social issues, and the goal is to produce tangible results through social action.
![6th - 8th Grade]()
6th - 8th Grade
Updated 2022-23 Curriculum description coming soon!
This year Middle School Youth Group and R.E. are combined, and alternate weeks on Sunday mornings. MSYG offers opportunities for 6th-8th graders to come together for fun group games, social bonding, community service and justice projects, as well as "lock-ins" or, this year perhaps "lock outs" overnights on campus. Middle School R.E. will be exploring a racial justice R.E. curriculum called, "Growing Antiracist UUs" that was developed by the UU Congregation in Charlottesville.
![Our Whole Lives (OWL)]()
OWL is a comprehensive, lifespan sexuality education curricula for use in both secular settings and faith communities. It provides honest, accurate information about sexuality. It dismantles stereotypes and assumptions, builds self-acceptance and self-esteem, fosters healthy relationships, and improves decision-making. Our Whole Lives helps participants make informed and responsible decisions about their health and behavior. It equips participants with accurate, age-appropriate information in six subject areas: human development, relationships, personal skills, sexual behavior, sexual health, and society and culture.
![5th / 6th Grade OWL]()
This ten-workshop program is designed to help children ages nine through twelve to gain the knowledge, life principles, and skills they need to understand and express their sexuality in holistic, life-enhancing ways.
Like the other Our Whole Lives programs for different age groups, this comprehensive, developmentally appropriate program introduces key topics like values, body image, gender and sexual identity, peer pressure, and healthy relationships with sensitivity and inclusiveness, yet without specifically religious doctrine or reference.![8th / 9th Grade OWL]()
This sexuality education program for youth models and teaches caring, compassion, respect, and justice. It is a holistic program that moves beyond the intellect to address the attitudes, values, and feelings that youth have about themselves and the world.
Unlike many other sexuality curricula currently available, this program is comprehensive and progressive. In an inclusive and developmentally appropriate manner, it addresses sensitive topics that are typically excluded. The underlying values of the program reflect the justice-oriented traditions of UU.
![High School Youth Group (HSYG) - Grades 9-12]()
High School Youth Group (HSYG) - Grades 9-12
High School Youth Group (HSYG) is a great place to have fun and meet a community of other youth that share our UU values. Youth meet weekly, outdoors around the fire pit in the woods. Youth gather for games, events, activities, and service projects throughout the year. HSYG includes opportunities for community building, worship and faith formation, justice making, learning and leadership.
![Coming of Age (COA)]()
COA is a program for 9th-10th grades to assist youth in clarifying and articulating their personal beliefs and to grow more deeply into Unitarian Universalism. COA supports youth in creating a vision about who they would like to be and what they would like to do for the world. Each youth is paired with an adult mentor to support them on their journey of discovery and help create connections between youth and the adult congregation. The program culminates with a celebration dinner and youth-led worship service in which youth share their personal credos.
![Youth Staff R.E. Internships]()
Youth Staff R.E. Internships
Youth are invited to apply to serve as assistant R.E. Teachers for our preschool and elementary age groups. The experience is truly emblematic of UU values: covenantal relationships rooted in community and mutual respect. This internship offers youth a chance to practice bringing their UU values into a work environment. Priority will be given to applicants who have completed Coming of Age at ERUUF or another UU congregation.
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