Middle School Friends are young people in Grades 6-8. Together with dedicated staff and volunteer adult Friendly Presences, they create a community where youth in early adolescence explore identity, leadership, and their spiritual lives.
The MSF program is a community where young people:
- explore Quaker faith and practice through workshops, activities, and positive modeling by carign staff and volunteer Friendly Presences (FPs);
- live Quaker values in safe spaces for participants to gather with peers, explore what they believe, and wrestle with their concept of self through the often challenging period of life known as middle school.
MSF is envisioned as a “coming of age” program for young Friends and the three years include opportunities to develop leadership and discernment skills, nurture spiritual exploration and growth, and contribute through service and witness.
Gatherings
When the MSF program hosts overnight gatherings for Friends and friends of Friends, the program is a mix of play, discussion, spiritual education, arts/music, and community-building activities.
Middle School Friends gatherings vary widely in theme and focus, but seek to:
- give participants the opportunity to explore Quakerism and spirituality.
- offer a safe space for middle schoolers to be authentic and open.
- have a mix of high energy running around, low energy winding down/sleepy time, wild wacky fun, and thoughtful exploration of new ideas.
- have a mix of big and small group activities.
- include workshops, games, worship, and community building.
ALL participants in the MSF program will need to have a Health/Permission form on file, which is good from July to June each year.
Volunteer with MSF!
The Middle School Friends community is incredibly grateful to the many volunteers who donate their time and energy to the MSF program. We are always looking for people who are connected to a Quaker community, energetic, playful, spiritually grounded, interested in hanging out with middle schoolers, and able to sleep on a meeting-house floor for a weekend. We put together a team of Friendly Presences at every gathering that will work well together, model positive adult friendships and have fun and exciting interactions with middle school Friends.
If this sounds like something for you, please be in touch with the Youth Engagement Coordinator – ksimmons@pym.org
