This summer, Pastor Jahill Richards, who serves as a chaplain with Wholesome Riches and director of our Pathway to Purpose program, launched a new effort to enrich and mentor local students called the Summer Leadership Initiative.
The purpose of the Summer Leadership Initiative (SLI) is to equip and develop teens who are going into 8th and 9th grade with a strong work ethic and the integrity to lead with confidence, courage, and character in their schools, communities, and all of life.
“Teens learn how to resist peer pressure, make wise choices, and lead responsibly as they put their leadership into action, while serving with our Love Your Neighbor food distributions,” explains Pastor Jahill.
The four-week-long program consists of home reading assignments, in-person discussion sessions, virtual check-ins and service opportunities that focus on different aspects of character, leadership and decision-making.
The students serve at the three Love Your Neighbor food distributions during the month of August where they are challenged to take on new responsibilities through social interactions with the community in Camden, while serving to help accomplish practical work tasks including equipment set-up, food sorting, grocery distribution and clean up.
They are also encouraged to memorize short quotes that they can recall as challenges in life arise, including this famous quote by C.S. Lewis:
“Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.”
Pastor Jahill says, “our hope is that this summer program will help to lay a solid foundation for youth to give leadership to their peers as examples of integrity.”
In addition to working closely with the students, Pastor Jahill does weekly follow ups with parents to share how their teen is growing in leadership and how they are doing in the program. The aim is that this initiative will help urban youth grow in three areas which we refer to as the three H’s: head (intellectually), heart (conventionally), and hands (practically, through acts of service).