Registration Information for Serve Our Youth 5K Walk/Run – Saturday, April 13th
Please join us on our 2nd Annual 5K Run/Walk at Gray’s Lake on 4/13/13. You can download registration and sponsor forms here.
SOY Updates
SAVE THE DATES…PLAN TO ATTEND!
SOY has two great events coming up this year to put on your calendar! On February 9 we have our Family Fun Day at the Vermeer Pavilion in Pella. There will be games, inflatables and food all for a free will donation! This is a great community event and we have it underwritten by local [...]
Younkers Coupon Books
Serve Our Youth is selling Younkers Coupons books for $5 that contain hundreds of dollars worth of savings for you, to be used at any Younkers store on November 9 & 10. If you are interested in receiving one or many please contact us at 641-620-9037 or email kathy@serveouryouth.org.
Helpful Tips and Tools
New Film Coming Soon Check It Out: Invisible Youth
Invisible Young is an inspiring, feature-length documentary that tells the life stories of four young adults, all of whom were homeless as teenagers in Seattle Washington. It takes a revealing look at their families, their day to-day lives, their possible fates, and follows them as they strive for a hopeful, prosperous future. Invisible Young is [...]
Are Family Dinners Overrated?
A new study published back in May in the Journal of Marriage and Family suggests that perhaps they are. The authors of the study, Ann Meier, an associate professor of sociology at the University of Minnesota and Kelly Musick, an associate professor of policy analysis and management at Cornell University, writing in The New York [...]
Teens & Social Media
Below is an infographic from research complied by Common Sense Media. The report is entitled “Social Media, Social Life: How Teens View Their Digital Lives.” Walt Mueller asks some good questions for us to consider in light of this research: What does this data mean for us as parents? As youth workers? Is there anything [...]
Community Based Mentoring
National Corporate Mentoring Challenge
The Corporate Mentoring Challenge (CMC) addresses America’s dropout crisis by encouraging and promoting corporate support of mentoring both locally and nationally. The CMC recognizes outstanding corporations from all over the country that have created, expanded or partnered on mentoring initiatives this year. Read more and encourage your local businesses and corporations to sign on: http://corporatementoring.challenge.gov/
“6 Qualities That Make You a Good Mentor for Teens”
January is National Mentoring Month and before it comes to an end for another year check out why mentoring is so valuable and so needed, and how you be a great mentor to a child or youth in need: Six qualities that make you a good mentor for teens http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-moment-youth/201301/mentoring-youth-matters.
For the least of these….
January is National Mentoring Month and as we take time to honor those famous in the world for their words and actions related to mentoring, we also take time to honor those who are famous to us in each of our own lives for the wisdom, council, love and Jesus-like Spirit they showed to us [...]
Institutional Ministries
Daphne’s Story
Daphne is a vibrant, intelligent young lady who landed in the detention center jaded, skeptical, and bitter. Daphne’s mom abandoned her at the age of 2. Her dad repeatedly reminded her she would be nothing, just like her mom. Daphne worked hard in school and found every job she could to prove herself and yet [...]
Bibles Needed
Serve Our Youth Network is need of Bibles to give to juvenile offenders that we work with in the area juvenile detention centers and facilities we serve. We currently use the NIV Outreach Bible from Biblica (formerly International Bible Society). There are three ways you can help us out. Purchase a case or several copies [...]
Ringing in the New Year in Detention
We had a group from Glen Echo Christian Church in Des Moines host a New Year’s Eve party at the Polk County Juvenile Detention Center. Below are some of the kids’ responses: “Thanks for spending your New Year’s with us when you didn’t have to. It shows a lot of humility and that you care. [...]