Youth Curriculum, 4-14-24
Announcements:
Kristen Rubis from My Body My Power is coming to CSL! She is holding her monthly camp here on Saturday, April 13th, from 2–6 pm. This Self Nurture Day Camp for girls 12-16 is an opportunity to explore and tap into their inner wisdom, discovering the power and strength of their bodies. These camps give girls a sense of belonging that positively impacts their self-esteem and confidence. Parents, your tween or teen girl, can sign up at kristenrubis.com/camps or on our website.
The CSL 2024 Teen Camp theme, Finding Me Through Divinity, was just announced with a video created by CSL teens and edited by our own teen advisor, Ocean Laura. Check out this video camp theme introduction and camp registration details on our website.
Youth & Family’s next INSPIRE Life-Skills Workshop for Teens will be Mastering Communication & Connection. Learn the art of effective communication, honing essential interviewing skills, building strong relationships, and mastering conflict resolution techniques. These workshops are held here at CSL every fourth Sunday at 5 pm and are open to teens 13-18. Please register on our website.
Curriculum Overview:
Through activities like Mirror Reflections, Compassion Stones, and Eye Gazing, youth will explore how their actions and emotions manifest in their relationships. They’ll learn the significance of compassion, kindness, and understanding, laying the foundation for meaningful connections in their lives.
March Monthly Theme: Giant Gentleness
Week 2 Value: The Other In Love
Affirmation: All of my relationships are Love in action
Spiritual Lesson:
This lesson fosters introspection and empathy in children, guiding them to recognize the interconnectedness between their own attitudes and behaviors and the quality of their relationships. Through interactive activities and discussions, they learn to cultivate compassion, kindness, and understanding towards themselves and others, empowering them to navigate their social interactions with empathy and love.
Meditation Practice: Loving-Kindness Meditation
Youths start by directing loving-kindness toward themselves and gradually extend it to others, including loved ones, acquaintances, and even people they may have difficulty with. This meditation helps reinforce the themes of empathy, compassion, and understanding explored in the curriculum, promoting emotional well-being and positive relationships.
Active Listening: Book/Music/Video
Book: “The Invisible Boy” by Trudy Ludwig
Book: “Enemy Pie” by Derek Munson
Music: “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong
Music: “Lean on Me” by Bill Withers
Creative Expression: Compassion Stones
Using the same compassion stones from the previous session, youth reflect on a time when they felt upset or hurt by someone’s actions and then think about how they can show compassion towards themselves and the other person.
They will decorate their stones with symbols or words representing compassion and understanding.
Connecting/Spiritual Practice: Perspective Painting
Youths paint or draw a scene from two different perspectives: up close and far away. They will be invited to think about how distance and perspective can change their perception of a situation or relationship. Their goal for the week will be to take time to consider a different perspective in order to better understand and appreciate others.