Yellow T-shirts identified some 90 teens participating in Teen Leadership Training at the 2006 SCC Camporee. “They welcomed, did ground security, inspected uniforms, judged in the Bible Bowl and helped teach honors classes,” said Bob Wong, junior youth ministries director. “The camporee, which some 1,500 Pathfinders attended, would not have run as smoothly without TLTs.”

Many SCC Pathfinder Clubs utilize the TLT program year round; the Eagle Rock church has been involved for a dozen years. Co-leader Steve Clement noted, “We have discovered that most of our high school students enjoy teaching. Starting with their freshman year in high school, TLTs teach honor classes for three to six weeks, long enough for them to experience teaching, but not so long that they get burned out.

“In their sophomore year, they teach a Progressive Class (i.e. Friend, Companion, etc.) for the entire year. Our club includes the Adventurer and Eager Beaver programs that meet at the same time, which enables us to assign some TLTs to help teach in these programs. We have been blessed with having a number of TLTs each year, enough that some can team teach with an adult mentor. Our TLTs now outnumber our Pathfinders!”

“Our first goal is bringing Pathfinders to the Lord,” said Lynette Clement, co-leader, “and bringing them to a decision for baptism. The second is to keep our young people interested in our church. Showing teens how to take leadership roles is third and is designed to allow teens to learn how to become leaders while being with their friends. It makes us very proud when we see teens taking leadership responsibilities!”

Leah Rodriguez, a first year pre-med student, was a TLT all through high school. “I taught the Adventurers Class the first year and loved the kids,” she said. “The program was a fun way to meet the community service requirement for school. After my first year as a TLT, I especially liked it when some of the kids were going to the elementary grades in my school and would call, 'Teacher, teacher!' and run up to me.”

May and Ron Lee, club leaders for the L.A. Chinese church, are also pleased with the TLT program. “It is definitely easier to do everything yourself or to have adults/parents do the work. But as you see the teens grow and mature over the years and become involved in active, selfless service, the reward is priceless.”