CONFERENCE URGES YOUTH TO BUILD 'UP' THEIR FAITH
Thousands of middle schoolers expected this weekend
LISA CAPITELLI n Staff Writer
Approximately 3,000 middle school students are expected to participate in the annual ALIVE Youth for Christ conference this weekend at the Ocean City convention center. Students, leaders and parents will take part in seminars, workshops, concerts, exhibits and prayer. There will also be games, karaoke, talent competition, extreme hair makeovers and dodgeball. (Nov. 20, 2009) The Ocean City convention center will be the headquarters for this weekend's Youth For Christ ALIVE Conference, during which approximately 3,000 middle school students, youth leaders and parents are expected to gather for activities that are designed to encourage participants to build "UP" their faith and spiritual lives.
Metro Maryland Youth for Christ Executive Director Bob Arnold said the theme is designed to help motivate students to "look up with hope and optimism about life" instead of looking down at all the negatives.
"They can either see the glass as half full of half empty," he said.
Friday through Sunday, students, leaders and parents from Maryland and its neighboring states will take part in seminars, workshops, concerts, exhibits and prayer.
Family Force 5, a five-piece band formed in Atlanta by brothers Solomon, Jacob and Joshua Olds, sons of Jerome Olds, a Christian artist popular in the late 1980s, will perform in Ocean City at 9 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 21. The show, held during this weekend's Youth For Christ ALIVE Conference, is part of the band's "Dance Rawr Dance 3" tour. ALIVE 2009 will address issues that middle school students face every day, such as spirituality, sexuality, relationships, loneliness, peer pressure, anger and self-esteem.
"Many of the problems that were formerly high school problems are now prominent in every middle school across the country," Arnold said in a press release. "This conference, possibly the largest middle school conference in the country, will provide tools for these students to deal with the issues that they face daily."
The conference will feature performances by national recording artists The Chris Colletti Band, Family Force 5 and Reilly.
National youth speaker Reggie Dabbs will also be on hand to talk to students as will Preston Centuolo, president and founder of South Jersey Youth Alliance, and there will be seminars for youth leaders and adults featuring parenting trainer Bruce Turnquist and adult youth worker trainer Ali King.
William Paul Young, author of New York Times and USA Today bestseller "The Shack" will also speak to participants.
The Exhibit Hall will include an art room, bookstore, café, Wii playing area, Digital Praise, Guitar Praise, games, karaoke, talent competition and extreme hair makeovers. Interactive prayer and worship will take place in the Encounter Room. There will also be a dodge ball competition on Saturday evening.
Students can participate in sports such as volleyball, soccer, football and Frisbee on the beach at Dorchester Street in downtown Ocean City on Saturday from 2-3:30 p.m. The sporting events are sponsored by Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
"There will be a lot of things going on all weekend. It's going to be a lot of fun and high energy," Arnold said. "There will be between 2,500 and 3,000 middle school students there, full of excitement and anticipation. Their enthusiasm just lights up the convention center."
Registration for the conference will begin at 4:30 p.m. today (Friday) at the 40th Street venue for those who have not yet registered. Walk-in registration for the conference costs $80. Participants also have the option to sign up for individual events (Friday, $25; Saturday morning, $20; Saturday all day and evening concert, $45; Saturday night concert only, $25; Sunday, $10).
For more information, call 1-877- 896-3802, 410-529-4434 or visit www.mmyfc.org.
