April News

Can you tell us a little about your background and what drew you to the Teen Life Internship Director role at NCK?

I was born in Montana and have lived in several different states.  My dad was a pastor, and my mom was a teacher.  You could say that ministry and teaching are literally in my dna.  I graduated from Calvin University with a degree in English and secondary education.  I have also done some graduate studies in theology and social work.  Professionally, I have spent over twenty years in youth development, education, and camp ministry with youth of all ages.  

I actually first heard about New City through one of my former staff members at Camp Tall Turf. Then when NCK was just getting started in Grand Rapids, PT reached out to see if we could connect and learn more about each other’s work.  A few years later, Christy Knetsch connected with me about a part-time position as a Job Coach and then encouraged me to apply for TLI Director when the position opened.  I love working with youth of all ages and have a tremendous passion for youth leadership development.  The role of TLI Director seemed to combine these passions, as well as creating space to live out God’s calling to both ministry and teaching.

How long have you been with New City Kids, and what excites you most about being part of the team?

I have been with New City Kids since 2018.  Absolutely without a doubt the thing that excites me the most about being part of the team is building relationships with our incredible teens and kids!  I love seeing them grow and develop as leaders, as well as walking with them on their journey with Christ.  It’s always exciting when a student starts to discover who they are as leaders and who they are in Christ.

What does a typical week look like for you?

One of the things I love most about NCK is that I’m not sure a “typical week” exists.  There’s always something new and interesting happening every day.  However, a typical week for me involves planning for and leading community time, college readiness, leadership team meetings, teen trainings, one on ones, and live coaching.  It also includes team check-ins and meetings with community partners.

In your opinion, what makes the Teen Life Internship such a powerful program for teens?

There are so many important things that make the Teen Life Internship a powerful program for teens. I think one of the most important things it does is give teens meaningful roles as leaders.  It challenges them to step out of their comfort zone.  It creates a safe space for teens to both succeed and fail.  Most importantly, the program walks with teens through those moments of failure to turn them into moments of purpose and growth.  Trusting teens with leadership is transformational!

What’s something people might not realize about the work that goes into developing teen leaders?

While it involves a lot of training and programming, I think something that people might not realize is that developing teen leaders actually involves more listening than talking.  Having intentional conversations with teens and taking time to really listen and process life together makes all the difference.

Can you share a memorable moment or breakthrough you’ve witnessed in a Teen Life Intern’s journey?

This is definitely hard to choose because of the many incredible teens we’re blessed to work with.  One teen that comes to mind is Marisol.  Marisol tried out twice before she was hired for the internship.  She came in as a shy, introverted freshman who struggled with her confidence.  As she grew in her role and confidence, it was amazing to see her begin to take risks by stepping out of her comfort zone.  She started to consistently ask how she could improve as a leader and sought out every opportunity to grow that she could.  As a senior, she is now a Team Leader!!!  

Perhaps even more impactful has been witnessing her journey with Christ.  When Marisol first started, she openly stated that she didn’t believe in God.  However, she has always been open to participating in spiritual retreats and the worship team.  Just this last week she shared with me that she feels God calling her to learn more about Christianity and what it means to be baptized.  I’m excited to see how God continues to work in and through her!

How do you balance overseeing the internship program while collaborating with other NCK departments and staff?

Communication and teamwork is key!  One of the things I love most about the TLI department is that we get to collaborate daily with other departments and staff.  Checking in with each department consistently has been critical to helping teen life interns be successful in their roles.  I’m thankful to be part of an amazing team!

What do you enjoy doing outside of work to recharge?

I love spending time with friends and family and going to as many of my nephews’ sporting events as possible.  Also, if I can get time outside near water or in a kayak, it’s a great day.

Do you have a favorite hobby or activity that helps you unwind after a full day of mentoring future leaders?

Some of my favorite activities include doing yoga and watching or playing basketball.  I also LOVE playing games, especially Spades.

If you could have dinner with any historical figure, who would it be and why?

I’m not sure they would be considered “historical”, but I would love to have dinner with each of my grandfathers.  Both of them passed away before I was born, and I have always wondered what they were like and wanted to know more about their individual journeys.

What’s one thing on your bucket list you’re determined to cross off someday?

I would LOVE to travel to Peru and hike the trail to Machu Picchu!

What’s the best piece of career or leadership advice you’ve ever received—and how has it shaped your approach to this work?

Early in my life in ministry, I had the amazing opportunity to take teens each summer to spend time with Dr. John Perkins, a civil rights activist and one of the founders of the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA), at the Perkins Center.  He often spoke about the following ancient proverb when talking about leadership development and ministry, 

“Go to the people. Live with them. Learn from them. Love them. Start with what they know. Build with what they have. But with the best leaders, when the work is done, the task accomplished, the people will say ‘We have done this ourselves.'”

This has stayed with me since the very first time I heard it and has shaped how I approach ministry.  In the process of developing leaders, this is how it starts.  This is how we give students the best of ourselves and empower them to discover the best within themselves.