May 28, 2001
Wayland students swap books for games at summer camps
___PLAINVIEW--While youth around Texas are eagerly preparing to attend summer camps, students at Wayland Baptist University are making last-minute preparations to lead some of those camps.
___Fifteen Wayland students who are members of Rejoice and Rec Team will trade the academic aerobics they've been doing for nine months for three months of the most rigorous physical activity this side of military boot camp.
Members of Wayland's Rec Team and Rejoice laugh at Director of Admissions Shawn Thomas as he lands in a wading pool during a game at the training retreat.
___Rejoice is a five-member vocal ensemble that actually commits to a year of service, though their most strenuous work occurs over the summer. The group spends the first two weeks of summer in intense rehearsals, learning their repertoire and brushing up on praise and worship songs.
___Then they head off to the first of nine weeks of camps.
___"We try to book opportunities for them to do performance and worship," explained Shawn Thomas, director of admissions at Wayland. "But they do everything Rec Team does as well."
___Their typical program includes about 10 songs and many praise tunes.
___Sara Henry, a junior music major from Anahuac who is returning for her second year with the group, explained that the summer is definitely not all play and no work. Many times the group is responsible for leading or helping with recreation, plus leading worship in the evenings. And that makes for a long day.
At left, Rec Team member Carrie Pearce ducks under a human bridge.
___ "The challenge is making your 10th week feel like the first," Henry said. "Just having that same energy and enthusiasm and keeping it fresh for the students is necessary."
___Nevertheless, Wayland students who devote their summers to leading youth camps say the rewards outweigh the challenges.
___James Jarvey, a church music major from Anchorage, Alaska, said he values the relationships built with students at the camps, being able to make an impact in their lives and encourage them.
___"The reward is just knowing you're serving God and seeing people really worship, not because of what you've done but because of the talent he's given you and because you were willing to be a servant," Henry said. "Seeing the kids different on the last day of camp than they were on the first day is also great."
___ For Wayland's Rec Team members, the summer holds a bit of mystery. They know they'll be playing games and drumming up enthusiasm among their young charges. But beyond that, anything can happen.
___"Their primary focus is to go to church youth camps and minister through recreation," Thomas said. "Depending on the camps, they may be small group leaders, lead Bible studies, do skits or even clean toilets. Whatever they are needed for at that camp is what they do."
___Rec Team is actually two teams of five members each who are accompanied by a leader, typically a recent Wayland graduate. The groups attend a weekend training retreat in early May, where they learn a variety of games and participate in team-building exercises.
___ All the students are carefully chosen to meet the challenges that lie ahead.
___"We look for flexibility, leadership, talent in recreation areas, outgoingness, ability to work with youth and a strong Christian faith and bold witness," Thomas said.
___The students do get paid for their summer of service, and they are considered employees of the Wayland admissions department.
___ Opportunities to talk-up the university are natural since they work closely with students and get frequent questions about college life.
___Rec Teams and Rejoice visit camps around Texas, New Mexico and Colorado and have been to Louisiana and Arkansas in the past. Chaparral Baptist Encampment in Wichita Falls and Highland Lakes Camp and Conference Center near Austin are two of the more frequented locations.
___ The camps booking Wayland teams are not charged a fee.
___"This is something we provide as a ministry and recruiting tool, so we provide the services free of charge," Thomas said. "All we ask is that they take care of our kids at camp--providing them with meals and place to stay."
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