Mission Scholar Reference Form

Thank you for completing the Reference Form located at the bottom of this page for a Mission Scholar Applicant for our year-long program. 

Mission Scholar Program Overview

Description: A year long “deep dive” into mission and personal discernment for a select group of high school youth from around the country.

Participant Profile: A 10th or 11th grade youth who is passionate about serving and wants to engage in a deeper understanding of mission, the root causes of social injustices, and God’s call in their life to address these issues.

Focus areas include –

Education:

on topics such as homelessness, poverty, food insecurity, healthcare, and other social concerns.
on the root causes of these issues, their history, and the systems that perpetuate them

Experience: Working among those who are marginalized and working within agencies supporting them in the contexts of

Asheville, NC
Raleigh, NC
Memphis, TN
the participant’s home context

Theology: A deep and ongoing study of Scripture including God’s call to support and stand with the marginalized.

Discernment: Of God’s call in the participant’s life to help marginalized and oppressed people, including exploration of the participant’s field of study, vocation, and life goals

Connection:

With other mission scholars from across the country
leaders of community agencies (locally and nationally)
Community organizers and theologians
the Youth Mission Co staff, including Rev. Bill Buchanan, Executive Director

Program Elements:

An initial summer week of Mission Immersion with their fellow mission scholars from around the country at one of our program locations. Led by the Exec. Director of YMCo and other staff.

Monthly zoom meetings with the Executive Director of YMCo and fellow mission scholars, including special guest speakers and planned discussions.

Ongoing mission engagement in their own community throughout the year, as determined in a mission immersion plan set at the beginning of the process.

Monthly meetings with a designated local advisor to debrief and discuss their local engagement.

A creative project that the scholar chooses and develops through the year which describes their experience, learning, and growth.

A “long weekend” of mission immersion with their fellow mission scholars at one of our program locations led by YMCo Staff.

A Mission Presentation that they would develop throughout the year focused on a particular issue (homelessness, poverty, food insecurity, etc) that would include their personal experiences engaging in this issue, the history of this issue, the systems and dynamics that perpetuate the issue, keys to solving the issue, and their theology related to the issue. This would be a presentation that would be given in their home context as well as to their fellow scholars.

A closing summer week of Mission Immersion with their fellow mission scholars at one of our program locations.

Mission Scholar Reference Form

Reference Information

* Indicates required field

Name of Applicant *

First

Last

Name of Reference *

First

Last

Phone Number *

Email *

Job/Employer (if any) *

What is your role in the Applicant's life? *

How long have you known the Applicant? *

Reflections about the Applicant

Please answer the following questions, based on what you know of the applicant and considering the information provided about the Mission Scholar Program. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Bill Buchanan 828 231-4634 or [email protected]

What are three adjectives that describe the Applicant? *

If you have experienced them in a mission or volunteer setting, please share some reflections on their participation. *

If you have experienced them in a situation of theological reflection (such as a Bible study, giving a Youth Sunday sermon, or other youth ministry program) please share your observations about their theology. *

Additional Reflections

This program will focus on discernment for the applicant regarding God's call for their lives. This could include where they want to further their education, what they want to study and potential career paths.

What are your hopes for the Applicant in their future? *

What possibilities do you see in store for them that they might not even see themselves? *

What do you suspect will be most challenging for the Applicant in this year-long experience? *

What other observations do you have about the Applicant and their abilities or limitations to fully participate in this program? *

Is there anything else you would like to tell us about this applicant? *

Submit