We kicked off IMPACT for 2010 last week. We were so excited to see all of the students! Many of our new Leadership Summit coaches had never been to one of our leadership development conferences –they stepped up to the plate and did a great job.

As we’re going through the feedback forms, we’ve been encouraged to see how God is using Leadership Summit and IMPACT in students’ lives. Here’s what one of the teachers said:

“Leadership Summit is very much educative because some of the learners have changed drastically.” — Matseko (Teacher)

Check out some photos from IMPACT here!

Our leadership training conference has expanded to over 350 students. We’re looking forward to a year charged with energy and excitement, as they become our “Leaders in Action”. February 17th begins this season as a Flash Point of change. Radical change. Transforming students without hope, without dreams, without God to a whole new level. A life of purpose, a life of leadership, a life devoted to being a God follower who is the ultimate dream maker.

Join us in prayer as we begin this new season of change.

Our Leadership Summit coaches are passionate about instilling truths into the young people! Over the past few weeks they have been digging into the curriculums they will be teaching throughout 2010.

We asked them what they hoped their students would learn through one of the curriculums, “Living on Purpose”, here’s what they said:

“They will learn that God has designed them with a purpose and a destiny. It will give learners proof that God loves and cares for them but also that God has a plan for their lives. They will be taught how to DREAM BIG.”
- Dimakatso

“These learners will have all the tools necessary in order to make wise choices and pursue the life God has created them for.”
- Busisiwe

“I hope that they learn not to let anything hold him back. They will learn that God is their map and compass through their journey of discovering their dreams but also as discovering themselves.”
- Nthabaleng

Some of our Leadership Summit coaches are getting the opportunity to step into leadership roles this year. As leader coaches, they will have various opportunities to take on more responsibility—they will also be intentional about pouring into and developing other coaches.

We can’t wait to see how the leader coaches step into their new roles! We know God is going to do great things in the lives of all of the coaches and the students they’re teaching this year.

Over the last couple of months, we’ve been busy binding books for the next term of Leadership Summit. Each book will go into the hands of one of nearly 4000 students in our AIDS Prevention Program. How cool is that?!

Here’s what June, our Leadership Summit Director, had to say about the binding project:

“Times of binding became times of bonding for our Thrive family. Everyone went above and beyond in such incredible ways, it caused a huge, challenging project to become enjoyable!”

We can’t wait to see how God uses these books to impact the lives of students in 2010!

Our Leadership Summit department is busy going through our students’ feedback forms from this term. Here are just a couple of the responses so far:

“After attending Leadership Summit I have committed to become a Christian. I decided everything that I was doing stop doing wrong things. Now I know how I can choose friends and I must be a good leader to others.” Kekeletso – Grade 8

“I became a Christian because I learned more about God…what God meant to me and what God made me for.” Alice – Grade 8

It’s such a blessing to see how God is using the AIDS Prevention Program to impact the lives of so many young people!

We recently wrapped up our Leadership Summit program for 2009. Nearly 3500 kids completed the term and received a graduation certificate!

Graduations may have passed, but that doesn’t mean we’re done with Leadership Summit for this year. We’re continuing to recruit and train new coaches and our staff and interns are working hard to get our AIDS Prevention curriculum ready for next year. We’ve been printing, collating and binding Leadership Summit materials that will be in the hands of thousands of kids in 2010.

We know that God can use each one of these books to change a life and impact communities for Christ.

We’re currently recruiting new Leadership Summit coaches to teach in the AIDS Prevention Program for next year.

One of the ways we recruit these young leaders is through our village discipleship classes. Many of our coaches started working with us after gaining a strong biblical foundation through our LaunchPad classes.

When we announced that we were recruiting for coaches in our Boitsebelo LaunchPad class, there was an overwhelming response! Most of the class is made up of high school students, and many of the graduating seniors were excited about the opportunity to pour into other youth.

One student was particularly interested. He excitedly expressed to one of our staff members how he has had a passion to be involved with Leadership Summit since he started coming to his LaunchPad class a couple of years ago. He was ready to step out in faith and start to become a coach so he could impact students.

We love having the opportunity to see him, and our other LaunchPad students, grow into Godly leaders!

Last Monday our AIDS Prevention Program, Leadership Summit, had an informational meeting to recruit new coaches as we gear up for 2010.

Our Leadership Summit team was able to see the fruit of the time they’ve spent pouring into these young leaders as our existing coaches stepped up and lead the informational session. Passion was evident as the coaches excitedly shared how much they love their jobs and how amazing it is seeing the impact they’re having on the students.

We are impressed and encouraged by the leadership roles our coaches are taking, not only in their classrooms, but with their peers as well!

The last lesson of this year’s Leadership Summit curriculum is called “Brand New Life”.

The coaches covered their teaching in prayer before explaining how God gives new life to those that ask and they have reaped a plentiful harvest!

“They want second chance before it’s too late!” Patricia excitedly shared how she had the chance to lead some of her students to Christ.

Anna explained how God moved in her classes, “The students were excited to learn about the chapter Brand New Life.  When I entered the class, they all had their books open, eager to hear about what the lesson was all about.”

Anna stayed 30 minutes after class and continued to explain how they can change their lives with God’s help and some of her students accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior of their life.

God is good!