Summer 2017 Highlights
More than 300 children and teens from neighborhoods in the heart of Knoxville are involved with Emerald Youth this summer.
Young people are making the most of their break while engaged in experiences aimed to challenge and grow their faith, learning and health.
High school students are participating in ACT prep workshops and getting a glimpse of what the future might hold through visits to Berea College, Tennessee College of Applied Technology and Lee College. And thanks to Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, the students learned about developing and pitching new business ideas.
A highlight of the summer for elementary and middle school children was Emerald Youth Camp Week, held June 12-16 at locations across greater Knoxville. The longstanding summer tradition offered young people in Emerald’s JustLead Ministry unique camp experiences in which they otherwise might not be able to participate.
More than 10 camps were offered such as dance, culinary arts, fishing, gymnastics and rowing. The camp experiences are made possible thanks to the generous support of Variety of Eastern Tennessee, which also hosted the children at Zoo Knoxville to conclude camp week.
For the third consecutive year, Johnson University’s Urban Alliance Initiative provided a two-week science adventure day camp called “Royal Explorers.” The hands-on experience for 6th grade students focused on the exciting possibility of a career in science. Students participated in daily science experiments and local field trips including Knoxville Utilities Board, Norris Dam and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, among others.
As summer concludes, Emerald Youth staff and volunteers look forward to serving young people in the new school year, and if you would like to invest in our ministry opportunities this fall, make a gift now.