Two youth from South Dakota, Jonah Nelson and Ruby Hawks, attended the ELCA Youth Leadership Summit in Asheville, NC earlier this month. The two youth, who are also Synod Council representatives, were accompanied by Suzanne Hansen, AIM and Assistant to the Bishop of the South Dakota Synod for this annual gathering of high school leaders and adults from across the entire ELCA.
“While this was my third time attending the Summit, I still learned a lot about the ELCA. The speakers were entertaining and the activities were intriguing”, said Jonah Nelson. “Overall, I had an amazing time at the Summit.”
During the Summit, attendees focus on leadership development in key areas at the intersection of faith and daily life as well as faith formation and building connections for high school youth in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Youth are then challenged to take what they have learned and bring it home to inspire action in their own synods and youth groups.
Each of the 65 synods in the ELCA can send two high school youth and one adult. In the recent years, the South Dakota Synod selects the two Synod Council Youth Representatives to attend the leadership summit.
Both Hawks and Nelson noted their gratitude to the South Dakota Synod in supporting this experience for them.
Below are pictures from the Leadership Summit.
