Teens (14-17)

The SUUSI Teen Program is an intense community experience for people ages 14 to 17. Adult staff and teen leaders work together to create a fun, safe and healthy place for teens to explore and grow. The week is focused around large and small group interactions, where UU principles are instilled and practiced. Each new day brings unlimited opportunities to meet new people, reconnect with old friends, and learn more about ourselves and our community. In the SUUSI Teen Program, friendships are made that last a lifetime.
TEENS
This year, since we’re moving to a new place, life in the teen dorm will be a little different. We’ll have more open space in the dorm to be together for activities like worship, teen meeting, and just hanging out. We’ll also have more time in our schedule so that we can get to know each other, the SUUSI community, and Radford. Days will start slow, but each afternoon there will be a variety of workshops to interest every teen. Touch groups, led by teen leaders, will give all teens a chance to reflect on their day with a few new friends. Then teen meetings each evening will bring the whole Teen dorm together to find out about upcoming events and share a brief worship experience. Nights, as always, will be the time when the Teen dorm truly comes to life. Teens can hang out at the dorm, play games, or attend Clear Air Clear Heads Everyone (CACHE), the nightly dance. After curfew, staff will lead trips to 7-11 or out to a field for wink, and there are always plenty of people awake for an all-night movie marathon or a late night culinary adventure in our kitchen. There will be interesting, challenging and fun activities 24 /7! For further information, look for a draft copy of the Teen Program Schedule in your arrival packet. When the catalog is published, be sure to check out General Workshops - many are open to teen participants. Check the Nature section for great trips within the larger SUUSI community or Nature trips specifically for Teens. You must register for them separately from the Teen Program, so make sure you get in before they fill up!
The 2008 schedule is not yet available, but you can view the 2007 SUUSI Teens Schedule to get an idea of the types of activities.
Life in the Teen Dorm
Teen activities are based in the Teen Dorm. You can choose to live there communally with other Teens (single sex or co-ed floors) or to stay with your parent(s)/guardian. Teens not living in the Teen Dorm are welcome to join any activity at any hour. Between the hours of 1-6 am, teens not living in the dorm must check in with the staff and be accompanied by a parent/guardian when coming to or leaving the Teen Dorm. The Teen Dorm is a busy place and the center of all Teen Program activities. Something is happening in the dorm 24 hours a day. Because of this, the dorm is divided into areas for sleeping and areas for activities. We keep strict quiet hours on the sleeping floors (midnight to 7 am) and have a 24-hour courtesy policy on these floors (because we know that someone will be sleeping at pretty much all hours). In order to protect the safety of all teens, access to the Teen Dorm will be through the front door only.
Attention Teens and Parents: This is VERY IMPORTANT
The SUUSI Teen Program is only for people 14 to 17 years old as of the first Sunday of SUUSI. Because of this, all Teens must have proof of age on file with SUUSI. Everyone new to the SUUSI Teen Program must provide a copy of a birth certificate, passport or driver’s license as proof of age with your registration. Don’t forget! You will not be able to stay in the teen dorm or participate in the teen program without proof of age! Absolutely no exceptions will be made.
Important Information for Parents and Guardians of Teens!
The extent to which your teen participates in our program is up to you and your teen. All teens and their parent/guardian must sign our behavior agreement as part of the registration process. There is room for you to set your own rules with your teen on the form. The teen staff cannot enforce any additional rules that you may set for your teen but it is always good to have a few of your own rules to let them know your expectations. See the section in the registration packet entitled ‘Rules for Teens’. Please read these rules carefully. All parents, guardians, and teens are required to attend Sunday night’s Teen Program Orientation, the exact time and location of which will be in the Arrival NUUS when you check in at SUUSI. Your responsibility for your teen will be for the duration of SUUSI. Parents/guardians are welcome to visit the Teen Dorm at any time. For the safety of the teens, staff, parents, and guardians, a Teen Staff member will ask you to identify yourself with your SUUSI name tag. Adults will be allowed past the lobby of the Teen Dorm only when escorted by a Teen Staff member. No exceptions will be made to this rule. You will be sent a schedule for the week early in July, and a copy of the Teen Schedule will be in your registration packet when you arrive at SUUSI. Any updates to that schedule will be posted each day in the Teen Dorm lobby. You will need to discuss your teen’s schedule and make time each day to meet. Each teen and teen staff member will have a mailbag for messages and goodies in the lobby of the teen dorm. We really do want to hear from you!
Attention Guardians of Teens
Guardians of teens must be at least 21 years of age, and each guardian may only be responsible for 2 teens (other than their own). All guardians must have a guardian form that has been notarized in the presence of the teen’s legal guardian (see registration packet). Being a guardian is in all respects equivalent to being a parent. Your responsibility for the teen will be for the duration of SUUSI. This means that you must communicate with the teens you are in charge of on a DAILY basis in addition to being the responsible person we can contact if needed.
Teen Staff
Teen Staff consists of volunteers with a wide range of backgrounds, life experiences, points of view, cultures, theologies, and skills. The biggest thing that they have in common is that they value and respect teens! They are there to create a safe space for teens in which they can learn, explore, experiment, laugh, cry, sing, play, talk, share, and open up to each other. They are there to create an environment that is free from physical and emotional danger, and to empower teens to have as much fun as possible. Would you like to be a part of the Teen dorm? Are you an advisor, a graduate of the Teen dorm, a parent, or just want to help make the Teen dorm the best it can be? We can use you on staff. If you are over 21 and would like to be a part of this wonderful staff group for 2008, please apply for staff and fill out the Teen Staff application. Full time staffers will get a full voucher that covers the costs of your SUUSI registration, housing and meals. Feel free to contact the Teen Director, Lindsay Bennett-Jacobs, at teens@suusi.org if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions. We can’t wait to see you for another fabulous year in the Teen dorm!