The Coming of Age program at Unitarian Universalist Society Schenectady offers eighth and ninth graders an engaging and structured atmosphere in which to explore significant issues at this transitional stage of life.

Coming of Age provides a modern Rite of Passage experience that welcomes and affirms youth as they embark on their journey towards young adulthood. The youth are supported on this journey by the class’s volunteer facilitators, the co-ministers, members of the congregation, and the director of lifespan religious education.  Coming of Age is comparable to a confirmation or bar/bat mitzvah. This curriculum is typically offered every other year.

Because of the nature of the class and additional outside trips, there is a fee associated with this program. The fee is sliding scale ($200-$400) in an effort to make it accessible to everyone. No youth will be turned away because of an inability to pay, and confidentiality will be maintained. This fee does not cover the Boston Heritage trip. The youth will fund raise during the year for this trip through facilitated efforts at church. It is not the parents’ responsibility but the youths’ responsibility to raise the money as a group.

At the end of the Coming of Age year, the youth present a worship service to the congregation and discuss what they’ve learned over the year and how they have grown. These “credo” statements can be presented as a statement of faith, a poem, a visual representation, or anything that feels authentic to the youth. After COA, the youth bridge into the Senior Youth group.

Some highlights of the program include:

• Community building time–movie nights, overnights, etc.
• Development of a personal belief statement
• Learning about UU history
• Community service project
• End-of-year celebration/party for the youth and their families
• Boston heritage trip in the spring, including a trip to the UUA headquarters, visits to significant UU sights, and opportunities for connecting, sightseeing, playing, exploring, and learning together.

There are three components to the Coming of Age program:

• Learning that acknowledges and engages multiple learning styles
• Values clarification through hypotheticals and expansion of thought process
• Ritual for both group and individual celebration

Coming of Age offers parents/guardians of youth participants:

• Support, with small group ministry-style gatherings throughout the year
• Safe, compassionate, loving religious community

Please contact the Director of Lifespan Religious Education (DLRE) at dlre@uuschenectady.org with any questions.