At the Riverlakes Community Church's Vacation Bible School (VBS), I witnessed firsthand the challenges posed by allowing 7th grade students to act as group leaders. My role helping out in games exposed me to a chaotic environment where these young leaders frequently ignored the rules designed to ensure order and safety. Rules like prohibiting the play with water and restricting access to leader-only snacks were blatantly disregarded.

The young leaders often left their responsibility, mingling with peers instead of supervising their assigned group of children. This abandonment left center leaders overwhelmed, tasked with managing over 100 children in 100-degree heat. The circumstances became particularly hazardous during outdoor activities, where the lack of supervision from the 7th graders amplified the chaos and risk.

While the intent of engaging young students in leadership roles may seem beneficial, it overlooks a critical aspect: these are still children themselves, not equipped to handle the responsibilities of looking after other younger children. The center leaders can’t be expected to shoulder this immense burden alone. They require the support of responsible team leaders—those capable of maintaining order and safeguarding the well-being of all the participants.

To improve the experience for everyone involved in VBS, we propose prohibiting 7th graders from taking on group leader roles. Instead, such roles should be filled by older teens or adults who have the maturity and responsibility required to supervise effectively.

The maturity needed to take care of younger kids is just not there yet for 7th grade students. I recommend a gap year between being a student in VBS and becoming a helper. 

Your voice is crucial. By signing this petition, you will help create a safer and more enriching environment for both the children attending Vacation Bible School and the dedicated leaders working to make it a success. Please sign to support this important change.