Youth Section

The deadline for all Věstník items is 5 p.m. on the first and third Mondays of each month. Send your news and photos directly to:

SPJST Věstník Editor Melanie Zavodny P.O. Box 100 Temple, Texas 76503 Fax: 254-773-8087 Email: vestnik@spjst.org Questions? Call 800-727-7578

This section is dedicated to the youth of SPJST. As part of its membership benefits, SPJST offers a statewide youth program. If you or someone you know is interested in learning about opportunities offered to young members of SPJST, please contact your local lodge, District Youth Counselor (listed on page 2), or State Fraternal Director at 800-727-7578, or visit www.spjst.org.

State Fraternal Director shares March youth news

Second Sunday Youth Webcast Sunday, March 14 at 6 p.m.

To register for the Sunday, March 14 webcast, visit www.spjst.org and click on “Events” where you will see “Second Sunday Youth Webcast.” After you register, you will receive an email with additional details. I am looking forward to the program, and I hope you will be able First Quarter due Thursday, April 15 Second Quarter due Thursday, July 15 Third Quarter due Friday, October 15 Fourth Quarter due Saturday, January 15

to join in. Your efforts to spread the word to our younger members as well as to our teens is greatly appreciated.

2021 Quarterly Reports and Recording Merit Points

Please know we are still challenged with youth leaders not submitting quarterly reports to the Home Office. On your reports, please state “No meetings due to Covid-19” on the months that you have not had meetings.

Reports are always due by the 15th of the month after the quarter is over. The actual dates are:

Lodge 49, Rowena youth club enjoys night of bowling

Lodge 49, Rowena Youth Club members met at the bowling alley in San Angelo on Saturday, February 6, 2021, to enjoy a night of bowling with a pizza party. All youth had a great time challenging each other to see who would achieve the highest score. —Submitted by Becky Wood, Youth Leader Dates for 2021 Camp Sessions

SPJST summer camp will be held at Camp Kubena, located at 2001 Waldeck Road in Ledbetter, Texas. Camp dates are:

Leaders-In-Training/Teen Camp

Wednesday, June 23 to Sunday, June 27

Junior Camp Session One

Wednesday, July 7 to Sunday, July 11

Districts Three, Four, Five, and Seven

Junior Camp Session Two

Wednesday, July 14 to Sunday, July 18

Districts One, Two, and Six

Updated Registration Deadlines

Junior camper applications are due Friday, June 4.

Leaders-In-Training (LIT)/teen applications are due Wednesday, March 31.

Chaperone applications are due Wednesday, March 31.

Online Camp Registration is Open Updated

Please know all campers must have finished kindergarten to high school senior to attend camp. For camp registration, visit spjst.org and under “Programs,” click on “Summer Camp Registration” which will direct you to the CampDoc website.

Invite a Friend to Camp!

Youth members: this year, you can invite a friend to camp! Yes, that’s right. Your friend or friends do not have to be an SPJST member to attend camp with you. The cost is $350 for each friend to attend and enjoy all of the camp fun.

If your child is a current youth club member and has made seven out of 12 meetings, SPJST will pick up the cost of camp.

Youth who attend lodges with no youth club can attend seven adult meetings and qualify for camp without paying. The local lodge secretary will need to provide the Home Office with copies of the membership roster of each meeting the youth attended.

Youth who have not made at least seven meetings will be prorated $35 per meeting missed. Youth can make up a meeting by attending another local youth club. Please see your youth leader about this.

Parents and grandparents, please know your child or grandchild can go to camp this year for $250, as long as the youth has a current SPJST life insurance certificate than is inforce.

Parents and grandparents, if you have an SPJST life certificate that is inforce and your child or grandchild does not have a certificate, he or she can attend camp for $350.

Please contact me if you have any questions about attending summer camp.

SPJST Youth Achievement Day (YAD)

All 2021 District Youth Achievement Days will be conducted virtually this year. Please refer to the 2021 SPJST Youth Club Handbook for Youth Achievement Day (YAD) rules and categories. The handbook can be found online at this link: https://issuu.com/spjst/docs/2021_spjst_y outh_handbook

The food category will not be used this year due to the competition being held online. Please check the Vestnik and SPJST social media for the official announcement of when you can begin entering and uploading the project entries. Youth, please start working on your projects now. Last year, many youth made projects in the categories that we didn’t have for the youth showcase. Please know you can enter these projects for 2021.

Happy Birthday, Alexandria!

Look who turned a big 18 years old! Now, she is a beautiful little lady. Alexandria Johnson of Lodge 187, Round Rock Love, Your Mom and Mema

State YAD—July 31 in Temple

Please mark your calendar for State YAD on Saturday, July 31 in Temple. Plans are to have an in-person YAD in Temple. Of course, this may change if Covid-19 cases are increasing during that time.

Camp Chaperone Training to be Held Online

SPJST summer camp chaperone training is mandatory. I will check CampDoc on a weekly basis to set up the training for the Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention program. Chaperones will receive an email notification from TrainRight. This training is based on Texas laws.

Camp Kubena chaperone training will be conducted online through a webinar. SPJST will offer a number of training dates to choose from. Camp Kubena training will be conducted by Camp Executive Director Rob Clift and State Fraternal Director Frank Horak.

All chaperones must make a 100 percent commitment to be at camp from start to finish in 2021. No exceptions!

Vestnik Project

The April Vestnik Project will focus on District Three Youth Counselor Mary Steinman. SPJST youth members and leaders will get to know Mary when she was young and what her interests were while growing up.

The monthly Vestnik Projects are now viewed and submitted online. You will be able to access the project by scanning the QR code in the mailed Vestnik. If you receive your Vestnik by email, under the QR code is a link to take you to the project. The projects will be accessible on the www.spjst.org webpage under the “Youth Program” tab. Below is an example of the QR code.

Lodge 25, Ennis Youth club members find creative ways to enjoy the winter surprise

LEFT PHOTO: Austen skis in the street. PHOTO 2: Brandon ice skates. PHOTO 3: Chad and his dog enjoy the falling snow. PHOTO 4: Cody is ready for a snowball fight. PHOTO 5: Posing on the tank are the Holland, Clark, Droste, and Jenson families. RIGHT PHOTO: Jake, Jessica, Luke, and June build a snowman. BELOW PHOTOS - LEFT: Julia and Garrett are all smiles in the snow. PHOTO 2: Kalynn bundles up to spend time out in the snow. PHOTO 3: Madison strolls on the frozen pool. PHOTO 4: Maison and Brian take a selfie. PHOTO 5: Misty enjoys the winter wonderland. RIGHT PHOTO: The Oliver sisters are ready to play in the snow. —Submitted by Rita Holland, Youth Leader