Our Whole Lives - OWL - at Bethel
Owl is Back for 2023/2024!
Avery Deane Swift, Lead OWL Facilitator
IMPORTANT UPDATES:
7th-9th grade class
Our second orientation (for parents only) will happen on Wednesday, October 11th from 6:30-8:30pm, at Bethel UCC in White Salmon.
Youth classes begin Oct 18 from 6:45-8:30 p.m. This will be the full accredited curriculum that spans 25 lessons. We will be taking breaks for holidays, including the OR and WA spring break weeks. The full detailed schedule will be sent to enrolled families.
Class will be limited to 11 participants in order to maximize participation and learning in this “community learning” format.
We are asking for contributions on a sliding scale for each student from $850-$550 (installment plans and full or partial scholarships may be available; reach out to me to work out the details). Please offer what you can based on your family's access to financial resources so that we can pay our professional facilitators a living wage and make scholarships possible for families who could not otherwise afford to enroll their youth.
All class contributions can be made by cash or check payable to Bethel Congregational. Any amount offered above the sliding scale options is considered tax-deductible, and we invite you to be as generous as possible so that we may offer as many scholarships as needed to support our community.
Installment payments are also possible if needed. Please reach out to Avery Deane or Pastor Andy Wade to discuss this.
Here is the enrollment form: https://bit.ly/BethelOWL2324 (If you've already filled out the enrollment form, thank you! There's no need to do so again.)
Lastly, I thought you might appreciate a link to a resource on how to be an "askable parent" for your children.
https://www.ashasexualhealth.org/parents/
Feel free to let us know what questions arise!
Big Love,
Avery Deane
If you love this program and would like to help increase our ability to provide scholarships and fairly compensate our professional facilitators, please consider donating to our OWL Fund by CLICKING HERE.
Thank you so much for your interest in the Our Whole Lives (OWL) programs in White Salmon this fall! I am excited and honored to once again offer these life-changing programs to our community youth for the sixth year in a row.
The OWL program is based on 4 core values that are near and dear to my heart:
If you'd like to know more about the curriculum, please visit https://www.uua.org/re/owl
IMPORTANT UPDATES:
7th-9th grade class
Our second orientation (for parents only) will happen on Wednesday, October 11th from 6:30-8:30pm, at Bethel UCC in White Salmon.
Youth classes begin Oct 18 from 6:45-8:30 p.m. This will be the full accredited curriculum that spans 25 lessons. We will be taking breaks for holidays, including the OR and WA spring break weeks. The full detailed schedule will be sent to enrolled families.
Class will be limited to 11 participants in order to maximize participation and learning in this “community learning” format.
We are asking for contributions on a sliding scale for each student from $850-$550 (installment plans and full or partial scholarships may be available; reach out to me to work out the details). Please offer what you can based on your family's access to financial resources so that we can pay our professional facilitators a living wage and make scholarships possible for families who could not otherwise afford to enroll their youth.
All class contributions can be made by cash or check payable to Bethel Congregational. Any amount offered above the sliding scale options is considered tax-deductible, and we invite you to be as generous as possible so that we may offer as many scholarships as needed to support our community.
Installment payments are also possible if needed. Please reach out to Avery Deane or Pastor Andy Wade to discuss this.
Here is the enrollment form: https://bit.ly/BethelOWL2324 (If you've already filled out the enrollment form, thank you! There's no need to do so again.)
Lastly, I thought you might appreciate a link to a resource on how to be an "askable parent" for your children.
https://www.ashasexualhealth.org/parents/
Feel free to let us know what questions arise!
Big Love,
Avery Deane
If you love this program and would like to help increase our ability to provide scholarships and fairly compensate our professional facilitators, please consider donating to our OWL Fund by CLICKING HERE.
Thank you so much for your interest in the Our Whole Lives (OWL) programs in White Salmon this fall! I am excited and honored to once again offer these life-changing programs to our community youth for the sixth year in a row.
The OWL program is based on 4 core values that are near and dear to my heart:
- Self Worth
- Responsibility
- Sexual Health, and
- Justice/Inclusivity.
If you'd like to know more about the curriculum, please visit https://www.uua.org/re/owl
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A Confession and appeal from Pastor Andy
I'm not proud of my history regarding the LGBTQIA2S+ community. I wasn't a "horrible" person, but I wasn't as loving and understanding as I could have been. I support OWL because it's an exceptional program for all our kids. I support OWL because it is one way I can give back in support of neighbors I once would have excluded in various ways. Please consider donating to help provide scholarships and expand OWLL in the Gorge so that this essential life-skills training is available to all. |
Please Support OWL
with your one-time or recurring gift. All donations are tax deductible. |
What I appreciate about this program's full expression is that it doesn't just dump facts and figures on kids. This well-researched and refined system allows those facts and figures to soak in, be discussed in a safe and inclusive environment, and then put into practice through various experiential activities. In other words, this is education at its best.
Since this educational experience is being sponsored by a church, Bethel, some of you may be concerned that we impose our religious views on this material. We don't. This is another of Bethel's community collaborations for the common good. Our current lead facilitator and program director, Avery Deane Swift, is not a member of Bethel but chose to partner with us so that these non-sectarian skills and information can reach broadly into our Gorge Community. Together, we aim to provide this vital content to as many of our Gorge youth as possible to help cultivate a safer, more respectful, and informed community. This is all about healthy respect for our and other bodies, relationships, and interactions. Your family or faith community can supplement this content as you feel best. If you want help exploring faith and sexuality, I will discuss your desires and recommend material appropriate for your context.
Pastor Andy Wade
Since this educational experience is being sponsored by a church, Bethel, some of you may be concerned that we impose our religious views on this material. We don't. This is another of Bethel's community collaborations for the common good. Our current lead facilitator and program director, Avery Deane Swift, is not a member of Bethel but chose to partner with us so that these non-sectarian skills and information can reach broadly into our Gorge Community. Together, we aim to provide this vital content to as many of our Gorge youth as possible to help cultivate a safer, more respectful, and informed community. This is all about healthy respect for our and other bodies, relationships, and interactions. Your family or faith community can supplement this content as you feel best. If you want help exploring faith and sexuality, I will discuss your desires and recommend material appropriate for your context.
Pastor Andy Wade