Parish youth selected as national conference leaders!

by Geri Neita

Congratulations to three students from the parish chosen to be a part of the 2011 NCYC production.

The 2011 National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) is an exciting biennial event expected to attract more than 20,000 Catholic high school youth and their adult chaperones from around the country to Indianapolis, November 17-19. From spiritual growth and celebration to education and empowerment, NCYC offers countless opportunities for young people to connect with God and one another. With the theme Called to Glory, attendees will share in the liturgy and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament while choosing from workshop sessions that address a wide variety of topics. In addition, performers and keynote speakers will come together to generously share their personal stories of faith and conversion. Taking place at the Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium, the weekend’s schedule will challenge attendees to search and connect with the Glory of Christ.

ValLimar Jansen, the conference emcee, will lead the ebullient throngs in praise and worship with the help of 85 high school students who have been specially chosen to help engage the crowd and encourage active participation through dance, song, skits and prayer. The application process for these highly sought after roles, known as animators, included the creation of a video highlighting each candidate’s talents. Of the 25 students from Saint Alphonsus Liguori who plan to attend NCYC, three will experience the special privilege of being animators. Allison Miller, Katie Thompson and Lindsay Grammas will be central figures in the production of the conference, aiming to engage their peers as they bring life to the Word.

Miller and Grammas, both seniors at Zionsville Community High School (ZCHS) attended NCYC in 2009 and are excited about being more involved this time around. “I am looking forward to ‘performing’ at the General Sessions,” Miller said, adding that she hopes to get more comfortable speaking and presenting in front of audiences while discovering new ways to share her faith.

See Animators in action in this promotion video for NCYC.

Thompson, a freshman at ZCHS, is the only one never to have attended an NCYC event. “I'm most looking forward to meeting people. Talking to other people from all over the country about their faith is a huge eye opener,” she said. “It is like God speaking through other people, telling you that it is time to grow in faith.”

Recently, preparation for performers took place in Indianapolis, and our three participants were there to receive instruction from a panel of experts in theater, voice and music.

Lindsay Grammas gave us a little insight into those training days. “Our rehearsals were pretty much from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Of course, we got breaks in between, but they worked us to the core. We had an hour singing and then an hour dancing and we switched off, back and forth like that for two-and-a-half days,” she said.

Now, armed with two CD's and a folder full of music, the girls will rehearse on their own until November, when everything they have been working toward will culminate in an unforgettable, awe-inspiring experience of glory and praise to God!

If your child is interested in attending this year's NCYC conference, please email the Director of Youth Ministry at [email protected]. Registration orginally concluded in May; however, there is a waiting list for those interested and who respond quickly! Thank you!