MIDDLE SCHOOL HUDDLES
Middle school is a crucial time for academic development as well as emotional development. As students enter into the middle school years, psychologists have found that they have an increased need for meaningful interactions with adults who are not their parents. St. Peter prepares these students for the academic rigors of high school but also connects its middle schoolers with strong, faithful adult leaders they can depend on through the use of weekly huddles.
Huddle groups meet once a week for 30 minutes. The 6th, 7th, and 8th graders are divided into ten different groups by grade and gender, and each group meets with a staff leader. Most of the huddle leaders also teach in middle school. Brian Booth, St. Peter's Executive Director, has led his group of 7th-grade boys through their huddle time for the past two years. The huddle time is a very important part of Brian’s week, as he enjoys the time to focus on discipleship and dig into scriptures with his group. He values the time he spends leading students, sharing his own struggles and questions, not as a perfect example but as an adult living out his faith each day.
Brian's group opens each week with one minute of silence as a way to quiet their hearts and minds and turn their focus to God. In the beginning, the silence was difficult for the boys, but with practice, they have come to appreciate that moment. They will spend some time focusing on a verse or passage of scripture, and then they have a chance to discuss it. Brian encourages the boys to ask questions, and they enjoy digging deep and learning more. They want to understand what Scripture says, and it opens up deeper conversations as Brian purposefully guides them with patience and a vast knowledge of the Bible.
One of the most meaningful experiences in this huddle was when one of its boys had a problem that he shared with the group and, without Brian's involvement, the boys gathered around one of their own and prayed over him. This is the purpose of the huddles – to learn to support and disciple others and stand firm in their faith, relying on God in hard times. St. Peter wants its students to understand what they believe and why they believe it, and the time in huddle groups gives the kids a chance to talk through that with adults they can rely on and trust.
Brian's huddle group consists of Ace Anderson, Grayson Atienza, Jack Hilgeman, Noah Meyer, Tanner Nix, and Christian Van Meveren. When the boys were asked what they enjoy most about their huddle time, they shared how it is an opportunity to talk about religion outside of religion class in a safe space to ask questions. They cited it as a time in their week that relieves stress and gives them a sense of belonging. One of the boys even wrote an opinion paper for a class on why St. Peter should devote more time each week to huddles. Through this time, he has grown in his faith and learned more about the Bible. In talking about scripture and questioning it, he has learned how to apply it to his daily life. The boys appreciate Brian's guidance as they learn how to look deeper at a verse. They can share things with people outside their usual friend groups and feel cared for and heard.
All of the huddle groups meet the need of St. Peter middle schoolers to have meaningful relationships with trusted, faithful adults. Brian Booth values and prioritizes this time with his group each week, and it is obvious they enjoy this time with him as well. As St. Peter prepares its middle schoolers to head out into the world, the time spent in huddles will be influential in helping them to stand firm in their faith, live out their Christian values, and be prepared to disciple others.
