Filled to the brim with buzzing students, the rotunda was occupied on the first Tuesday club meeting by Young Life members playing one another in a game of “Dragon Farkle.” Excited hoops and hollers could be heard from around the school, leaving others to wonder exactly what the club Young Life is.  

“Young Life is a Christian organization that operates like a church youth group without being connected to any single church. It’s a fun, safe, place to come and learn more about who God is and how we can have a relationship with him. It is primarily led by college students who want to invest their time and energy in helping students learn about what it looks like to have a relationship with Jesus while having a great time,” said club sponsor Travis Fink.

Young Life was officially established as a club during the spring semester of last school year, but unofficially started two years ago. Fink loves that the club is about building relationships with students, college leaders, and ultimately with Jesus.

“I really like the philosophy of Young Life about reaching all students, especially those who might feel they have no safe place to go to learn about God. Also, the college student leaders work with Young Life and are deeply genuine and passionate about working with students and truly want to build meaningful relationships with them,” said Fink.

Young Life meets as a large group outside of school at 7:27 on Monday nights, and the location varies weekly as the meetings are hosted by different HBHS students. Small groups known as “campaigners” are also held at school, and this takes place in B-104 on the first Tuesday of every month, and any student is welcome to attend.

“Students should join if they want to have fun, meet people and develop friendships, and learn about a God who loves them more than they will ever know,” said Fink.

Senior Abby Lane has been a member of Young Life for three years and got involved in the club due to her friends talking about how awesome it was.Young Life has shown Lane how to have a good time, and how to truly care for other people.

“Young Life is like my home away from home. It feels like a whole family and it’s always so welcoming,” said Lane.

Lane’s favorite experience with the club has been seeing her friends transform through Young Life, and she hope others get to experience that.

“Young Life is an experience everyone should try at least once. I would love it if everyone in this school would come to Young Life,” said Lane.

All it took was one time of attending Young Life for Junior Trenton Wheeler to be instantly hooked. Wheeler’s older brother had always talked highly of the club, so he decided to check it out for himself at the end of last school year. Wheeler found Young Life to be a great place where people can go to hang out with others and have a ton of fun playing strange yet entertaining games.

“Young Life has given me opportunities to make new friends, rekindle relations with old ones, and have a great place to hang out with the ones I have,” said Wheeler.

Many former Young Life members end up becoming the next generation of leaders for the club after high school. Once in college, these leaders build relationships with students about their faith, their story, and their beliefs. Wheeler gives all credit to Fink for making Young Life a club at school possible. And, like Lane, Wheeler encourages other students to join Young Life.

“I tell people they should come all the time because I think everybody deserves to have a great group of people to have fun with and to an extent trust and make friends with,” said Wheeler.