“Welcome! Are you ready for the first Tweensday ever?” shouts the program host. A loud ‘yes’ is heard around the “Festival Plaza”, where children between the ages of 10 and 13 sit excitedly as they wait for the day’s program to begin.
By Ulrikke Andresen – Photo by Carina Clausen
The excitement around the tables is palpable. Lively children along with youth and adult volunteers look forward to spending the day together. Hundreds of participants are registered, all of them tweens- children between the ages of 10 and 13 years old.
The day starts with lunch in the large Festival Plaza at the heart of the conference area. The program hosts introduce the exciting activities, including a scavenger hunt, competitions, and games together with peers. There are also obstacle courses, quizzes, painting, and mini golf.
After lunch, the groups disappear one by one out into the hot July day.
A warm welcome: the presenters are in place, lunch is waiting, and a scavenger hunt with many activities is prepared. Swipe to see photos from the day. Photo: BCC
“I have enjoyed myself with friends and mentors”
After about three hours of activities, we meet Tuva (12), who tells about her busy day. She has enjoyed herself with kind mentors and good friends:
“There have been many fun activities, and now I’m actually a bit tired. But I’m feeling competitive, and am not giving up,” she says with a smile.
Patrick (11) is also very pleased with Tweensday. He thinks it was great that his age group had their own activity day instead of just the traditional children’s conference, which he is a little too old for:
“It was fun to experience something new that we have never done before, with really nice mentors. The first thing I thought after the day was over is that it will be difficult to surpass this,” he says.
Intro Live: A taste of youth life
After a dinner in the evening sun, the first-ever “Intro Live” is presented in the conference hall.
The stage area is lit up in bright colors, and when the program begins, the hall falls completely silent. The show begins with a powerful song from a beaming youth choir. The presenters warmly welcome the audience, and engage participants throughout the evening.
A diverse program with a good message
This evening short, inspiring conversations on the stage, films, competitions, and animations illustrate the emerging message: these young people have a bright future ahead of them, and can seek comfort and help from Jesus in every situation.
“The transition to adolescence is an important time, when you begin to make significant choices for the rest of your life. We want to provide the best conditions for these young people, so they feel seen and prioritized, and experience a fantastic day with their friends,” says Elise Schöll. She is the producer of this program, directed by BCC Media, and it is a continuation of an initiative for this age group. Even though it is a challenging age for many, they have Jesus, who loves and helps them unconditionally.
“It is not necessary to understand everything about faith, but you can begin with the little bit you do understand,” says one of the hosts in conclusion.
READ ALSO: BCC Media producing a TV show for tweens
Five new episodes of Intro coming this spring
Expectations for youth time
After an eventful hour, the party continues outside, with ice cream, popcorn, music and prizes for the day’s competitions. Tuva says Intro Live impressed her.
“It was absolutely fantastic, with a good atmosphere and kind people. I will miss the children’s conferences and the Intro broadcasts, but now I am looking forward to being part of BUK (Brunstad Youth Club), being at the camps, and making new friends there.
Patrick is also excited about the time ahead, after receiving a taste of youth activities he will be part of in years to come.
“I’m quite excited about my youth time. I hoped that today would be a similar experience of future summer camps, and it was.”
Swipe to see more photos from the evening’s conclusion of Tweensday. Photo: BCC
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