The workshop was held at UTS, New York. Since the summer workshop in 2007, when we had 17 participants, 5 of which were new candidates and 2 of them passing to Green Level, the participation has increased significantly.

There were a total of 70 people: 2 guest speakers, 13 staff and 55 participants. Among the Jr. STF participants, 47 were new candidates, 6 were Green Level members and 2 were Pink Level members.

They came from 7 different communities: 17 from New York, 6 from New Jersey, 3 from Connecticut, 8 from Massachusetts, 3 from Virginia, 9 from Michigan, 8 from Canada.

Promotion: 11 passed to Green Level, 4 passed to Pink Level • One 17 yr old 1st Generation (Klein Gauthier) passed to Green Level

As for the quality of the workshop, many of the participants had transformative experiences. The theme of the workshop was "Discovering my Heart of Attendance ". Over the course of 4 days, we presented on the topics of God, True Parents and the Blessing and had team activities, and testimonies, followed by two levels of Jr. STF promotion tests. The promotion tests included the following:

Team Challenge Activities
Divine Principle Test

90 min. test on Principle of Creation (Green Level)
60 min test on Fall and Restoration (Pink Level)
10 minute lecturing test on one section of Principle of Creation (Pink Level)

Essays on lecture content
1-on-1 Interview
Outdoor Challenge Activity

2 hour run (Green Level)
Overnight Hike (Pink Level)

We concluded with a certificate ceremony recognizing all those who completed the workshop, and also those who were successful in being promoted to the next level of Jr. STF. Several parents attended the ceremony together with us. Here are some of the testimonies from the workshop:

"The feeling is so invigorating, the feeling that you know your mission and you know how to fulfill God's will. It feels great!" (Daniel Heller, 17, New York)

"God has shown me that He really is with me at all times, and He is always guiding me. God has also shown me that I will never be lost ever again. I will take everything I have learned here, and apply it to my life. And I also want to try and help another BCs or any person going through a hard time. I just want to do my best to really help God's Providence." (EiJung Kim, 14, New Jersey)

"God has shown me so many things through this workshop - How to be grateful for everything and everyone. Also, how I should help others to touch their lives about God - To challenge myself and try everything. And lots more I don't know how to put into words. I'll share my experience with my friends who couldn't come." (Monalee Machado, 12, Massachusetts)

"I want to share with my parents what I learned and try harder to do things for them and for God that will make them happy." (Virginia Rose Loew, 13, Virginia)

"God has shown me through this workshop many things but mainly that I can do so much, I can do anything because he loves me, I'm an extended member of True Family, and I'm a blessed child of God. Centered on God, True Parents, and True Love I can and will fulfill, strive, sacrifice, and accomplish an ideal family, perfect myself, be the greatest son, brother, husband, and father ever·(Klein Gauthier, 17, Michigan)

"God has shown me that He is always here to help and that if we work hard enough and are faithful enough we can accomplish anything, even if it is 10 times what we've previously accomplished" (Christian Sullivan, 16, Canada)

"As a result of learning these things, I will now put them into practice during school, and hopefully change my friends and peers through teaching some of the Divine Principle lessons and core values to better themselves and spread a way of living for the sake of others." (Mica White, 13, Canada)