By Reed Smith
Getting new and young students in a community with peers they’re able to connect with is always a joy to facilitate. As of late, there have been a few gatherings that have accomplished just that as students continue to get to know each other. While we also try to make these events extremely fun, our goal is bigger than that.
As the freshman director, I’ve been able to watch several freshmen recently come to a few different informal gatherings and parties in which they’ve met student leaders in our ministry and, more importantly, other freshmen. These students come just intending to hang out, which they do, yet the outcome is usually sweeter. Some pretty incredible fruit being produced at things like this. It’s apparent that as these freshmen are connecting and spending quality time together, class identity is growing stronger and stronger, and many individuals are realizing Salt Company is full of students that they can be real with. As a result there is a growing freedom to ask difficult questions, to grow with their peers, and to have fun with. These simple, fun gatherings have probably gotten me more hyped than many of the students probably realize. I’m not only having fun but I’m seeing a lot of value in them. I’ve seen students like Aaron, Reghan, Micah, and Brenna, just to name a few, get to know other students and walk alongside their peers as they grow in the life of the Salt Company.
