Fran Thompson, Children s Ministry Director & Awana Commander fran@theascentchurch.com,

Transcription

1 PA REN T HANDBOOK Fran Thompson, Children s Ministry Director & Awana Commander fran@theascentchurch.com, Kim Ndahayo, T&T Director hiskidzeph317@hotmail.com Kevin Dillon, Sparks Director kdillon@kleinfelder.com Woodmoor Campus 1750 Deer Creek Rd. Monument, CO 80132

2 Dear Parent or Guardian, We are excited that your child(ren) will be joining our Awana ministry at The Ascent Church! In order for your child to get the most out of the Awana program, your partnership with us is essential. We want to help your child learn about the Bible and apply biblical truths to his life, but his ultimate spiritual training comes from you. You have the most influence on your child s spiritual development! That s why we want Awana to be a tool for you to use as your child grows and matures from preschool through high school. In this partnership, we need your help in several ways: Encourage your child to study and complete their handbook material prior to each club meeting (about two sections per week in order to complete their book this year). You can find memorization tips below. Drop off and pick up your child on time. You can find details for your child s club s procedures within this handbook, but all clubs begin checkin 15 minutes before starting time, so that clubbers can be in place when opening ceremonies begin. Have fun with your clubber! Join us for all of our Family Nights, scheduled once a month. Your child will cherish the time that you spend with them at Awana! Read this Parent Handbook which has been prepared to help clarify our expectations and to provide basic information about our program. If you have further questions, talk to your child s team leader or one of the leaders listed on the front page. Thank you for the opportunity to minister to your child -- it is a responsibility that we do not take lightly! Contents: About Awana 3 Registration 4 Club Activities 5 Special Events 6 Books & Uniforms 7 Expectations 9 Cubbies 11 Sparks 14, 16 T&T 14, 19 Trek 22, 24 Journey 22, 25 What else can I do? Fire up your child s enthusiasm at home: Model an interest in spiritual things. Your example and encouragement in learning about God s Word are the greatest influencers on your child. Familiarize yourself with the verses your child is learning so that you can practice and discuss them together. Even better, memorize along with your child! Visit awana.org/athome for free resources to help. Seek help from others. Do you or your child have questions about a verse or biblical concept? Ask your child s leader for help. He can answer the question or direct you to someone who can. Initiate conversation in the car: What do you think is the most unusual animal creation? Do you remember the verses you said at Awana club this week? Can you say them to me? Can you teach this week s verse to me? (This is a great way for kids to learn the verse themselves.) What should my child wear? Uniform (once they earn it), including any awards on it that they ve earned; Comfortable pants or shorts (if girls wear dresses, wear shorts under); tennis shoes (no sandals or flip flops, except on Flip Flop Night); Clubbers do not need to wear their uniform along with their creative outfits on Family Nights. However, they should wear their uniform even if they dress up for Team Nights! Learn more about themed nights below. What should my child bring? Book, Bible, and water bottle (some type of backpack or bag to carry it all in is recommended) 2

3 ABOUT AWANA Since 1950, Awana has grown from a one-church program into a ministry that includes more than 6,500 churches in the United States and another 1,300 in more than 80 countries world-wide. Local churches reach hundreds of thousands of young people every week by using the Awana program. The goal of Awana is to reach boys and girls with the gospel of Christ and to train them to serve Him. The word Awana stands for Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed and is based on 2 Timothy 2:15. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. (ESV) The Awana program offers: Biblical teaching Basics for a relationship with God A foundation for a biblical worldview Ultra-fun physical activity and competition Bible memorization Positive friendships Support for parents as they spiritually nurture their children In-club adult affirmation and encouragement Awards and recognition for accomplishments To learn more about Awana, visit THE ASCENT CHURCH AWANA CLUB Our Awana program meets on Wednesday evenings, September through May, and is for boys and girls from age 3 through 12th grade. (Childcare is provided for younger children of Awana volunteers.) We have six clubs, divided by age, and each has a unique curriculum and uniform. You can learn more about each club in its titled section below. Club Time Age Cubbies 6:00-7:30 pm 3 yrs - Pre-K Sparks 6:00-7:45 pm K - 2nd gr T&T UA 6:00-7:45 pm 3rd - 4th gr T&T UC 6:00-7:45 pm 5th - 6th gr Trek 4:30-5:50 pm 7th - 8th gr Journey 4:30-5:50 pm 9th - 12th gr INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY Awana will be cancelled if District 38 schools are cancelled. In rare cases, the weather may worsen in the evening and we will need to cancel even though schools were open. In any case, you can check the church website for a notice; plus we will send an to the Awana list notifying you of a cancellation. VISITOR GUIDELINES Clubbers are encouraged to bring friends to Awana. If someone is visiting for the first time, the clubber and the clubber s parent should bring their visitor to the Information Table so that the parent can make sure a Visitor Slip is filled out properly. The visitor should also get a temporary nametag and the grade appropriate entrance booklet. If the visitor has been to our Awana Club before, they can go to the appropriate club s check-in table and let the secretary know that they are visiting, but that they should already be in the computer system. The visitor will still need to create a temporary nametag until they decide to register. Hopefully, they remembered to bring their entrance booklet, but if not, another can be loaned to them for the night. 3

4 REGISTRATION We welcome visitors to our Awana club and do not require that they be registered in order to visit once or twice. However, to attend regularly and to receive a book and uniform, we require that they be registered. Registering for Awana includes a few small steps for each child: 1. Fill out an online registration form. (You can use a church or home computer.) 2. Double check that you received a confirmation after registering online -- this is the address that Awana s will go to! 3. Pay the dues and for a book and uniform, if needed. (Fees can be paid online during registration using a credit card, or by a check made payable to The Ascent Church with Awana in the memo field.) 4. Fill out a paper copy of the Medical / Photo Release form, and the Allergy form if needed. 5. Read this Parent Handbook. Club Dues Book Uniform Total Cubbies $38 * $10 $11 $59 * Sparks $38 * $10 $11 $59 * T&T UA $38 * $8 $16 $62 * T&T UC $38 * $8 $16 $62 * Trek $38 * $10 $15 ** $48 * Journey $38 * $20 $15 ** $58 * * Deduct $5 for early bird registration, if registering before August 20, ** Optional item that is not included in the total cost SCHOLARSHIPS Please do not let finances get in the way of registering your child for Awana. If there is a financial issue, talk to Fran Thompson about a payment plan or one of the available scholarship options: A partial scholarship will cover your child s dues, but you will still pay for the book and uniform; A full scholarship will cover dues, along with the book and uniform. Any amount owed may be broken up into multiple, smaller payments throughout the year. This could even include having your child bring a dollar to the check-in table each week. Please note that the optional purchases listed below will not be covered by scholarship money. OPTIONAL PURCHASES Beside the books and uniforms that you are required to purchase, there are also a few other items that you may be interested in. Except for Badge Magic, these are available to purchase from the registration form. If you have already registered and would like to place an additional order, please contact Sherri Meadows, the Awana Secretary. Handbook Bag / Drawstring Backpack - A bag with your child s club logo on it. There is also a generic Awana Clubs bag. You can see pictures of the various bags on the price list included below. We recommend that your child use some type of bag to carry all of his stuff, but it does not need to be an Awana specific one! Music CD - A CD that includes all of a handbook s verses set to music. This is an excellent way to help with memorizing verses! (note that this is different than the story CD that is in the back of the handbook.) Parent Book - An extension of a clubber s manual, for your personal use at home. It includes activities and devotions designed for adults, to help you enhance what your child is learning. Badge Magic Double-sided stickiness, to hold patches on uniforms, instead of stitching or ironing. 4

5 ADOPT-A-CLUB Our Awana Club has adopted an overseas Club. We support our adopted club by collecting donations from clubbers. This money allows Awana International to provide much-needed resource materials to our adopted sisters and brothers. This year, we will be collecting money each week in February. We will try to make it more fun by having a friendly competition between clubs. Feel free to make your own donation, but it would be nice to have your child earn some money to donate to our adopted club, too! CLUB ACTIVITIES Each club night will include three components to maximize your child s attention, energy and time: SMALL GROUP / HANDBOOK TIME By using an achievement-oriented curriculum, Awana emphasizes scripture memorization, understanding and life application. With a caring leader alongside to encourage and guide, clubbers progress through their handbooks and are rewarded for their achievements. Parental involvement plays a vital role in helping children to realize the importance of memorizing God s Word. Taking time to work with your child on memorizing their verse will help them see that it is something you view as being worthwhile and important. GAME TIME This is an exciting and safe time of fun and friendly team competition around the unique Awana Game Square, no matter what the athletic ability. Besides having a ton of fun, clubbers learn teamwork, sportsmanship and other character traits while participating in games. All children are expected to participate in all games unless a parent communicates otherwise with a leader. For safety reasons, we ask that clubbers wear tennis shoes to Awana. LARGE GROUP TIME The whole club gathers to hear a gospel-centered Bible lesson. Clubbers are challenged to grow in their knowledge and understanding of God s Word and to be actively involved in sharing the Good News of Jesus around the world! During this time, they also learn about upcoming events and are recognized for their achievements. You are welcome to join the group at the end of the night to see your child receive an award! CLUB CALENDARS There are several calendars for our clubs to be aware of: For Cubbies, Sparks and T&T, there is a calendar that lists all the Family Nights, Team Nights, Awana Store Nights and other events outside of club night. It also includes dates that we will not be having club. This calendar can be found on our church website, on the Ministries->Kids->Awana page. Plus there will be hard copies available at the Information Table each club night. We really want you to know what s going on in Awana, so that you and your child can be an active part of it! There is a calendar for Cubbies, which lists which nights which sections are being done. This allows you to be sure your Cubbie is prepared to say the verse that the group will be doing each night. You should be given a hard copy of this Calendar the first night you attend club, plus there is a copy attached as a file in Our Community s Awana Cubbies group. Trek and Journey clubbers will be given a calendar that lists which nights they will be studying each section, along with any special events they may have. Parents should be given a hard copy of this Calendar on their first night, plus there is a copy included near the end of this booklet and attached as a file in Our Community s Awana Youth Ministries group. These older clubs don t officially participate in the Family or Team Nights, but since many of the clubbers are Student Leaders who will dress up for the younger clubs, everyone should feel welcome to join in the fun if they enjoy dressing up! 5

6 FAMILY NIGHTS Once a month, there will be a uniquely themed Family Night, where parents/grandparents/older siblings are encouraged to join their clubbers at Awana. There will be special speakers, games, drawings, giveaways, and a great time of fellowship! Be sure to mark your calendar now, so that you won t miss out. Sparkies and T&T ers could earn up to three Awana Bucks for participating: one buck for dressing up / bringing something special; one buck for bringing a family member; and one buck if their family member dresses up / brings something special TEAM NIGHTS There will also be Team Nights once a month, where emphasis is placed on working as a team and building team spirit through themed games and activities. Even if a clubber dresses up, they should still wear their uniform on these nights! Be sure to look at the calendar each week so that you don t miss out. Sparkies and T&T ers will earn extra points for dressing up. They could also earn extra Awana Bucks through friendly team competitions, such as Uniform / Book Inspections. SPECIAL EVENTS HANDBOOK CAMPS Handbook Camps give clubbers an opportunity to catch up or work ahead on handbook sections. Leaders will be at these camps to help clubbers work on sections. See the calendar for times and locations. GRAND PRIX The Awana Grand Prix is a Pinewood-Derby-style racing event with a nearly 50-year track record of fun and excitement. Besides being impressed by a racecar s speed, you ll be amazed at some of the creative racecar designs! Awards will be given for both. See the calendar for the Pit-Party dates, where a clubber can get help with carving the shape or decorating their car. There will be an Open category of races for non-t&t ers, where other clubbers and leaders may join in on the fun!! Cars will be sold for $4.00. Online registration will be open Nov 1 st 17 th and is required to compete, along with the check-in of your child s car. If your child s car does not get registered or checked-in, it can race down the track in the non-competitive category at the end of the night. More information will follow as the date of the event approaches. BIBLE QUIZZING T&T, Trek and Journey clubbers are invited to participate in Bible Quizzing. Awana Bible Quizzing is a fun way to promote Bible memorization by providing a friendly competition that tests participants knowledge of the Bible and their handbook material. In order to appeal to different types of clubbers and to recognize all clubbers accomplishments, the Awana Bible Quiz meet combines three methods of quizzing: Individual Multiple Choice, Team-Huddle, and Written Quizzing. Sign-up will begin late fall. Participation will depend on whether or not enough clubbers sign up. All Bible Quiz packets will go home no later than December 16th so that clubbers can study during the Christmas break. See the calendar for dates and times of practices. 6

7 SPARKS-A-RAMA / AWANA GAMES Sparks, T&T, Trek and Journey clubbers are invited to participate in the Sparks-a-Rama / Awana Games. (Sparks-a-Rama is similar to Awana Games, but is geared towards younger children and is not as competitive.) The games focus on good sportsmanship and friendly competition with other Awana clubs while having a blast playing around the Awana circle. Sign-up will begin late fall. Participation will depend on whether or not enough clubbers sign up. See the calendar for dates and times of practices. HALF-WAY THERE PIZZA PARTY Any clubber who completes at least half of their handbook by mid-year is invited to this pizza party. BOOK FINISHER ICE CREAM PARTY Any clubber who completes their entire book by the end of the year is invited to this ice cream party. To make these parties special for those clubbers who have worked so hard, please note that siblings who have not met the requirements are not invited. We would like for leaders to come to the party, so they and their families are invited. See the calendar for dates and times of the parties. An RSVP is required to attend so that enough food is provided. ENTRANCE BOOKLETS When a child visits a club for the first time, they will receive an entrance booklet. The child s first goal is completing this booklet by following the directions in memorizing the verses and doing the activities. They should bring the booklet with them each week until it s completed. Each club s booklet is different, but they all include: 1. Recognizing the opportunity for Bible memorization. The Bible is the rock-solid foundation for our lives. 2. Recognizing that God is the standard for living. The Bible tells us that God is holy. 3. Recognizing that we are all sinners. Sin separates us from the holiness of God. 4. Recognizing what Christ has done for us. God desires us to be reconciled to Him! That s why He sent His Son, Jesus to take the punishment for our sin. 5. Recognizing the need to trust in Jesus Christ. That s all that is necessary - to trust that the Lord Jesus Christ died and rose again for our sin. 6. Recognizing we now have eternal life in heaven. This is our amazing gift - living forever with our loving God and Savior in heaven! BOOKS / UNIFORMS Although you purchase books and uniforms during registration, they will be earned when your child completes their entrance booklet. Once received, clubbers should wear their uniform, along with the awards, and bring their handbook each week. Actually, on Family Nights, it s ok to wear something other than the uniform. However, we will not give jewels or bones to any clubber not wearing their uniform, since they get lost too easily. If your child attended the same club a previous year and did not complete an entire book, they can continue where they left off. Once an entire book is complete, a clubber can either complete the extra credit / review sections or purchase the next book, depending on their grade level and the book they completed. More info is given in the club specific sections below. Please talk to the club secretary if you have questions about books or uniforms after reading this Parent Handbook. We will not give a book or uniform to a visitor. They will need to register and pay for those items first. 7

8 HANDBOOK GUIDELINES Cubbies will work together on a single verse each week. You will receive a separate handout detailing the Cubbies curriculum for the year. Older clubbers will work at their own pace. To complete a handbook in one year, a child should have two to three sections ready to be completed when they arrive each week Sections must be passed in order, with the exception of a few that say it s ok to skip and come back to it, like the Bring a Friend section. Also, Silver & Gold sections (T&T) and Challenge sections (Trek) may be done at any time. To pass the Bring a Friend section, a clubber can fill out a post card invitation to send to a friend, including the address. Once the addressed postcard is given to the leader, the section can be signed. (The church can stamp and send the postcard for the child.) To pass a section with verses, a clubber needs to recite the references and verses to a leader or volunteer listener, with no more than two helps per section. Parents are encouraged to initial any sections that they have practiced with their clubber. A clubber will receive an extra Awana Buck if their section is initialed by a parent. An entire section, which sometimes includes multiple verses, must be recited without looking at the book between verses. The clubber also needs to understand the meaning of the verse. If a clubber does not bring their handbook to the weekly club meetings, sections may not be signed/passed. However, the clubber may borrow a book to study for the next week. Parents, we need your help at home. Please help your child learn and understand their verses at home so that they are prepared to recite them at club. We think it s a great idea for you to initial beside where the leader will sign, once you have worked on a section at home and know that your child is ready to recite the section at club. It is extremely difficult to help clubbers learn their verses if they are unprepared, since we prefer that a clubber not pass a section just by using their short-term memory! MEMORIZATION TIPS Make flash cards. Have your child make flash cards with verses on one side and Scripture references on the other. Lots of colorful markers and paper can make the task a breeze. Ask your child to draw a picture of what the verse means alongside the verse. Review at night and in the morning. Spend five or ten minutes at bedtime helping your child remember their verses. Then repeat them at breakfast the next morning. Tape verses in a conspicuous area. For example, if your child sleeps in the top bunk, tape the verse to the ceiling. Every night before they fall asleep, they can read them a couple of times. Use only the first letter of each word. Print the first letter of each word in a verse on a chalkboard or index card. As your child uses the first letters as clues to the words, they are actually memorizing the verse. Reverse roles. When your child is having difficulty learning a section, reverse the roles. Ask your child to teach the section to you. This helps both you and your child learn the verse. HANDBOOK CAMP Handbook Camps give clubbers an opportunity to catch up or work ahead on handbook sections. Find more information about the camps in the Special Event section. 8

9 HANDBOOK AWARDS Except for in Trek and Journey, each clubber has the opportunity to earn awards that can be worn on their uniform. These awards should be displayed and worn proudly. They represent good achievement and spiritual growth in the knowledge of God and His Word. We encourage all young people to strive for their highest potential. Instructions for proper placement of these awards on the uniform can be found in the back of the handbook. When any clubber completes a book, they will receive a book award during the Awards Ceremony, held at the end of the club year. There are also additional awards for completing all extra credit sections. More details on awards can be found in each clubs titled sections below. BEHAVIOR We want each club night to be a positive experience for all clubbers. We cannot, however, allow unacceptable behavior to disrupt club activities for others. FIVE COUNT A Five Count System will be used to quiet an entire group of clubbers. A leader will raise his/her hand and begin counting to five. By the end of the count, everyone should be quiet and awaiting further instructions. THREE COUNT An individual will have Three Counts to correct their behavior. The first warning is issued by the Clubber s leader. On the second warning, the clubber will be taken to the Club Director. If a third warning is necessary, the Clubber cannot continue participating in Awana until that clubber and a parent meet with the Awana Commander. It is rare, but sometimes necessary for the parent to become involved in assisting club leaders in bringing about appropriate behavior. Please be prepared to support the Awana leader in their positive discipline efforts. OUR EXPECTATIONS OF PARENTS Promptly complete registration forms and either pay the dues/fees total or make arrangements to do otherwise. Always encourage your child. Children have much more fun when mom and dad show interest in their accomplishments. Help your child attend Awana every week and to arrive on time, as consistency builds friendships, achievement and self-discipline. During the week, help your child prepare at least two sections. This will insure they will complete their handbook and receive their special awards, plus qualify for other special Awana activities. Attend Family Nights. Parents are encouraged to attend special events as a way of showing support and approval for your child s accomplishments. Review the Clubber Expectations listed below with your child. We have very few rules of behavior, but in order to ensure that all clubbers have an opportunity to learn and have fun, those rules will be enforced. Pick up your child promptly at their club s designation pick-up location. We realize that it is an inconvenience to have a Cubbie who is released at 7:30pm and an older child who is released at 7:45pm. However, we ask that you be respectful of the older child s club activities and not pick them up early. If your child needs to be excused from participating in Game Time, please send a note to that effect to their leader; otherwise, they will be expected to participate with all other clubbers in all activities. 9

10 OF CLUBBERS Wear your uniform and tennis shoes, and bring your book, Bible and water bottle with you to club. Check-in with the Club Secretary when you arrive, even if you are late. Pick-up, wear, then drop-off your name tag as instructed. Please do not take your name tag home, as this normally leads to it getting lost! Attend your assigned class (no switching to a different team color or attending a different age group). Listen quietly and follow the instructions of your leaders. Walk quietly between rooms. Do not run or play in the church hallways. Stay in your room unless a leader has given permission for you to leave. Treat others with respect - no swearing, fighting, hitting or pushing Be responsible. Keep up with your books, water bottle, jacket and Awana bucks (replacement books must be purchased and we are not able to replace lost or stolen Awana bucks -- it s just like losing real money!) Do not bring toys or electronic devices to club. Use the school rule for illness -- don t come to club if you have a fever or have been sick in the last 24 hour period OF LEADERS Know the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior and spend time with Him daily Complete Awana basic training Be a Godly example to the children, both in attitude and action Comply with the church s child protection policy Arrive by 5:45pm each night, in uniform; and plan to stay until 8pm Let the Director or Commander know when you must be absent OF STUDENT LEADERS Actively participate in the Trek or Journey club Be approved by Fran Thompson Meet all of the above Leader Expectations 10

11 The Cubbies club is designed for pre-school children ages 3-5 who are potty-trained. They meet from 6-7:30 pm in the Tiny Town area, located near the top of the main stairs. NIGHTLY SCHEDULE 5:45 Check-in upstairs, at Tiny Town s front desk 6:00 Puppets / Welcome in Tiny Town Library 6:15 Handbook Time / Story Time / Game Time / Crafts in Tiny Town rooms 7:15 Closing in Tiny Town Library 7:30 Pick-up in Tiny Town Library CHECK-IN Starting at 5:45pm, you and your Cubbie should enter through the main entrance then go up the main stairs to the Tiny Town area. (If you are visiting or have a visitor with you, stop at the Information Table by the main entrance to fill out a visitor s slip before proceeding.) Check your clubber in at the front desk using the Our Community computer check-in, then drop off your child in the Tiny Town Library. If your child is going to miss Cubbies, we would appreciate you letting us know! ROTATIONS From 6:15-7:15pm, the four teams (Red, Blue, Green, and Yellow) will rotate between four activities which all build on the lesson theme of the night: HANDBOOK TIME Once your child completes their Apple Acres Entrance Booklet, they will receive their handbook and uniform. Each week, your clubber will complete a section in their handbook called a Bear Hug. All clubbers work on the same Bear Hug each week. You will be given a calendar with all the Bear Hugs and their corresponding dates for the year. At home each week, once your clubber has memorized the verse for that week s Bear Hug, you need to sign your name on the parent s signature line in the handbook. Your clubber will be awarded Red and Green Apple emblems for completing their Bear Hugs. Please attach these emblems to your clubber s vest as soon as possible and encourage your clubber to wear their vest each week. If a Cubbie has handbook sections to make up, they are welcome to attend Handbook Camp. Find more information about Handbook Camp in the Special Events section above. STORY TIME This is a time when Cubbies will focus on learning about God the greatness of His love and His Word and about His Son, Jesus Christ. GAME TIME Cubbies will stay upstairs in the Tiny Town area to play exciting, age-appropriate, non-competitive games. CRAFTS Cute crafts will be provided each night. Be sure to pick up your child s work of art when you pick them up! 11

12 SIGN-OUT / PICK-UP When you checked in, you received a sticker that matches a number given to your child. You should show the sticker to a leader to pick up your child from the Tiny Town Library. If a different person needs to pick-up than who checked in, pick-up instructions should be given in writing during check-in. CURRICULUM / BOOK AWARDS The Cubbies curriculum alternates between the AppleSeed and HoneyComb books each year. Cubbies will work together on the same section during the club night. If your child started late or has gotten behind the group, please talk to your child s leader to make arrangements for catching up in order to complete the book. Apple Acres The entrance booklet for any new Cubbie / visitor. This booklet must be completed before receiving a handbook or uniform. AppleSeed The book that Cubbies will be working in this year, HoneyComb The book that Cubbies will be working in next year, Under the Apple Tree Completion Award This magnetic frame is earned by completing all of the Under the Apple Tree sections in a book UNIFORM / AWARDS 1. AppleSeed Trail Emblem 2. Red Apple Achievement Emblem 3. Green Apple Achievement Emblem Trail Emblems earned by completing the sections at the beginning of each handbook Apple Achievement Emblems earned by completing the Bear Hugs throughout each handbook. The A will be completely covered once the first book is completed and the C will be covered after the second. 12

13 AWANA STORE / AWANA BUCKS Besides receiving the uniform and book awards, clubbers are also very motivated by the Awana Bucks that they can earn to spend at the Awana Store. We have stocked our store with toys, candy, games, jewelry, and various other items that clubbers will enjoy. Cubbies earn an Awana Buck for each handbook section they complete. Instead of giving the Cubbies their bucks, the leaders will just keep track of how many they have earned. Once a quarter, leaders will take their Cubbies to the Awana Store so that they can purchase something fun with their hard-earned cash! Awana Bucks will not be carried over to the next club year Use it or Lose it! SNACKS / ALLERGIES Snacks that go with a specific lesson will be given to clubbers about three or four times this year. We will provide snack information in an before it is served. We will look at the medical release forms in order to be aware of any food allergies your child may have, so please be sure that information is correct. Feel free to send a safe, personal snack with your child if you are concerned about the snack being served. We don t want anyone to be left out. PARENT VOLUNTEERING All parents are asked to volunteer in Cubbies for one night during this club year. A sign-up sheet will be available at the start of each club night. Take a moment to sign up for one of the available dates and come enjoy a great night with your clubber! 13

14 Since there are so many similarities in how we run our Sparks and T&T clubs, we ve included any information that applies to both clubs in this section instead of listing it twice. Find more information about each club in its own section below. TEAMS / TEAM POINTS / TEAM WINNERS Each clubber is assigned to a colored team at the beginning of the club year (Red, Blue, Green or Yellow). Every effort is made to make the teams even, so that one does not dominate. There will occasionally be a need to shift a few clubbers to different teams during the year, in order to keep them even as new kids join and some kids stop coming. If your child is one that needs to switch teams, please encourage them to make the best of the circumstances even if they are not excited about the change. We try to only switch clubbers who would like to switch, but sometimes, harder choices need to be made. Clubbers contribute to their team s points for the night by wearing their uniform and tennis shoes, bringing their book, Bible and water bottle, completing sections and competing in games. They can also earn extra points by dressing up on themed nights. A team winner is determined each night by averaging their total points by the number of kids who showed up for their team that night. (That way, a team who had only five kids show up still has a chance at beating a team who had 15 kids.) The team with the most points wins and receives an extra Awana Buck for the night! ATTENDANCE AWARDS CLUB ATTENDANCE Club attendance is divided into four quarters. In order for a clubber to qualify for a club attendance award each quarter, they can have no more than one unexcused absence in that quarter. CHURCH ATTENDANCE Church attendance is divided into two semesters. In order for a clubber to qualify for a church attendance award each semester, they can have no more than two unexcused absences in that semester. A clubber may attend a church other than The Ascent Church. The club secretary will assume an absence is unexcused unless you send a note with your child to confirm why it should be excused, such as sickness, family vacations, and other circumstances outside a clubber s control. CLUBBER OF THE QUARTER At the end of each quarter, one to four clubbers in each club will be recognized as a Clubber of the Quarter. This clubber has come consistently to club with a good attitude and a good work ethic. They have demonstrated good character traits and have been a good example to clubbers around them. Each Clubber of the Quarter will receive a special gift, plus they will be recognized at the Awards Ceremony at the end of the year. Receiving this title is an honor that a clubber and their parent can be proud of. 14

15 AWANA STORE / AWANA BUCKS Besides receiving the uniform and book awards, clubbers are also very motivated by the Awana Bucks that they can earn to spend at the Awana Store. We have stocked our store with toys, candy, games, jewelry, and various other items that clubbers will enjoy. Sparkies and T&T ers can earn Awana Bucks as follows: Completion of: Entrance Booklet $10 Handbook Section $1 Jewel/Discovery/Challenge $5 Handbook $10 Review of Handbook $10 Birthday Gift $5 Team Winner Member $1 Bible / Uniform / Handbook / Nametag Inspection $1 Dressed up for Family Night $1 Brought a family member on Family Night $1 Family member dressed up on Family Night $1 Clubbers are responsible for keeping up with their money; lost or stolen money cannot be replaced. SNACKS / ALLERGIES Snacks are rarely served in Sparks and T&T, but when they are, we will follow the instructions given on allergy forms during registration. Since it is too risky for us to try to determine if a snack is ok for a child with food allergies to eat, we use a simple form with three choices. Depending on which choice was marked on the form, a clubber with food allergies will have a code on their nametag which will allow them to bring their own snack from home (B), have an otter pop (O), or just skip the snack and play it safe (X). We will let parents know the week before a snack will be served, in order for a clubber with the B code to know to bring their own snack. VERSE LABELS FOR SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS We prefer that your child not get too frustrated while trying to memorize verses. If your child has too much trouble learning the verses that are in the books, you can consider replacing them with easier ones. You can find the verse labels in the Useful Links section on the church website s Awana page. Download and print the verses on labels that are compatible with Avery label #5960. Then place the labels on the corresponding page. (Page numbers are in parentheses on each label.) 15

16 The Sparks club is for boys and girls in Kindergarten through 2 nd grade. They meet from 6-7:45 pm. NIGHTLY SCHEDULE 5:45 Check-in down the hall to the left of main entrance 6:00 Opening Ceremony in Worship Center 6:10 Small Group / Handbook Time in Adventure Quest rooms 6:40 Game Time in Worship Center 7:10 Large Group Time in Adventure Quest Worship room 7:45 Pick-up in Adventure Quest Worship room CHECK-IN Starting at 5:45pm, you and your Sparky should enter through the main entrance then go down the hall on the left. (If you are visiting or have a visitor with you, stop at the Information Table by the main entrance to fill out a visitor s slip before proceeding.) All clubbers should have a nametag that is clearly visible before going to the check-in table. If your child is registered for Awana, they can pick up their nametag from the nametag table. Otherwise, they can fill out a temporary nametag at the Information Table. At the check-in table, besides taking club and church attendance, the Sparks Secretary will determine how many points each clubber contributes towards their team s total. A clubber will receive points for wearing/bringing each of the following on club night: Uniform, Handbook, Tennis Shoes, and Water Bottle. In addition, they will receive points for attending church the previous week (it does not need to be The Ascent Church) and for bringing a visitor with them to club (they should have a visitor slip to hand to the secretary). Unfortunately, a line sometimes forms at the check-in table. You can help check-in run smoothly by being prepared to give the check-in information to the secretary quickly and in a loud voice. If your child has everything with them, you can just say, for example, They brought everything and they did [not] go to church. The secretary will assume the clubber did not bring a visitor unless they are handed a visitor s slip. Once you are done checking in with the secretary, you can drop off your child in the Worship Center, through the doors on your right. OPENING CEREMONY Shortly before 6pm, Sparkies should line up on their team color line to get ready for the Opening Ceremony. During this time, clubbers will say the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag, shout the Awana cheer, and pray together. On Team Nights, there will also be inspections The team (Sparks and T&T Teams combined) with the most clubbers dressed up, in uniform, with tennis shoes and handbooks will receive an Awana Buck! 16

17 SIGN-OUT / PICK-UP An authorized adult must pick-up / sign-out their Sparky from the Adventure Quest Worship room. Please let the Sparks Secretary know if you would like to update your pick-up authorization information. You should enter through the main Adventure Worship door, pick-up your child from a leader, then exit through the door to the hallway. There will be a sign-out sheet as you exit. Please do not disrupt Large Group time by picking-up your child early, unless there is an emergency. CURRICULUM / BOOK AWARDS Flight 3:16 The entrance booklet for any new Sparky / visitor. This booklet must be completed before receiving a handbook or uniform. HangGlider The first book, to be completed by a Sparky no matter which grade they are in. If a Kindergartener completes this book, they can either do the review sections within the book or purchase the HangGlider Frequent Flyer Cards, but they may not move on to the WingRunner book. HangGlider Frequent Flyer Cards Extra credit work for a clubber who has completed the WingRunner book WingRunner The second book, to be completed by a 1 st or 2 nd grader. If a 1 st grader completes this book, they can do the review sections within either book or purchase the HangGlider or WingRunner Frequent Flyer Cards, but they may not move on to the SkyStormer book. WingRunner Frequent Flyer Cards Extra credit work for a clubber who has completed the WingRunner book SkyStormer The third book, to be completed by a 2 nd grader. If a 2 nd grader completes this book, they can do the review sections within any book or purchase any of the Frequent Flyer Cards. SkyStormer Frequent Flyer Cards Extra credit work for a clubber who has completed the SkyStormer book 17

18 OTHER INFO: All Frequent Flyer Cards include the same review sections as the handbook, plus other fun activities. We recommend a clubber purchase the cards instead of doing the book review if there is more than a month of the club year remaining and if their grade prevents them from purchasing the next book. All clubbers will receive their book award(s) at the Awards Ceremony at the end of the year, no matter when they complete their book. If a Kindergartener or 1 st grader is in the middle of a book when the club year ends, they may continue in the same book the following year. UNIFORM / AWARDS 1. Sparks Emblem 2. HangGlider Rank Emblem 3. WingRunner Rank Emblem 4. SkyStormer Rank Emblem 5. HangGlider Review Emblem 6. HangGlider Pilot Wings and Jewels 7. HangGlider Extra Credit Pin 8. Church Attendance Emblems Rank Emblems earned by completing the rank sections at the beginning of each handbook Pilot Wings earned along with the clubber s first jewel (Red, Green, or Blue) Red and Green Jewels earned by completing Jewel sections throughout each handbook Blue Jewels one jewel earned each quarter, as long as the clubber has no more than one unexcused club absence for that quarter. Note that a clubber may complete a book but still not earn all of the blue jewels, if they have missed club too often. Review Emblems earned by completing all review sections, either in the handbook or in the Frequent Flyer Cards Extra Credit Pins earned by completing the Frequent Flyer Cards Church Attendance Emblems one emblem earned each semester, as long as the clubber has no more than two unexcused church absences for that semester HANDBOOK CAMP / REGATTA / SPARKS-A-RAMA Handbook Camps give clubbers an opportunity to catch up or work ahead on handbook sections. The Regatta is a fun night of boat racing. Sparks-a-Rama is a day of competing with other churches Awana clubs in fun Awana games. Find more information about any of these events in the Special Events section above. 18

19 Truth & Training (T&T) is divided into two age groups: Ultimate Adventure (UA), for 3rd & 4th graders Ultimate Challenge (UC), for 5th & 6th graders The entire T&T group follows the same nightly schedule, from 6-7:45pm. However, the curriculum and uniforms are unique for the UA and UC groups, as shown below. NIGHTLY SCHEDULE 5:45 Check-in in front of Adventure Quest Worship, to the right of main entrance 6:00 Opening Ceremony in Worship Center 6:10 Game Time in Worship Center 6:40 Small Group / Handbook Time in Adventure Quest rooms 7:10 Large Group Time in Worship Center 7:45 Pick-up in Adventure Quest rooms CHECK-IN Starting at 5:45pm, your T&T er should enter through the main entrance then turn right. (If you are visiting or have a visitor with you, stop at the Information Table by the main entrance to fill out a visitor s slip before proceeding.) All clubbers should have a nametag that is clearly visible before going to the check-in table. If your child is registered for Awana, they can pick up their nametag from the T&T nametag table. Otherwise, they can fill out a temporary nametag at the Information Table. At the check-in table, besides taking club and church attendance, the T&T Secretary will determine how many points each clubber contributes towards their team s total. A clubber will receive points for wearing/bringing each of the following on club night: Uniform, Handbook, Bible, Tennis Shoes, and Water Bottle. In addition, they will receive points for attending church the previous week (it does not need to be The Ascent Church) and for bringing a visitor with them to club (they should have a visitor slip to hand to the secretary). Unfortunately, a line sometimes forms at the check-in table. Your child can help check-in run smoothly by being prepared to give the check-in information to the secretary quickly and in a loud voice. If your child has everything with them, they can just say, I brought everything and I did [not] go to church, for example. The secretary will assume the clubber did not bring a visitor unless they are handed a visitor s slip. Once they are done checking in with the secretary, they should go to the Worship Center, by going through the Adventure Worship room and down the hall. OPENING CEREMONY Shortly before 6pm, T&T ers should line up on their team color line to get ready for the Opening Ceremony. During this time, clubbers will say the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag, shout the Awana cheer, and pray together. On Team Nights, there will also be inspections The team (Sparks and T&T Teams combined) with the most clubbers dressed up, in uniform, with tennis shoes and handbooks will receive an Awana Buck! SIGN-OUT / PICK-UP T&T ers should be picked up in one of the Adventure Quest rooms, determined by their gender and team color. Please touch base with your child s team leader to let them know that you are taking them. 19

20 CURRICULUM / BOOK AWARDS UA Start Zone The entrance booklet for any new 3 rd or 4 th grader. This booklet must be completed before receiving a handbook or uniform. UA Book 1 The first book, to be completed by a 3 rd or 4 th grader. If a 3 rd grader completes this book, they can work on the Silver and Gold extra credit sections, but they may not move on to UA Book 2. UA Book 2 The second book, to be completed by a 4 th grader. If a 4 th grader completes this book, they can work on the Silver and Gold extra credit sections of either UA book, but they may not move on to the UC Book 1. UC Start Zone The entrance booklet for any new 5 th or 6 th grader. This booklet must be completed before receiving a handbook or uniform. UC Book 1 The first book, to be completed by a 5 th or 6 th grader. If a 5 th grader completes this book, they can work on the Silver and Gold extra credit sections, but they may not move on to UC Book 2. UC Book 2 The second book, to be completed by a 6 th grader. If a 6 th grader completes this book, they can work on the Silver and Gold extra credit sections of any book. OTHER INFO: All clubbers will receive their book award(s) at the Awards Ceremony at the end of the year, no matter when they complete their book. If a 3 rd, 4 th or 5 th grader is in the middle of a book when the club year ends, they may continue in the same book the following year. A 5 th or 6 th grader can choose to continue in a UA book from a previous year, or start with a new UC book. (Their uniform will match the book that they choose to work in.) The book awards in T&T, Trek and Journey are cumulative. This means that awards are given based on the number of books completed, regardless of which club it was completed in. For example, a clubber would receive the Alpha award for their first book completed, regardless of whether that book was UA1 in T&T, UC1 in T&T, Trek One in Trek or On the Rock in Journey. 20

21 UNIFORM / AWARDS We will be transitioning to new UA uniforms over the next couple of years. Unless they choose otherwise, returning 4 th graders will keep their uniforms from last year. We are also selling the old style of UA uniforms at half-price and giving them to scholarship kids, as long as supplies last. Any clubber with the old style uniform will continue to earn the dog bone awards. Please talk with the Awana Secretary, Sherri Meadows, if you have any questions concerning the old uniform or awards, since no diagram is included below. 1. Discovery Emblems 2. Extra Credit Emblems 3. Book Completion Pins 4. Special Event Emblems 5. Passport Collector Pins (we don t use these) 6. Handbook Review Emblems 1. Challenge Emblems 2. Book Completion Pins 3. Special Event Emblems 4. Extra Credit Emblems 5. Passport Collector Pins (we don t use these) 6. Handbook Review Emblems Discovery Emblems earned by completing all sections in a Discovery. They can be placed on the jersey sleeves to form shapes and patterns, however the clubber desires. Challenge Emblems earned by completing all sections in a Challenge. They can be placed anywhere in the white areas of the jersey, however the clubber desires. Book Completion Pins earned by completing the required sections of a book Extra Credit Emblems earned by completing Silver or Gold sections in a handbook Special Event Emblems earned by participating in special event, such as Bible Quiz or Awana Games Handbook Review Emblems earned by completing the Silver section that requires a review of the entire handbook HANDBOOK CAMP / GRAND PRIX / AWANA GAMES / BIBLE QUIZZING Handbook Camps give clubbers an opportunity to catch up or work ahead on handbook sections. The Grand Prix is a fun night of car races. Awana Games is a day of competing with other churches Awana clubs in fun Awana games. Bible Quizzing is a competition with other churches and tests a clubber s knowledge of the Bible and handbook material. Find more information about any of these events in the Special Events section above. 21