About Pathfinders
Pathfinders are a worldwide organization of young people sponsored by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, though young people of any religious persuasion, or none at all, are welcome and encouraged to join the organization.
Pathfinders offer a wide range of activities including, but not limited to:
- Camping & camping/survival skills
- Grade appropriate leadership training
- Activities promoting community pride & involvement through outreach activities such as helping in downtown soup kitchens, collecting food for the disadvantaged, cleaning & maintaining city and county parks, visiting and encouraging the elderly, and MANY more
- Interactive training in a variety of recreational, artistic, nature, conservation, vocational, and outreach areas, with awards (honors) given for successful completion of the interactive training modules
- Personal care and encouragement by a caring staff member! While many school classrooms have 10-30 students per teacher, Pathfinders offers AT LEAST a 1 staff member to every 5 Pathfinder ratio!
Joining a Local Pathfinders Club
Pathfinders is for those who are in the fifth (5th) grade or its equivalent through the eighth (8th) grade. 5th and 6th graders are often referred to as “Junior” pathfinders, and 7th and 8th graders are often referred to as “Teen” Pathfinders.
The Teen Leadership Training (TLT) program works closely with the Pathfinder program and is for high school students (grades 9-12).
Staff positions are available that offer adults the opportunity to make a difference for young people, develop friendships with fellow staff, learn more about God’s creation, and improve their training skills.
About Adventurers
The Adventurer program was created to assist parents in their important responsibilities as a child’s primary teachers and evangelizers. The program aims to strengthen the parent/child relationship and to further the child’s development in spiritual, physical, mental, and social areas. Through the Adventurer Program, the church, home, and school can work together with the parent to develop a mature, happy child.
The Adventurer Club was created to give children an opportunity to belong to an organized peer group. To join, children are invited to participate in various activities which will improve their social skills. The Adventurer Club involves children in grades 1-4 and their parents. The programming and planning for Adventurers should be simple and short, but creative. Parental involvement provides opportunities for parents to participate in the learning experience.
One of the Adventurer Club objectives is to provide a meaningful and exciting experience as the children look forward with anticipation to some day being Pathfinders.
What is the Adventurer curriculum designed to accomplish?
- Children will, at their own level, commit their hearts and lives to Jesus Christ.
- Children will gain a positive attitude toward the benefits, joys, and responsibilities of living a Christian life.
- Children will acquire the habits, skills and knowledge needed to live for Jesus today.
- Parents and other primary care-givers will become more confident and effective as co-laborers with Christ for their children.
The Adventurer Club provides fun and creative ways for children.
- to develop a Christ-like character.
- to experience the joy and satisfaction of doing things well.
- to express their love for Jesus in a natural way.
- to learn good sportsmanship and strengthen their ability to get along with others.
- to discover their God-given abilities and to know how to use them to benefit self and serve others.
- to improve their understanding of what makes families strong.