Covenant youth

At Covenant, we recognize the immense potential of each and every young mind – the potential to shape, not only our congregation, but the entire community. We find joy in being teachers, mentors, and cheerleaders to our youth. We celebrate together in the good moments, and offer comfort in the bad. We believe in fostering individuality, curiosity, and compassion for our neighbors. Above all, we recognize that there is as much to learn from our youth as there is to teach, and appreciate the opportunity to witness the one-of-a-kind growth of each child.

As our youth tackle the big questions of life and faith, we invite you to join our community with open minds and open hearts. Whether it’s helping them discover their love of service or their passion for prayer, we are excited to offer our support – and looking forward to all you can contribute to our youth family!

June 11th -17th, 2023 
Avery County North Carolina 
Plans are underway for the HSY Mission Trip this summer. The dates are June 11-17, 2023.   We are headed to Avery County North Carolina for a week long mission trip. While there we will be working with Habitat for Humanity Avery County. Cost is $450.00 per person. The registration price will increase to $500.00 effective April 15, 2023. Scholarships are available if needed. This price includes, meals transportation and lodging. Chaperones are needed!
Sign up here!

July 9th -15th, 2023
High School Youth Conference, Montreat, NC
It may seem like forever away but it’s never too early to save your place for an incredible week at Montreat! We’ll sing, dance, play, make friends, eat, worship, hike and maybe even sleep!
 Sign up here!

April 21 - April 23 
Beaches of South Carolina
Sign up for the HSY Spring Beach Retreat!  Dates for HSY Retreat are Friday, April 21 to Sunday, April 23rd.  We will plan for the upcoming Youth Sunday service and spend time together in fellowship.  We'll also participate in activities like kayaking, basketball, frisbee, low ropes course and more!  $200.00 per person includes food, lodging and transportation.
 Sign up here!

Middle School Youth Summer Mission: June 18 - June 23, 2023  Sign up here!
Montreat Middle School Conference: July 19 - July 23, 2023  Sign up here!

You and your Middle School youth can volunteer on Tuesday evenings in March for Room in the Inn, helping prepare our church to host our neighbors experiencing homelessness.  Sign up here. 

All 7th graders are invited to participate in our 7th grade milestone, "Middle of the Middle", on March 26th at 6pm in the Fellowship Hall. This will be an opportunity to look deeper into our individual callings and skills. We will also have the opportunity to hear from representatives from all areas of church life at Covenant regarding different skills that go into creating an enriching Church environment for members of all ages.

Please support The Relatives by donating diapers in sizes 3, 4, & 5 and baby wipes. Bring your donations to the bin in the Covenant Welcome Center labeled “The Relative's Diaper Drive”. The drive will end on March 31st. These donations will help support a Community Service Project organized by Covenant Middle Schooler, Elizabeth Sloan.

Sunday School takes place from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. in the middle and high school youth rooms.
On the first Sunday of each month, Youth attend worship with Youth leaders at the 9:30 or 11:00 a.m. Contemporary service.

Youth Fellowship takes place on Sunday nights, as well as Wednesday nights during Covenant’s Open Table program through the end of March. On Sundays, dinner will be provided from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m. with programming from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

BASE is our Youth program for 6th and 7th graders, which uses Sunday School to teach our youth about Christian principles, theology, and how to build one's own faith, and fellowship to teach our youth about forming a support system in the church.

Youth engage in milestones as markers of their time in ministry at Covenant and to help them grow in discipleship and community. Each year, youth are invited to an exciting way to mark their time in Youth ministry at Covenant.

Sixth Grade Transition
The middle school youth program intentionally meets with rising 6th graders and parents in the summer, just before the start of school, to discuss joining not just middle school youth at Covenant, but to discuss the transition from elementary to middle school.

Seventh Grade: "Middle of Middle"
Seventh graders will celebrate being “in the middle” of middle school with a special Sunday milestone event. They will create testimonies to be used in worship and create a stepping stone to be collected at the church in honor of each 7th grade class.

QUEST is Covenant’s 8th grade Confirmation class, which will occasionally separate from BASE during Sunday School or for other fellowship opportunities. Our QUEST curriculum encourages 8th graders to dive into the church and its teachings more deeply while exploring the values which speak to their individual faith the most.

Eighth grade students can participate in QUEST in order to achieve Confirmation. Students will attend a QUEST retreat, visit places of other faiths, write a statement of faith, and have a mentor guiding them throughout the year. If your eighth grader is interested in joining QUEST, email Alyssa Pacheco.

During the school year, we offer retreats for fellowship and study:  to the mountains in the Fall, skiing in the winter and the beach in the spring. Throughout the year, we explore topics from all walks of life, worship, study, assist with service projects, create art projects, and have a great time together. All youth , grades 9-12, are welcomed and encouraged to come and join along in programming on Sunday mornings and evenings, as well as Wednesday evenings. Regardless of who you are, where you are from, prior affiliation with the church or participation anywhere else, you have a place in Covenant High School Youth!

During the school year you can find us around campus on Sunday’s in The Landing for Sunday School at 9:30 a.m. and Youth Fellowship from 6-7 p.m. following dinner at 5:30. Wednesday evenings we gather for dinner at Open Table @ Covenant followed by games, service projects and studies focusing on Biblical topics, Theology & World Religions.

Youth engage in milestones as markers of their time in ministry at Covenant and to help them grow in discipleship and community. Each year, youth are invited to an exciting way to mark their time in Youth ministry at Covenant.

Ninth Grade Welcome Dinner
Intentionally inclusive time for upperclassmen to welcome ninth graders into High School Youth (HSY) group. A transition dinner from Middle School Youth to HSY, ninth graders will also work with the HSY director and artist to create portraits with their hopes for the coming life of HSY. These will hang in their HSY room and then be used in worship during their Senior Year. In senior and freshman pairs, upperclassmen make dinner for ninth graders, time capsule to be opened senior Sunday.

Tenth Grade Faith and Sexuality Seminar 
More focused on healthy relationships as a follow up to 5th grade faith and sexuality. A program time for tenth graders to have open and honest communication about healthy relationships and sexuality in the Christian faith.

Eleventh Grade: Listening to Your Life Faith and Career Fair (Fall)
College Admissions Workshop (Spring) – focusing on the application process.
Consider including senior youth and parents with insight on lessons learned. Tools for discernment, PCUSA scholarship opportunities, etc.

Senior Sermons
During Youth Sunday, seniors are invited to offer the sermon. This provides them with the opportunity to celebrate their time at Covenant and to bid farewell to the church as students graduate from high school.

Senior Sunday
Graduating seniors are recognized during worship services at Covenant.

Yucatan, Mexico Mission Trip
This mission trip allows high school graduates to invest in the faith community, while providing service to those in the Yucatan. To make this milestone more successful, there is an intentional connection for graduates to share their Yucatan story with their Covenant family.

Alyssa graduated from Queens University of Charlotte in December of 2019 (and finally got to safely walk across the stage in May of 2021!) While in college, she developed a deep love for religious and youth education, service, and community advocacy, volunteering at The Grove’s Firefly afterschool program, interning with Myers Park Presbyterian’s CROSS Mission, and serving as Queens’ Civic Engagement Fellow and Vice President of the Interfaith Leadership Council.

Alyssa continues to mentor students at The Grove and now serves on the board of the Hispanic American Democrats of Mecklenburg County, where she loves getting to take an active role in fighting for and learning about this city that she loves! In her spare time, Alyssa enjoys reading and writing fantasy and pretending she doesn’t have a tik tok until her youth bring it up.

Martin graduated from Presbyterian College in 2013 with majors in religion and Christian education and minors in youth work and leadership. He also has a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts and Christian Education from Union Presbyterian Seminary.

From 2013 to 2018, Martin served as Director of Youth and Christian Education at Sharon Presbyterian, where he reinvigorated and increased participation in youth programs. Martin helped lead Bulldog Prayers – the multi-faith devotional group at A.G. Middle School. Since 2018, Martin has served at Covenant as the Director of High School and College Ministries. In his spare time, Martin enjoys playing rugby with the Charlotte Royals and doing home renovations with his wife, Anna.