By Deborah Walker

SALISBURY, NC – For the first time in decades, the Dorothy S. Johnson Youth Retreat returned to its roots at Livingstone College, hosting more than 300 youth, ages 13 to 21, on July 11-13. Students from across the nation arrived on campus for a weekend of spiritual growth, leadership development, and college immersion. The camp retreat was coordinated by the Women’s Home and Overseas Missionary Society (WH&OMS) of the AME Zion Church.

“It was great to engage with Zion’s youth, and it was amazing to see how they amplified their national motto as being ‘Ambassadors for Christ’, says International President of WH&OMS, Sandra Crowder. “I knew it was going to be a marvelous and grand weekend. They cheered, sang, and just praised the Lord. The youth were all in and fully engaged.”

Throughout the weekend, campers participated in interactive sessions focused on academic and spiritual development. Students attended college preparation classes, with content tailored to their age group: younger students learned about what to consider before applying to college, high schoolers focused on the application process, and older participants explored life after college. Retreat goers also took part in faith-based sessions led by AME Zion leaders, Livingstone College faculty and alumni, that explored the power of prayer and how to build a stronger personal connection with God. Meanwhile, local Y secretaries, chaperones, and other adult leaders attended workshops on how to better serve and support the youth in their care.

“The vision was to bring the youth of Zion to the AME Zion Church’s chief educational institution here at Livingstone College just so they’d have the opportunity to feel the energy and marry what the AME Zion Church and Livingstone have to offer,” said Connectional Secretary and Youth Missionary Supervisor of WH&OMS, Melva Polk Wright, “As soon as we walked onto campus, we felt the love from staff, and our hope was that this weekend inspired young people to want to spend four years on this campus as students, just like my daughter did.”

Campers also had the opportunity to spend time with Livingstone’s president, Dr. Anthony J. Davis, who dined, danced and worshipped with the young Zionites all weekend.

“It’s not enough to say Livingstone is Zion’s flagship institution if our young people don’t see the campus. So now they’ve had the opportunity to see what we’ve been talking about and why we are leading other HBCUs in this space,” Davis said. “One hundred forty-seven years ago, ancestors of the AME Zion Church envisioned that we would have a place for our

children and our children’s children. Being able to bring the AME Zion Church back to Livingstone is just serial reciprocity at its best.”

Retreat participant Dylan Crowder Walker a rising sophomore at Butler High School in Mint Hill agreed.

“It was amazing to meet other young people from across Zion, learn more about what it means to be a Christian disciple, and explore the campus,” said Walker. “It was cool to sleep in a dorm, have a roommate, go to classes, and just hang out on the front lawn playing football. It gave me a real idea of what Livingstone College could be like if I were a student.”