Junior Explores Leadership.Junior Karsten Hess is one of 16 participants in Eastern Mennonite Seminary's LEAP 365, a year-long mentoring program for high school youth from around the country and Jamaica. Karsten and the other participants met together July 9-26 in Harrisonburg, Va., for theological reflection, vocational exploration, and cross-cultural experience, which also included one week in Colombia. LEAP, which stands for learning, exploring, and participating, is designed to encourage youth to consider leadership vocations in the church, equip them for lives of service and peacemaking, and to foster global awareness.

During his time in Virginia Karsten attended various seminars that explored themes such as discerning one's call or who are our neighbors. They also spent a day learning about African-American history in Harrisonburg.

In Colombia the group visited churches and heard testimonies of pastors, congregants, and others, including a man who spent a lot of time trying to find ways to peacefully resolve the conflict in Colombia. They also visited a private school, where they had opportunity to interact with students ranging from pre-school to twelfth grade. He said, "Many times people think about drugs and violence in relation to Colombia. But there is so much more to the people of Colombia. They are incredibly friendly, welcoming, and willingly to share what they had."

In September they returned with an adult mentor for a retreat to kick off a nine-month mentoring relationship. During this time Karsten will meet twice a month with his mentor, Jeff Miller, business manager at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary and a member of his congregation at Waterford Mennonite Church.