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6.24.09
North Side Baptist Church Worship Pastor Travis Agnew talks to RYLA about "Decreasing."
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Erskine's College hosts annual Rotary leadership conference for young people
Erskine College welcomed more than 70 high school students from locations across the state during the annual Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) conference.
Erskine Athletic Director and Men's Basketball Coach Mark Peeler, who served as director of the camp again this year, said the program was a great success.
"We had the best group of delegates I have been associated with," Peeler said. "It makes the program extremely productive when all the delegates are enthusiastic, engaged and passionate about it.
"We would be extremely fortunate to get a huge batch of this group to become students at Erskine."
Students arrived in Due West on Sunday, June 14, and stayed on campus until Saturday, June 20.
Seventy-three students and 10 counselors participated in the program, which is sponsored by Rotary District 7750. Students represented about 60 high schools from as far north as Rock Hill and as far west as Winnsboro. Students’ guidance counselors chose RYLA delegates.
The theme for this year's camp was "Servant Leadership."
Throughout the week, delegates participated in a wide array of activities and heard various speakers talk about a variety of topics.
Speakers included Peeler, Frank Lee of Smith Pharmaceuticals in Spartanburg, Erskine student Kim Bussey and Students in Free Enterprise, Dr. Kim Alexander of Clemson University, Becky Faulkner, district governor nominee from Taylors, Shane Bradley, an educator, councilman and fireman from Due West, Jerry Shadbolt of Tuomey Healthcare in Sumter, Erskine Vice President for Finance Greg Haselden, North Side Baptist Church Worship Pastor Travis Agnew, Miranda Marsh of Greenville ARP Church, Erskine Admissions Counselor Jarrell Williams, Erskine Interim Dean of the Faculty Dr. Gid Alston, former Miss South Carolina Jeanna Raney Beasley and others.
Agnew talked to the group about "Decreasing," in which he challenged the students to "live for something that outlives you."
"You get one chance at life," he said. "You need to ask yourself the question, 'Am I going to do something worthy of this life that's been given to me?'"
Agnew said there are three places that one can decrease — in the classroom, in extracurricular activities and in the home.
Many students settle for getting by rather than working hard in the classroom, he said, adding that if the world’s population were represented by a village of 100 people, only one person would have a college education.
Since many in the group raised their hands when Agnew asked how many were planning to go to college, he said, "You're already better off than most people."
Agnew reminded the students that the Apostle Paul instructs us in the Bible to do whatever we do for the glory of God.
When success comes in the classroom, Agnew suggested to students that they must "learn to excel humbly."
As far as extracurricular activities, he advised students to "work at being a producer, not just a consumer."
Agnew told the students that they should do something to serve others.
"Find a place where you're gifted to serve and give yourself away," he said.
Agnew said the home is the most difficult place to decrease.
"Your family cannot change if you stay the same," he said. "The way you handle yourself as an adult will be shaped by the way you treat your parents. As far as it depends on you, decrease with everyone living in your home.
Agnew left the delegates with this thought: "What would happen if you decided to decrease?"
Other activities during the week included small group interaction, coffee shop roundtables, watching movies, karaoke, a wellness activity, community service presentations, skits and a dance.
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