• AC Home
  • News
  • Events
  • Quick Links
Austin College Logo

Sherman, Texas

Apply

Visit

MENU
  • 2022 Issue
    • From the President
    • … Worth a Thousand Words
    • Planet Hunters
    • Austin College Can Feel Like Home – For Everyone
    • The Joy of Giving While We’re Living
    • They’re Somethin’ in the Water
    • How Many Laps Make a Champion?
    • An UP and Coming Sport
    • Arts Prevail in Pandemic Times
    • How to Not Get Lost in the Woods
    • Healing in the Arts
    • From Ida Green to the LA Scene
    • ‘Roo Notes 2022
    • In Other Words
  • Issues
    • 2021 Issue
      • From the President
      • Seeing 20/20
      • On the Front Lines
      • A Broad Worldview Helps Doctors Face a Global Challenge
      • Finding A New Normal
      • Making A Way
      • This Family is All In
      • A Dream Realized
      • No One Plans for a Pandemic
      • Pastoring in 2020
      • CREATE at 5
      • Transformed: Student Success
      • An Expert in the House
      • A Voice for Good Health
      • ‘Roo Notes 2021
      • In Other Words
    • 2020 Issue
      • From the President
      • Global Life: ‘Roos Around the World
      • Good to Go
      • Just Keep Running
      • Pledged to the Public Good
      • Leaves Book and Tea Shop
      • Public Health Program Provides Popular Major and Minor
      • Power to the ‘Roos
      • ‘Roo Notes 2020
      • In Other Words
    • 2019 Issue
      • From the President
      • TWELVE
      • The Making of a Legend
      • One Legend’s Story
      • Sacred Expressions
      • Powering the Future
      • Fierce and Friendly
      • The Stories of the Stones
      • Truth in Art
      • ′Roo Notes 2019
      • In Other Words
    • Winter 2018
      • Snapshot
      • From the President
      • Along Grand Avenue
      • The President’s Home at Wood House
      • Roots
      • Home Team
      • 100 Years of Co-Education
      • President Steven P. O’Day
      • Giving to Prepare Future Servant Leaders
      • ‘Roo Notes
      • In Other Words
    • July 2017
      • Snapshot
      • Roots
      • From the Interim President
      • Along Grand Avenue
      • Home Team
      • The Adventure of a Lifetime
      • Au Revoir
      • The Momentum of Discovery
      • ‘Roo Notes
      • In Other Words
    • January 2017
      • From the President
      • For Love of the Game … and the Players
      • This Is Us – Diverse and United
      • Snapshot
      • Roots
      • Along Grand Avenue
      • Home Team
      • ‘Roo Notes
      • In Other Words
    • Winter 2016
      • From the President
      • Snapshot
      • Roots
      • Along Grand Avenue
      • Home Team
      • Living the Liberal Arts
      • At Home in the Rainforest
      • ‘Roo Notes
      • In Other Words
    • Summer 2015
      • From the President
      • Snapshot
      • Roots
      • Along Grand Avenue
      • Community Impact
      • Of Gratitude and Wonder
      • Home Team
      • Reimagining the Liberal Arts in A Digital Age
      • Medical Experience in Mexico
      • ‘Roo Notes
      • In Other Words
    • Spring 2014
      • From the President
      • Snapshot
      • Roots
      • Along Grand Avenue
      • Preventing Pandemic
      • Home Team
      • A Wild Semester
      • The Bottom Line is Greener
      • The Business of Learning
      • Blazing Trails
      • An IDEA Realized
      • ‘Roo Notes
      • In Other Words
    • Winter 2014
      • From the President
      • Snapshot
      • Roots
      • Along Grand Avenue
      • Making A Difference in the Natural World
      • The Mentor Advantage
      • ‘Roos Who Write
      • Storytellers’ Gift
      • Strategic Plan
      • Home Team
      • ‘Roo Notes
      • In Other Words
    • Summer 2013
      • From the President
      • Snap Shot
      • Roots: On the Road Again
      • Along Grand Avenue
      • Heard Around Campus
      • The Austin College Experience
      • Looking Back and Planning Ahead
      • Faculty Retirees Reflect
      • The Business of Food
      • Class of 2013 Takes on the World
      • A Legacy of Law
        • What is Pre-Law?
      • Dr. Kenneth Street
      • Making History
      • Home Team
      • ‘Roo Notes
      • In Other Words
    • Fall 2012/Winter 2013
      • From the President
      • Mission Around the Globe
      • My Summer of Learning
      • Views of the Outback
      • Our Identity
      • IDEA Center Challenge
      • Investing in Austin College
      • Snap Shot: Opening Convocation
      • Roots: Majestic Music
      • Along Grand Avenue
      • Home Team
      • ‘Roo Notes
      • In Other Words
    • Summer 2012
      • From the President
      • Detours to Adventure
      • At the Core of Excellence
      • Who Values Education? WE DO!
      • Sowing the Seeds
      • Banned, Buoyed, & Laureled:
      • A Lifetime In College
      • Snap Shot: Commencement
      • Along Grand Avenue
      • Heard Around Campus
      • Home Team
      • ‘Roo Notes
      • In Other Words
      • Roos for Roos
    • Spring 2012
      • From the President
      • Postcards from Abroad
      • Costa Rica Sisters
      • Texas Super Lawyers
      • An American in…Bucharest
      • My Internship in Congress
      • Along Grand Avenue
      • Home Team
      • ‘Roo Notes
    • Winter 2012
      • From the President
      • Along Grand Avenue
      • A Century of Science
        • Digging the Antarctic
        • Science in Everyday Life
        • Alumnus Integral To The Manhattan Project
        • Starry, Starry Nights
        • Telling Her Story
        • Celebrating the Unknown
        • A Look Back
      • ‘Roo Notes
      • In Other Words
    • Fall 2011
      • From the President
      • A New Year Begins
        • Meet the Class of 2015
        • Pieces of Home
        • Enrollee to Student
        • Freshman Legacies
        • The Summer Read
      • Gifts That Matter
        • Making Moments Matter
      • Along Grand Avenue
      • Home Team
      • ‘Roo Notes
      • Honor Roll of Donors
    • Summer 2011
      • From the President
      • Along Grand Avenue
      • Commencement Photos
      • The Many Faces of Success
      • Ghost Light
      • Time
      • In Full Bloom: Lives of Success
      • The Light Shines for Texas
      • Home Team
      • ‘Roo Notes
      • In Other Words
    • Spring 2011
      • From the President
      • From the Editor
      • JanTerm 2011
      • Commencement 2011
      • ACtivator Event #500
      • The Homesick Texan
      • Remembering Chase Gaddy
      • Along Grand Avenue
      • Home Team
      • ‘Roo Notes
      • In Other Words
  • Archives
  • Contact Us
Info For...
  • AC Home
  • News
  • Events
  • Quick Links
Home » Issues » Spring 2011 » ACtivator Event #500

ACtivator Event #500

ACtivator Celebration143,000 Miles … and Home

For more than 30 years, several hundred senior high youth and their sponsors have chosen Austin College as the site of the Grace Presbytery Senior High Youth Connection (SHYC) each January.

In January 2011, the 750+ guests (which happens to be the largest annual presbytery youth gathering in the nation) came from the usual churches—but several Austin College alumni came from farther afield as the weekend held extra meaning for them.

With leadership roles in the youth event, the ACtivators, Austin College’s youth ministry team, celebrated its 500th event.

The group had its beginning in 1995 when today’s Austin College chaplain John Williams ’84 (then director of church relations) and five students traveled to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to serve as leaders at an event for Santa Fe Presbytery. That successful program paved the way for future events. Amy Allen Parker ’95 was among those initial leaders. In an anniversary celebration of the program’s 15th year in 2010, she explained that those five individuals had no idea that a program would grow from that event or all that it would become.

“I’m so proud of Austin College and I’m proud that the ACtivators have made a name for ourselves in terms of a presence in the community and something people can associate with the College in a real, positive way,” Amy said. “But we never dreamed that was what we were doing; we just got in the car and headed for Santa Fe Presbytery.”

As the group met for SHYC, the program had, over 16 years, involved 441 Austin College students who had traveled more than 143,000 miles to help plan and lead 499 ministry events involving more than 41,000 children, youth, college students, adults, and senior citizens.

The original team members and their roles today follow. See photos and read more of the original team’s thoughts on the milestone event.

ACtivator's QuiltACtivators 1995

Amy Allen Parker ’95
Director of Children’s Ministry
First Presbyterian Church, Fort Worth, Texas

Noelle Castin ’95
Director of Christian Education
Bradley Street Presbyterian Church, Bethesda, Maryland

Janet Chester ’95
Director of Christian Education
Covenant Presbyterian Church, Sherman, Texas

Michael Harper ’94, MAT ’97
Associate General Editor
Congregational Ministries Publishing
Presbyterian Church (USA)
Louisville, Kentucky

Brandon Wert ’96
PCUSA Young Adult Volunteers Site Coordinator
Tucson, Arizona

The ACtivators program, with the continued guidance of Williams, has been coordinated for the past 10 years by the Religious Life program’s Sallie Majors interns. The internship program was established in 1999-2000 with a gift from Joyce and Robert M. Johnson ’53.

Sallie Majors Interns2011 Sallie Majors Interns

Rachel Dodd ’11
Austin, Texas

Ashleigh Johnson ’11
Austin, Texas

Amy Kalmbach ’11
Kingwood, Texas

Hailey Malcolm ’11
Richardson, Texas

Philip Rawlings ’11
Bronte, Texas

Courtney Reynolds ’11
Houston, Texas

Rachel Wells ’11
Trophy Club, Texas

Original ACtivators

Original ACtivators, Plus One: The five “founding” ACtivators and John Williams gathered for a photo during the celebration with SHYC speaker Cindy Rigby. Left to right are Brandon Wert, Cindy Rigby, Noelle Castin, Amy Allen Parker, John Williams, Janet Chester, and Michael Harper

GET IN TOUCH

903.813.2000
Austin College
900 N. Grand Ave.
Sherman, TX 75090

Contact Us

GET SOCIAL

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn

GET LINKED

  • Quick Links
  • Human Resources
  • Campus Offices
  • Directory
  • Email

GET CONNECTED

Subscribe to Austin College E-Communication

Connect to AC

Copyright © 2022 - All rights reserved | Privacy Policy | Consumer Information | Site by thrive-logo