1. ​I am 15, and standing at the podium of my Unitarian Universalist church about to share my beliefs to
the congregation.
As I read the faith statement, I glance up and see my dad videotaping. Despite my nerves, my mind
registers my mother’s tears, my brother’s smile, my peers who supported me, and my mentor who guided
me through the Coming of Age program. Beyond this support system are my friends and the church
community who hold a special place in my heart because I know they are always there to support me.
Transitions are as hard as running the two mile race in indoor track, but I feel confident crossing the
bridge into adulthood with supporters on either side.
Nine months ago when I began the Coming of Age program, I was identified as a "youth participant."
In declaring my beliefs publically, I became an adult member of the church and to me, this transition
means everything.
Now I have the privilege of being more involved with the church community and its decisions. I felt
important when I had a voice in approving the ordination of a minister who had made a great impact on
the lives of those in our congregation. Always smiling, this woman brought happiness and laughter to the
church every Sunday. Her words and ideas from the podium often lingered with me. Like her, I want to
spread positive energy and kindness.
Coming of Age, however, was much more than becoming a member of my church. It was about
discovering who I am in my faith community. Writing my faith statement was incredibly difficult for me
to do. It took me a full year to prepare a well written faith statement and it made me think about who I
truly am as a person, and how my actions formed my beliefs and conversely how my beliefs also form my
beliefs. At the Coming of Age ceremony, I declared my belief that everyone was different, everyone had
importance, and everyone should be treated equally. To put my declaration into action, I taught a Pre K
and first grade religious education class during my sophomore year of high school. This meant giving
children simple, yet important, lessons on things such as being kind or helpful in order to prepare them for

2. their journey in life. I also exemplified my belief by treating all of the children in the classes equally and
creating fair learning opportunities by sitting next to the energetic children while still smiling and
encouraging the focused ones. In the ceremony, I also stated that kindness mattered, and that random acts
of kindness make everyone happy, being kind not only to the people around me, but the nature that
surrounds me. This meant recycling or doing yard work on unattended land. For example, I helped tidy up
a local cemetery during the fall season by raking leaves and moving fallen branches.
Teaching and volunteering my time to help others has helped me notice the tiny things in life. Now I
see smiles on little one’s faces when they understand a new concept, or a clean cemetery for locals to
walk through on a nice fall day.
Four years later, I still live by my beliefs. While working at the church nursery every Sunday, I
try to get around and interact with every child who enters and leaves. In addition, I volunteer my
instrumental talent to the church during holiday services.
In my Coming of Age, I have found the calm center in my life that has prepared me for the next step
in my life.