Last week, 14 teams gathered in Hudson, Fla. at the Word of Life Youth Camp to compete in the annual AMIkids-Winter Challenge Event. Alongside the youth were employees, volunteers and mentors cheering each team on in hopes of receiving top awards in both academic and sporting events. The three-day event taught the youth about teamwork, leadership and most importantly to never give up on anything.

Day one was the Science Fair Judging and Creative Writing segment. Students developed projects that included studies of what liquids may stain our teeth, Mnemonics and electromagnetism to name a few. Once this portion of the day was complete, youth then participated in the challenging Spelling Bee.

Towards the end of day Mr. Heyward Golden, AMIkids Senior Vice President, Operations, shared a powerful message with the youth and explained the importance of having fun and respecting peers for the days ahead. The evening ended with speeches from the students that included topics such as individuals who’ve inspired them in life and how they would improve education in the public school system.

Day two and three were filled with Track and Field, Academic Quiz Bowls, Marlinspike,Volleyball, Broad Jump, Tug-O-War and First Aid events. On the evening of the third day, students gathered for an awards banquet and dinner. Medals and trophies were given out to the winning individuals and teams in each event.

The 2017 Winter Challenge event was an outstanding occasion, but it’s important to recognize that it was more than who came in first place. This yearly event creates a sense of comradery, teamwork, leadership and a chance for youth to partake in healthy competition. Lifelong relationships were established and memories were created that will be enjoyed for years to come.