What Causes Senior Highs the Greatest Anxiety?

Read our 2003 senior high survey, gathered on retreat at Johnsonburg. Questioned about their concerns, teens said relationships matter most; school stresses us most.

In November, 2003, 175 senior highs gathered at Johnsonburg to talk about images of Christ in popular culture. As part of this retreat, we asked participants about their greatest concerns:

1. What do you like about your youth group?

· The people -- making good friends
· The Fun
· An open, loving, nonjudgmental, safe environment
· Our youth leaders

2. If you could, what would you change about your youth group?

· Nothing
· Increase the number of kids who attend
· Help people to be more involved with what we do

3. As a teenager, what causes you the greatest anxiety?

· School (by 7:1 over the next common answer)
· Parents and family stresses
· Peer pressure and relationship stresses
· Too much work for the time available

4. How would you change your worship service to make it more meaningful for you?

· Relate it more to our lives today and current issues
· Make it interactive
· Make it more contemporary (music and skits)

5. What problems are common among teens today?

· Drugs
· Alcohol and drinking
· School
· Peer pressure and influences
· Depression and teen suicide

6. What topics would you like us to cover at future Johnsonburg retreats?

· Relationships
· Sex
· Teen relationships with God and Jesus


It is our hope that these results will inform an agenda for children and youth in our congregations. These results suggest that our young people are under a lot of pressure at school, that drugs and alcohol are pressures in their daily environment (even if they themselves are not using them), and that youth group can be a place of balance and respite from stress.