~ 2024 TRAINING GUIDE ~

WELCOME TO SUMMER BLAST

This is our 10th year of Summer Blast and we couldn’t do it without you! Over the past 10 years we’ve seen 1,000’s of kids join us for the best part of their summer. 100’s of kids have accepted Christ and been given a bible for the very first time. Lives have been changed, families have been changed, generations have been changed because of the investment you make into the lives of these kids. Thank you for making it happen!

VOLUNTEER CULTURE

As Team Members we want our guests to experience a culture that is safe, fun, engaging and life giving. We want to go out of our way to make sure our guests feel welcomed and loved. In all our interactions and conversations lets make sure we go the extra mile and give a VIP experience.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

  • Parking for our Team Members is in the ACA Soccer field parking lot off Kansas St.
  • Arrival time is 7:45am in the small gym, our rally room.  Check in with our Team and make sure you wear your Summer Blast Team shirt each day. We will have coffee and a light breakfast ready for you.
  • If you have kids that are under Kindergarten you can check them in to our littles area on the middle school campus as early as 8am.
  • After our morning rally- we’ll all jump into our positions. Make sure you’re in your area by 8:30.
  • We will have security and nurses on site should they be  needed. There are walkie talkies available at each station.
  • If you have any questions throughout the week come visit our Info/Registration table or anyone wearing our yellow STAFF shirt.
  • If you are volunteering in registration or one of our rotations, your team lead will touch base with you before Summer Blast begins to introduce themselves and give you more info for your specific area that you’re volunteering in.

BATHROOM BREAKS / DRINKS

  • The best time for bathroom breaks for your kids is in between rotations and during snack. For the safety of our kids only adult female volunteers can take kids to the restroom.
  • Make sure to take at least two female/male children at a time. Only adult females can take kids to the bathroom, please stand outside and always urge kids to go quickly and to wash their hands. We don’t want them to miss anything. If a child needs assistance in the bathroom please radio for a STAFF member to assist.
  • There will be water stations available at each rotation so the kids can stay hydrated.

RAFFLE TICKETS

  • Kids earn Raffle Tickets each day for wearing their shirt, saying the memory verse, participating, being kind etc…
  • Make tally marks next to the kids names and at the end of the day you can fill out the raffle tickets.  Make sure to include their first and last name, group name and number.
  • At the end of each day make sure to put them in the bucket on stage at the closing time under the tent. 
  • We’ll pick 6-10 raffle tickets a day and if one of your kids is picked they get to come to the stage to pick out a prize!

DAILY THEME

DAY 1
I Choose to trust God

DAY 2
I choose to do what’s right (group photos)

DAY 3

I choose to follow God (crazy hair day)

DAY 4
With God, all things are possible. 

DAILY SCHEDULE

8:30am
Gates Open-Registration

8:40am – 9:00am
Arrival/MC on stage

9:00am – 9:20am
Welcome/Worship/Skit

9:30am – 9:50am
Rotation 1

10:00am – 10:20am
Rotation 2

10:30am – 10:50am
Rotation 3

11:00am – 11:20am
Rotation 4

11:30am – 11:50am
Rotation 5

12:00pm – 12:15pm
Main Stage – Raffle/Worship

12:15pm
Dismiss

JUNIOR VOLUNTEERS

  • The kids look up to you and love having you on their teams. You bring such a special energy and fun to our groups- we value having you as volunteers.
  • Stay engaged and be helpful. Lets make sure our cell phones are put away.
  • Ask your leaders how you can help.
  • Ask your leader permission to go to the snack room during inflatables or Bible rotation and remember its a quick grab and go- not a hang time.
  • If a Junior Leader chooses not to fulfill their responsibilities they will be asked not to participate in Summer Blast.
  • Remember, you’re here as a leader, so be helpful and have fun!

MORNING CHECK IN

  • Each morning after rally you will pick up your Team sign,  bag and daily schedule in our rally room (the gym).
  • Get to your designated spot on the field by 8:20am with your Team sign visible and ready for kids to arrive. Make sure to keep your Team in your area and inside of the ropes so that all Teams have sufficient space and allows you to keep track of your kids.
  • Make sure to sign each kid in by checking the box next to their name. For pick up they will need the QR code they received when they registered.
  • Check with the parents for any medical needs, medications or allergies. If they have any medications have them bring them to our nurse at the info/registration table.
  • If a child tries to sign in with you that is not on your roster, please send them to registration and they’ll help them out.
  • Make sure to have one leader greeting parents and getting kids signed in and the other leaders can be greeting kids and interacting with them. Introducing them to the other kids and getting to know them.
  • When a child checks in for the first time you’ll give them their t-shirt size they ordered and let them know that they will wear them everyday to Summer Blast. Use the sharpie marker provided to put their name on the front upper right part of their shirt.

MAIN STAGE

  • From 8:40am – 9am we’ll have a fun pre-show happening on stage and then at 9am we’ll kick the morning off with worship and a skit.
  • Have fun with your kids, interact with them and with what’s happening on stage. You and your Team will get out of the week what you put into it- so have fun!  Please help keep them from running around, going outside the tent, and being unengaged. We want them to get the most out of the week and being involved is the best way for that to happen.

ROTATIONS

  • At 9:30 your rotations will begin. You have five 20 min rotations. Stay at your rotation until it’s time to travel to the next one. Sticking to the schedule  will help keep our rotations running smoothly. You’ll have 10 minutes to get to your next rotation.
  • After our last rotation we’ll meet in our designated Team spots under the tent. Have one of your leaders turn in all the raffle tickets from the day into the bucket on the stage. Make sure their first & last name, Team name and number are on the tickets.

PICK-UP

  • Make sure all the kids remain seated until their parent/guardian picks them up- this will help us keep better track of them. Make sure not to leave until all your kids have been picked up.
  • Have them show you their QR code. If they don’t have  one please send them to the info/registration area so we can verify they’re authorized to pick them up. Make sure to mark kids checked out when they get picked up so we can keep track of who has been picked up.
  • Your attendance sheets, team sign and bags will be turned in to the rally room after each day. Anything you need to restock your bag will be available in there as well.

THE FIVE ROTATIONS

Games Rotation

  • The Games rotation will be out on the outer field area. Our Team has fun games planned for each day. Make sure to jump in and help and have fun playing with your kids.

 Inflatables Rotation

  • This a great opportunity for the kids to cool off and who doesn’t love water slides??? There isn’t enough time for the kids to change but some kids will wear their swimsuits under their clothes, lets just have them leave their Summer Blast shirts on so we can keep track of them. This applies to leaders as well.

Activities/Performers Rotation

  • The kids will have fun projects and wild performances located in the small gym. Be ready to help the kids with their projects and to engage with our performers.

Small Group Time/ Snack Rotation

  • Find a blanket under the tent for your small group time. 
  • There will be a host to help direct your time under the tent.
  • Don’t stress getting through all the questions- this is your opportunity to have meaningful conversations  with your kids about following Jesus. Use the 70/30 rule- 30% of the time you’re prompting discussion around the questions and main point and 70% of the time they’re responding and dialogging.
  • Use this time to hand out raffle tickets for answering questions, good behavior, being a good friend, etc…
  • Check if any one knows their Bible memory verse and hand out raffle tickets if so.
  • Spend some time asking the kids if they need prayer for anything.
  • On your first day you can come up with a team name and chant that you use for the week.
  • Before you head to your next rotation have the kids clean up any trash from your group

Bible Lesson

  • Each day we’ll have a guest that will share our Bible Lesson. All of guests are fun and engaging and we believe this is one of our most important rotations of the day- as the kids learn about God and what it looks like to have a relationship with Him.
  • If you could help with keeping your kids quiet during this time so that we can minimize distractions. This is a great time for leaders to go one at a time to the snack room for a drink or quick snack.