BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP)–The 2005 National Acteens Panel has been announced by Woman’s Missionary Union.
“As applications for the 2005 National Acteens Panel poured in to the national WMU office from all over the country, the qualifications, spiritual maturity, leadership, and missions involvement of these young women were extremely impressive, making the selection process especially challenging,” WMU, a Southern Baptist Convention, auxiliary, stated in a news release.
The six Acteens panelists, who will serve from February to December, will write articles for The Mag, the missions magazine for Acteens, and for the Acteens website, www.acteens.com. In addition, they will work as a focus group to help shape the future direction of Acteens.
Panelists also have the opportunity to interact with missionaries and national leaders involved in missions. The teens often receive requests to speak to church, associational and/or state Acteens and WMU groups. In June, they will be featured leaders during national WMU’s missions celebration in Nashville, Tenn., prior to the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting.
Selected as members of the 2005 panel were Abby Baldridge, a member of Rocky Point Baptist Church in Stephenville, Texas; Caitlin Early, a member of Second Baptist Church, Fort Payne, Ala.; Allison Henderson, a member of Eagle’s Landing Baptist Church, New Port Ritchey, Fla.; Kami Miinch, a member of First Baptist Church, Jackson, from Millersville, Mo.; Martha Sicking, a member of First Baptist Church, Bay City, Texas; and Dani Westerman, a member of Sylvia Baptist Church, Dickson, Tenn.
Acteens is a WMU organization for teenage girls in grades seven through 12 who are interested in missions and praying and giving to missions. In Acteens, members also grow in their understanding of God and of themselves and are engaged in hands-on missions opportunities in their communities and beyond.
“These six, exceptional young women represent the best Acteens has to offer,” said Kym Mitchell, design editor for national WMU’s student resource team. “They have placed missions as a top priority in their lives.”
In addition to participating in missions trips via Acteens Activators or other channels, they have worked in a variety of volunteer positions through their churches and as camp staffers at WMU camps in their states. And they have accomplished a variety of goals through MissionsQuest, the individual achievement plan for Acteens.
In addition to those Acteens who are selected to serve as panelists, WMU also selects additional young women as Top Teens to recognize their strong involvement in missions.
Those selected as Top Teens for 2005 are:
Shaina Badon, a member of Mt. Olive Baptist Church, from Liberty, Miss.; Shannon Burdett, a member of First Baptist Church, Midland, Texas; Davinia Casey, a member of First Baptist Church, Rogers, from Lowell, Ark.; Brittney Cloyd, a member of Como Baptist Church, Sterling, Ill.; Paula Hill, a member of Fairview Baptist Church, Statesville, N.C.; Kellie Huber, a member of Brown Deer Baptist Church, from Sussex, Wis.; Elizabeth Kelley, a member of First Baptist Church, Crestview, Fla.; Ashley Nash, a member of Freeman Heights Baptist Church, Garland, Texas; Elizabeth Santamaria, a member of Iglesia Bautista Nueva Esperanza, Houston, Texas; Bridget Wilhelm, a member of First Baptist Church, Rogers, Ark.; and Kimberly Zimmer, a member of Kingwood First Baptist Church, Kingwood, Texas.
Applications for the 2006 National Acteens Panel will be due to the WMU national office no later than Dec. 1, 2005. Applications will be available on the Acteens website at www.acteens.com and in the fall issue of Acteens Leader.
Applicants for the national Acteens panel must be a current junior or senior in high school; be a Christian, a church member and a member of a local Acteens organization; be involved in MissionsQuest or have served as an Acteens Activator; be able to attend the Southern Baptist Convention the year they are on the panel; and have parental or guardian permission.
–30–
For more information on Acteens, including how to start an Acteens organization in your church, visit www.acteens.com.
