Abstract
Youth workers devote a great deal of energy to creating and maintaining vibrant high school ministries in local congregations. But what happens to these youth when they graduate and move away to college? What can high school youth workers do to help students navigate this transition more effectively? The College Transition Project is an ongoing quantitative and qualitative study of this transition. The present article focuses on the first wave of a 3-year longitudinal study of 222 high school seniors who were graduates of youth groups across the United States with the intention of following them as they make their transition to college. This article examines seniors’ attitudes regarding youth group, engagement in risk behaviors, sources of support, and levels of religiosity. Potential philosophical and programmatic implications for youth and college workers and church leaders working with youth and college students are also discussed.
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