'Built for the Moment’: SALT Returns to the Columbia Union

Story by Shannon Kelly / Photos by Esther Hernandez, Blue Mountain Academy Marketing Deparment

After being canceled for three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, SALT, a longstanding tradition in the Columbia Union Conference, is back. Roughly 150 student leaders from most of the Columbia Union’s senior and day academies gathered for Spiritual Academy Leadership Training (SALT) at Potomac Conference’s Camp Blue Ridge, nestled in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, for a long weekend of inspiration, leadership development, fellowship and worship. 

Class presidents and vice presidents, yearbook editors, secretaries, communication officers, class pastors and other leaders in high school student associations and councils were invited to join. 

“We need to not only have our students be prepared to lead in their schools and lead in their college years, but then come back home to us and be leaders in their churches,” says Jacqueline Messenger, associate director for secondary education at the union and event organizer. “We want to build strong leaders for the future of our church. We don’t want our strong leaders marching out [of church]; we want to embrace them and keep them so that they see they have a voice and they can make a difference in the future of our church.” 

In previous years, SALT rotated through different conference or YMCA camps around the Columbia Union, but Camp Blue Ridge is now the go-to, as it has the capacity to host a large group, Messenger says. 

After SALT’s three-year hiatus, the gathering was marked with extra gratitude and celebration, and the students who attended were excited to have the chance to participate at last. 

Workshops in leadership and team building, social events, inspirational speeches and worship comprised the event, balanced with free time for canoeing, relaxing and other opportunities to have fun. Students ran the majority of programming with teams from the various schools taking turns helping with meals and cleanup, leading worship services and offering prayer. 

Uniquely Made for a Purpose

Each year, SALT has a theme, Messenger says, which is chosen by the featured speaker. This year, speaker Jaymie Pottinger, Forest Lake Academy’s (Fla.) vice principal who oversees STEM, athletics and discipline, selected the theme, “Built for the Moment.,” inspired by Jeremiah 1:5: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” (NIV).

Pottinger shared with the student leaders that individuals in leadership positions, especially teenagers, can feel ill-equipped or inadequate in the positions they hold.

“No matter what you face in this time, whether you are prepared or not, you were prepared before you were born for this moment,” he said. “Whether you are aware of what you’re about to face or not, whether you’re aware of the emotions that will be coming as a result of that—the failure or the wins of the opportunity—have the mindset that, ‘I was built for this moment, even if I’m ignorant about what I’m about to face.’”

Pottinger says he hoped the students gleaned the realization that they were uniquely made for a purpose, and they will be equipped to live up to their calling.

Pottinger says that his hope at the end of the session was that they would find their purpose. “Regardless of your journey, regardless of your disposition, regardless of your pain and challenges you struggle with, you were made in a unique sense to add value, not just for yourself, but those around you, so you should not allow anything or anyone to prevent you from fulfilling your God-given purpose,” he said.  

Meghan Young, a junior at Potomac Conference’s Richmond Academy and the school’s communication representative, says SALT reminded her that failure is growth, and it is not necessarily bad. Despite sometimes feeling like she is not “good” at her role, Young says she is learning to remember it is not about her. 

Mental health was another important focus in this year’s SALT, Messenger says. This was ultimately due to a student body request, as the young leaders sought to better support their fellow students through difficult, disrupted times­­­­­­—and learn more for themselves. 

Azrielle Privette, a senior at Allegheny East Conference’s Pine Forge Academy (PFA) in Pennsylvania who serves as the United Student Movement (USM) public relations officer and class vice president, says she appreciated the mental health component. She had a lot of questions, and a lot of them were answered, she says.

“Something that I’ve taken away is that no matter the trials or the things you go through, you can still come out of that, and God will be there with you every step of the way,” says Keanne Jardinin, a senior at New Jersey Conference’s Lake Nelson Adventist Academy (LNAA) in Piscataway who serves as the school’s social events coordinator. 

Better Leading

Over the course of the multi-day event, student leaders not only mingled with peers from other academies, conferences and offices, but they got to work with other young people who held the same respective positions they did, but from different academies: class presidents met with other class presidents; secretaries met with secretaries; class pastors met with class pastors, and so on.

“I think what I’ve learned the most [while working with those who hold similar positions] is just other students’ perspectives on what they do at their school, how they address certain issues there, and getting to communicate with them on how I can better influence my school and better lead at my school,” says Aidan Sammons, senior class president at Chesapeake Conference’s Highland View Academy in Hagerstown.

Grouping together with peers of equivalent leadership positions also helped Jalyssa Beckles, the senior female sergeant at arms at Pine Forge Academy (PFA), feel like she better understood her role.

“Now that I have more of a deeper understanding, I’m kind of more connected with my position within USM. I’m very, very excited, because I want other students to feel that same connection I have. I want them to feel like they are heard, and they can be heard,” she said.

Valuing the Social Aspect

The social outlet SALT provides is another valuable aspect of the event. Ken Knudsen, vice principal of Ohio Conference’s Spring Valley Academy in Centerville, has been attending SALT with his students since either 2001 or 2002. He says he values the opportunity for students to socialize, especially with his group coming from a conference that can feel remote.

McKinne Campbell, a senior at PFA who serves as the USM female social vice president and class vice president, shared similar sentiments. 

“Our school isn’t that big, so to come to a space where there was a lot of individuals and people who are similar to you in the positions that they have, and their different passions, it was very refreshing to be able to meet different people with different ideals and stuff,” she says. “Sharing their input and ideas [were refreshing], and just networking and making new friends, and just meeting so many different types of people.”

For Noah Hahn, yearbook editor and a senior at Spring Valley Academy, SALT was a humbling experience, being surrounded with so much talent. To him, the event solidified, in a practical sense, what it means to be a servant leader. 

As SALT drew to a close, student leaders said they left feeling inspired, renewed and ready to bring back what they learned and experienced to their schools and fellow students. Teens from multiple academies said they planned to stay in touch with other academies and maintain the relationships cultivated during SALT. They learned a lot from each other and felt a sense of community and support, as they navigate challenges and celebrate successes that come with their leadership positions.

“This trip is just a reminder to me that the Adventist community is. … We’re surrounded by people who really love God, and being in that environment with the same people of similar ages as me, I’m inspired by them to do better each day,” said Gianna Tetelepta, sophomore class president at (LNAA). “To my school, I want to take back these traits that they have of leadership, and I want to show it in my school too.”