Annual Report 2024-2025 - Flipbook - Page 37
YOUTH EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Chair: Jenni Kothavale
Chair Emeritus: Yvonne Minton
Members: Ryan Carlson, Matt Johnson, Jennifer Kleene, Alex
Moon, *Janet Petersen, *Jonathan Ramsey, Howard Tempero,
and *Janelle Turner
* Completing their term on YEC in June 2025
Major Events/Achievements in 2024-2025:
This school year was the second school year without a full-time
staff member supporting high school programming. This resulted
in the Youth Executive Committee (YEC) stepping in again to
provide operational event planning and fundraising support for
Plymouth’s high school youth and Matins Choir programs.
With the removal of the Waveland stove, this created the need
to develop new Matins fundraisers to replace the Pasta Sale.
Developing these new concepts took time, which caused several
fundraisers to be back-to-back in December through February.
We very much appreciate the Trustees’ and Plymouth members’
understanding and financial support of our fundraisers!
The Matins’ fundraisers all raised more money than last year,
an outstanding result, especially considering we developed two
new fundraisers: the M-Print Letterpress Print and Trivia Night.
A sincere thank you to the four parent volunteers who led each
fundraiser: Lina Reinders (Letterpress Print), Jon Reinders (Trivia
Night), Jennifer Kleene (Bake Sale) and Jonathan Ramsey (Garage
Sale). Pam Kenyon played a vital role in supporting the Matins’
fundraisers with Planning Center/payment support and reporting,
and we are immensely grateful for her time and dedication.
Building on his first year, Matins Choir Director Ted Brimeyer
has continued to provide outstanding musical leadership for
the Matins Choir, ensuring it is a positive, rewarding and fun
experience for our high school students. The choir has grown to
47 students this year.
In addition to a healthy fundraising year, YEC facilitated the
following activities:
• Wednesday night high school dinners provided by YEC and
parent volunteers; Sunday morning Matins breakfasts.
• Care packages assembled and sent to Plymouth’s 20 recently
graduated high school seniors.
• Our high school students hosted a very well attended
Halloween “Trunk or Treat” in the lower parking garage for
all Plymouth children and families.
• The annual High School Youth Christmas party and gift
exchange chaired by Janelle Turner.
• An overnight lock-in event in January for 33 high school
students chaired by Alex Moon.
• A “Wonka”-themed Variety Show, with stage design led by
Howard Tempero and featuring the outstanding talents of
our high school and junior high students. $1,475 in ticket
sales/donations were raised to support the Matins’ service
project on Tour in Chicago this summer.
• A HS Youth/Matins choir outreach concert at Walnut Ridge
Senior Community in Clive, followed by dinner at Jethro’s in
West Des Moines.
This summer, the Matins Choir tour will take place June 6-13.
Pastor John Tyson, Ted Brimeyer and Sohee Lee will serve in
their staff roles along with 9 parent chaperones. The tour group
will travel to Lake Ann, MI; Mackinac Island; and West Dundee,
IL (hosted by former TiM Pastor Aaron James’s church), with
day trips for sightseeing and service projects into Chicago.
YEC submitted a motion to the Church Council in March 2025
to move under the Board of Children, Teens, & Families from
the Board of Music & Arts, effective June 1, 2025.
With the recent hiring of Pastor John Tyson and the goal to
develop more programming for all high school students, this shift
will ensure staff and budget alignment with BCTF to support this
growth. The motion was approved unanimously.
YEC is comprised of nine members, all of whom are parents of
Plymouth high school students. A heartfelt thank you to all of
the YEC members and parent volunteers for your tremendous
dedication and time supporting Plymouth’s high school activities
and Matins Choir program.z
Finally, we would like to thank Ted Brimeyer, Sohee Lee, Chris
Goodson and Diane Hayes for their support of YEC, Plymouth’s
high school students and Matins Choir this year. With Ted
moving into the full-time Director of Children, Teens and
Families role, we are especially looking forward to even more
growth and fellowship in all areas next year!
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