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By Riley Savedge

Welcomed, accepted, and understood are the first words that come to mind when pondering my involvement with the FOCUS community. As I walk into the weekly meetings, my ears are filled with the notes of my favorite songs and chatter from my peers and volunteers. We play a light-hearted game and sing to various tunes, before I eagerly await the Bible discussion led by a staff member. 

FOCUS, which currently stands for “Fellowship of Christian Universities and Schools,” originated in the 1960s when Reverend Dr. Peter C. Moore began organizing their first communal gatherings. The beginnings of the organization was rooted in helping New England boarding school students “explore Christianity in fresh and lively ways,” according to the FOCUS website. In 1971, FOCUS was formally established as an independent group, with a Board of Trustees, alumni, and parents. FOCUS eventually expanded beyond New England in the mid-1970s, when it implemented regional programs in Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York. Now, FOCUS is involved throughout Richmond, Raleigh, the greater Washington, DC, area, Boston, and New Jersey as well. Outside of regional programs, the FOCUS Study Center was created when land on Lambert’s Cove Road in Martha’s Vineyard was donated to the organization in 1973. The Study Center on Massachusetts’ most famous island is utilized for a variety of summer camps and events, ranging from Middle School Adventure A to College Week and Vineyard Staff.

The FOCUS Study Center on Martha’s Vineyard.

FOCUS was founded to enable students at independent schools to explore the Christian faith. Some private schools have limited chances to participate in religious-based activities, so FOCUS desired to fill that space. FOCUS holds weekly meetings for students attending local independent schools in the Richmond area, including Collegiate, St. Christopher’s, and St. Catherine’s, either after extracurricular activities or before the school day begins. There are separate meetings for Middle Schoolers and Upper Schoolers. For Collegiate Upper School students, FOCUS hosts weekly Wednesday night meetings at a family’s home, for activities and a short talk. The meetings are approximately an hour long, consisting of a game, songs, and an insightful Bible lesson to close the gathering. 

FOCUS strives to provide a safe, comfortable place where people will feel heard, regardless of their faith or identity. The organization welcomes all students, seeking “to respect all members regardless of their religious beliefs.” While FOCUS is rooted in Christianity, it is not based in any specific church. The organization is non-denominational, so there is not a formal affiliation with any particular religious community. Their website states that volunteers, students, and staff are “drawn together by a common faith and purpose” to discuss and pursue answers to life’s most pressing questions. 

FOCUS is a highlight of the week for me and many of my peers, such as Caroline Benjamin (‘26). “FOCUS is a good reset to my week,” expressed Benjamin, when asked about why she attends the program. FOCUS provides a stress-free location for Upper Schoolers to discuss both difficult and light-hearted topics alongside volunteers and friends. The meetings are in the middle of the week, allowing for a break from pondering upcoming assignments, sports, and social events. Benjamin said, “I like that the meetings are on Wednesdays, because it helps me get myself in a better mindset to approach the rest of the week academically and with friends.” Like Benjamin, I like that FOCUS is a place I can go to decompress, surrounded by a supportive community of people who share common beliefs. 

I have been an avid member of the weekly meetings since 9th Grade. I had heard of FOCUS from my friends who participated in Middle School, sharing their amazing experiences with the organization. I recall being driven to Chipotle for FOCUS dinner, hesitantly getting out of the car to be greeted by the warm faces of FOCUS staff. Even when I was a new participant, I have never felt unwelcomed when in the presence of other FOCUS attendees or volunteers. Each week since, I have been drawn back by the positive, uplifting, and comforting environment that FOCUS provides. 

Every year, the final FOCUS gathering includes Seniors sharing the significant impacts the organization has left on their lives. I recall listening to past Seniors’ short speeches and getting emotional because of the special stories shared in front of the group. A variety of the memories revolve around the leaders’ and staff’s influence on the faith of the students, which has encouraged me to form connections with the volunteers. The Seniors’ narratives have had a notable effect on many participants, including Benjamin. Benjamin stated, “The Seniors’ stories inspired me to keep going to the meetings, because I saw how FOCUS had such an impact on my peers from school.” As a Senior, I am looking forward to having the opportunity to share my personal testament to FOCUS at the final meeting this year. I hope my message encourages the younger students to continue their journeys with the organization, especially through attending the weekly meetings.

Small group meeting during a FOCUS Summer Program.

FOCUS offers a variety of summer programs outside of the regional areas, such as in West Tisbury on Martha’s Vineyard. The programs are specifically designed for 6th through 12th Graders. Some of the summer opportunities at the FOCUS Study Center on the Vineyard include: Middle School Adventure A, August Week 1, Crossroads, Vineyard Service, Internship, College Week, and First-Time Leaders. While the programs range in length and age requirements, the common purpose of the activities are to learn about faith, regardless of your previous religious background. According to the FOCUS website, nearly 700 students visit the FOCUS Study Center each summer. 

This past summer, I applied for Internship at the FOCUS Study Center on Martha’s Vineyard. Collegiate Seniors Sloan Sullivan (‘26), Ashley Grace Johnstone (‘26), Caroline Benjamin (‘26), and Campbell Bain (‘26) applied and partook in the camp as well. Signing up is through application only, where prospective campers answer questions about their religious background, identity, and reason for participating. The FOCUS website states the overarching message of Internship: “Internship is a two week program designed to ground students in the Christian faith, to train them in Christian leadership, and to help them love and follow Christ with maturity and honesty.” Campers aren’t allowed to have their phones or other electronic devices for the entirety of the program, to be free of outside distraction and immerse themselves in their faith. 

While on Internship, I created new friendships with students from Raleigh, New York, Boston, New Jersey, and the DC Area. We connected over shared beliefs, delicious food, and curiosity about exploring West Tisbury. I still keep in contact with my newfound friends, specifically Cameron Etheridge and Ellie Rohleder, two Senior girls who attend St. Mary’s School in Raleigh. I travelled down to Raleigh in September to visit my friends, a testament to the significant relationships that FOCUS fosters across states. I also strengthened bonds with my peers from Richmond, specifically Rainey Trice, a Senior at St. Catherine’s. When asked about the impact FOCUS has made on her life, Trice commented, “Honestly, the community is the biggest impact. I wouldn’t have met people or made the friends that I did without FOCUS.” 

Unlike in other summer programs, students participating in Internship are required to create and present a personal testimony to their journey in faith. You are given various days to write your testimony and are assigned a leader for guidance on ideas, struggles, or just to provide a listening ear. Before we wrote our own, we listened to testimonies by volunteers, staff, and cabin leaders. While I was apprehensive at first, sharing my testimony was definitely the most healing and special aspect of my time spent on the Vineyard. I felt supported throughout the entire process, greeted with hugs, praise, and tears from my friends and leaders. I recall reading my testimony to leader and Collegiate alumna Carson Coulbourn (‘18) hours before I had to present, uncovering my fears and discomfort with her about being too emotional when it came time to share that night. After her brief words of wisdom, she asked if she could say a quick prayer for me. The leaders, such as Coulbourn, never fail to make me feel like a cherished member of the FOCUS community, no matter the circumstance. 

Students listening to a talk at the FOCUS Study Center.

Coulbourn, who is on FOCUS Richmond Field Staff, is one of the leaders who I have been grateful to form a connection with over my past few years with the organization. Coulbourn is a graduate of the University of Virginia, where she pursued degrees in statistics and religious studies. Coulbourn has been working for FOCUS for the last three years but previously volunteered on summer programs throughout college. When asked about a favorite memory of FOCUS, Coulbourn replied, “A favorite FOCUS memory of mine was on the Spring Break trip that FOCUS takes to Pawleys’ Island. At that trip, we read a book from the Narnia series called The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.” The novel is generally interpreted as a Christian allegory, with parallels between sacrificial death, resurrection, and the ultimate defeat of evil. The group of students who attended Pawley’s Island in South Carolina were from various schools in Richmond and across the East Coast. Coulbourn admired watching the curious teenagers “ask meaningful questions of one another, while also engaging the novel and conversations about faith in significant ways.” Coulbourn plans to continue working with FOCUS, chaperoning weekly meetings and summer programs because she experiences “a joy that continues to spread.” 

“FOCUS truly meets people where they are at with their faith, something not all churches can provide,” said Trice when expressing why she engages with the organization. FOCUS is aimed at aiding support or guidance to anyone, regardless of the stage of faith they are in. The organization is geared towards helping youth build a relationship with God, in a gentle, reassuring environment. Benjamin stated, “FOCUS emphasizes bringing you into Christianity in a space where we can all be in different places but still relate to one another.”

I am beyond fortunate to have been a part of such an enriching community, filled with wonderful people who truly care about my well-being. When I graduate from Collegiate this spring, I hope to find a youth group in college that is as supportive and close-knit as FOCUS.

All photos courtesy of FOCUS via @infocusinsta on Instagram.