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NEW BEGINNINGS


NEW BEGINNINGS - "MISSION POSSIBLE": -   - New Beginning -"Mission Possible" theme with secret agents skits that my
Young Women loved!  Redone 1/1/04 for the New Personal Progress Program.  Click here for the skit.  D. Atwood

TV NEWSCAST: - For New Beginnings, we did a newscast. During our newscast, there were 7 short commercial interruptions from "our Value Sponsors." The girls not a part of the script were grouped and assigned to come up with and perform a commercial on one of the seven values. They were encouraged to be as creative as they wished with props, music, costumes, or nothing but them! Like any commercial on TV, it should be short and witty.  For script CLICK HERE

SUNFLOWERS THEME: -  For New Beginnings this year, our ward used the theme "Sunflowers". (For the rest of this message, please CLICK  HERE)

STAND AS A WITNESS SKIT:  - Hope this is helpful to someone.  “Stand As a Witness” skit for New Beginnings 2000.  To see the skit, CLICK HERE.           

CELEBRATING THE LIGHT: -  For New Beginnings we used the theme "Celebrating the Light" To decorate the  cultural hall we put up 7 round tables with white tablecloths and toppers that had a floral print with a value color. On that, we place coordinating fresh flowers like pansies and daises, etc. Then we place different types of light on the tables. Representing that we each have a different light to share with each other. The refreshment table had the same type of decor and we added twinkle lights. On the front wall we hung a huge YW torch that had the YW values streaming from it, and on the side walls we had paper lamps all different with the values written on them. To open the program we had all the lights out and gave a flashlight to each table. One by one a girl would come up to the podium and read a poem on one of the values, as she would finish that table that had that values flashlight turned it on and shined it at the torch. When the last value poem was read we turned on all the lights and had everyone stand to say the YW theme. Then we had  the new beehives parents talk about them. We asked them to bring some type of light with them and tell how that best represented their daughter. Everyone had very cute ideas. One brought a 3 way light and said it reminded them of their daughters mood swings. It was all very clever and sweet. For refreshments we served strawberry shortcake with "LITE" cool whip..  It was a very cute and upbeat night. Thanks for your ideas, its great to have this venue to get these wonderful helpful hints. Darla,  in Henderson NV

CHARM NECKLACE: -  A ward in our stake had a wonderful idea last year.  They created a necklace for each girl adding a charm or pendant  for each value during the year.   You would need to go to a bead store and find a pendant that could be tied into the value.  For example, our ward used the idea of sunflowers at New Beginnings. The sunflower's blossom follows the light of the sun each day starting in the east and ending in the west.  The girls should also follow the light of our Savior.  I found a darling sunflower charm which we are giving the girls as a reminder to "follow the light".

1999 THEME INTRODUCTION: -  We used the following script (CLICK HERE  to get script)  to introduce the new YW theme.  After the script, we made the candles.  The candle activity is detailed after the script.  We all had a wonderful time and the girls really enjoyed making the candles.
Brenda Brown, Iron Springs Ward, Prescott, AZ

SPECIAL FLOWER THEME: -  Here's an idea we did or I should say borrowed for New Beginnings.   A few weeks before NB write the parents of the girls a letter include a 3/5 card and ask the parents to buy a silk flower that reminds them of their daughter, then ask them to write why it does on the card.  Explain this will be read in the New Beginnings program, and the card will be given to the girls, so if they'd like to make the card a little nicer with ribbon or whatever they may do that. We then got everything from the parents before the program.  This helps, especially if some parents only write a line or two, or 2-3 pages.  You can kinda help them lengthen it or shorten it.  We did this in the chapel and decorated it with flowers and greenery really nice.  Have a vase large enough to fit all the flowers of how many girls you have.  One of the leaders would call the name of a girl, she and her parents came up to the stand.  The leader read the card and gave the flower to the parent to present it to their daughters. ( You could also have the parents read it.) The leader gave the card to the girl and told her to give the flower to another leader who put it in the vase.  We had them come up on one side of the podium and go down the other side.  It was really neat the things the parents wrote about their girls.  Many tears were shed.  We had a song called  "Blossoms are beautiful"  and a talk on How each girl blooms in her own way, and is different but beautiful like each flower.   We kept the refreshments and handouts all in line with flowers.     Even though the flowers are all different, have someone who knows what they're doing, arrange them and it's amazing how great they will look together.  We then brought this out on Sundays on the kick-off lesson. The girls were able to see their flower and remember what their parents said about them.  Sue Roquemore, San Antonio, Texas

FEED MY SHEEP: -  Our theme for new beginnings is "Feed my Sheep"  We want the girls to spend more time with each other and those that are not as active.  We plan on using this theme all year long and there are lots of possibilities with this.  I am having a local artist draw a picture of Christ hugging or lovingly holding a young woman.  A girl young woman age.  I plan on giving each girl one of those and tell them about how much Christ loves them and loves the other girls as much.  We are also using the idea of the Laurels having a dinner for the new Behives and telling them what it was like being a beehive then and how much Young Womens means to them.
Christine Clark

SKIT AVAILABLE: -  -  I have a skit I wrote for New Beginnings.  The topics hit on are Personal Progress, Modesty and Music.  It's called "The mystery of the missing Personal Progress Book  (CLICK HERE to get script)."
Sue Roquemore, San Antonio, Texas

SPECIAL PHOTO PICTURES: -  For our upcoming New Beginnings, we're going to give the girls a special gift.  Last month, we
invites all the young women to a makeup/grooming activity.  As the activity progressed, each girl was invited outside to stand next to a cute lattice deck.  Our photographer took black and white pictures of each girl.  (These pictures must be taken on an overcast day.)  We are having these pictures developed into 4x6 prints (MUST HAVE MATTE FINISH, NOT GLOSSY).  Next, with purchased photo paints, we will paint parts of each picture so they look like those cute nostalgic pictures on many cards and posters today.  (i.e. lightly painting the hair and jeans of a girl, or highlighting the flowers in the back and painting her dress.)Each girl will be presented with the photo at New Beginnings.  This is very easy painting and mistakes are easily corrected.  The instructions come with the paints.

SPORTS/TEAMWORK THEME: -  For our New Beginnings we invited all the Young Women's Families. We used an  idea of  a Kick off and Tailgate Party. We had our Opening and then did a skit with the Young Women on teamwork. Using their playbook (personal progress manual) and values as the team work presentation. Then we introduced the rookies (New Beehives) and then introduced the Team Captains (Class Presidencies) We had a talk on the Theme and Teamwork as Families. The speaker built a banana split as she talked about family team work. The girls sang "Families Can Be Together Forever". Our Bishop is a high school basketball coach. He gave the families a pep talk. At the conclusion of his talk he had the girls form a tight circle with one arm extended up and towards the mddle and they had to chant three times.."Families are Important!" We then had the families create their own Family Faight Songs (using the melodies from the Hymn Book or Primary Song Book) and make their Family Team Flags. The evening ended with the Closing Hymn "Love At Home" and eating banana splits.