Teen Talent to be Held at Lee University in 2011
Teen Talent, a nationwide youth talent competition sponsored by the Church of God International Department of Youth and Christian Education, has been moved from July 2010 during the International General Assembly to the summer of 2011 at Lee University. The decision was recently approved by the International Executive Council as part of an overall re-structuring of the General Assembly.
Since its inception, Teen Talent has been conducted simultaneously every two years with the Church of God International General Assembly. The Assembly serves as the primary convention for conducting business of the denomination. Doctrine and polity decisions, as well as election of church officials, takes place at the event which is held in a large city every two years. The 2010 General Assembly is scheduled for July 27-30, in Orlando, Florida. The recently announced date change from July 26-31 is also part of the re-structuring plan.
The new location for Teen Talent competition will be at Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee.
“Teen Talent has been conducted in the same venue every Assembly, but the time has come for it to stand at a place and date all its own,” stated Scot Carter, director of the General Assembly cabinet, a group which plans logistics of the Assembly. “The change to this venue will be much more conducive to the dynamics of Teen Talent competition, including practice venues, performances, and location. In addition lodging will be much less expensive than in hotels in big cities. There have been many cases in the past when groups have had to stay many miles outside the city to find hotel space to fit a budget. Lee University has excellent accommodations and they host thousands at summer camps and retreats each year where they have earned a reputation for excellence. And finally, moving to Lee University gives the flexibility in scheduling Teen Talent earlier in the summer. There have been past Assemblies which have conflicted with the earlier back-to-school dates in many states.”
Dates for Teen Talent 2011 will be announced later this year.
Tom Madden, international director of Youth and Christian Education stated, “The operational aspect of Teen Talent will not change at all. Moving the venue to Lee University will give us more flexibility in programming extras as well as helping to reduce travel costs for most participants. We look forward to conducting Teen Talent on the campus of Lee University. It will give students and parents an opportunity to see and experience ‘our’ university first hand – an opportunity they might not otherwise have had. This is a positive move for everyone.”
According to Madden, due to the fact that Teen Talent will not be held in 2010 a one-time age exemption will be extended to those who are turning 20 and would miss their final year of competition. The statement reads: “A Teen Talent participant who becomes age 21 before the international competition is completed (Teen Talent Awards Festival) is not eligible to participate in any Teen Talent competition on the regional, state, or international levels.”
