The YL Version of Flat Stanley

March 17, 2013

Here’s a fun idea to help build momentum.

Instagram-O-Rama

At club this week announce a contest asking students to “create a cartoon character we can mass produce.” 

Give them a week to get the sketch to a leader, and then vote on the best one at the following club. If you want an example, do a Google Image search for “Flat Stanley.” You could also have them attempt to draw one of your run-on skit characters to use as your YL version ‘flat stanley.’

Pick the best one and make copies to pass out. Give the students 12 weeks (we are taking two weeks off of Club for Spring Break) and have them take fun pictures WITH or OF the character wherever they go (or stay) during Spring Break.

Then, tell them to post the pictures on Instagram (tagging @your area or using #ylareaname) or on your Young Life area’s Facebook page.

We are specifically using this idea over Spring Break as it will allow us to keep up with where students are going / what they are doing over break.  Also, for those students who stay home during break, it allows us contact work opportunities (“Hey, let’s go find a place to take pictures for this”).


This is also a great way to promote your Young Life area’s Instagram & Facebook pages if you have them.


Finally, you can make this a competition to win a camp scholarship. Ex: the top 3 pictures, as chosen at the first Club back from Spring Break, will win a certain amount toward camp this summer.

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