In the late 1100’s, a French proverb began to circulate stating, “Rome wasn’t built in a day”, which was to say important work takes time. Mill Creek serves as the modern day “Rome” of high schools in the south, boasting the largest student population in the state of Georgia with almost 4,000 students. When NG3 Director Michael Holderfield first began working with the Mill Creek football team in the Fall of 2015, he knew it would take time to weave NG3 into the fabric of such a huge community. Fast-forward one year, and what was once a fuzzy, dream-like picture is beginning to come into focus.
The goal of NG3 is to create meaningful relationships with students in order to be a positive influence and engage the students in community service. This takes time, effort, and people. The expectation for any NG3 Director is not to be able to reach every student on campus by his or herself, but to find, empower, and lead willing volunteers in the community who want to make a difference. It’s the principle of multiplication rather than addition. Instead of adding more students to a single group led by one person, called a huddle, the NG3 Director finds more volunteers willing to lead more huddles. In NG3 terminology, this is known as 1+1+1=36, or spelled out, by training and guiding three leaders, you’ve multiplied your efforts threefold. The involvement of the community doesn’t stop with just huddle leaders. Many families engage by hosting, financially supporting, coordinating or participating in community service projects with huddle groups, or availing themselves as assets in the community.
After one year of putting down roots in the Mill Creek community, NG3 is preparing to blossom on campus. This Fall, there will be at least two huddle groups for varsity football players meeting off campus, with over nine families involved in leading and hosting. In concert with long-term Mill Creek affiliate, Chris Tarver, NG3 will aid in a student-led chapel time for the football team every Thursday. Arguably the most exciting news, two moms from the community, Dionitia Cornell and Camille Larkin, will begin leading huddle groups for girls on the 9th grade cheerleading team, with three other families hosting the groups. NG3 recognizes that not just male student athletes need positive mentors and role models in their life, and with the addition of these two huddles, female student athletes now have access to much-needed involvement and leadership. A student leadership team has been created with the objective of getting more students engaged with philanthropic and developmental endeavors. The impact being made in the school is not going unnoticed by members of the community. Businesses like Splat! Cakes ’n Such, Voyles Overhead Doors, and Amy Kathryn Photography, churches like The Vine and families in the area like the Adairs, Phillips, Wrobles, and more are getting involved with NG3 in order to spread and deepen the positive impact. It is amazing how much has taken place in one year at just one school with NG3! The adage of Rome wasn’t built in a day rings true with the hope of huge opportunity for even more progress to come from year two.
As the school year arrives, NG3 will serve in six schools in Gwinnett County, and for the first time, NG3 will serve in Walton County. More lessons on the value of strong character will be taught, more opportunities for spiritual growth will be offered, and most importantly, more lives will be changed. In order to reach all the young men and women who desperately need someone speaking truth into their life, your involvement is vital! Please contact NG3 at info@ng3.org to find a form of involvement that fits you.
Interested in finding out more about what NG3 is doing to make a difference in the Next Generation or how you can help? Go to www.ng3.org. NG3 is a non-profit 501(c)3 independently funded by donors like you!!
NG3
P.O. Box 1429
Snellville, GA 30078
www.ng3.org
NG3 stands for Next Generation: Character Community Change. Their goal is to develop men and women of character to create a positive change in our communities. NG3 works directly with student athletes in high schools, teaching and practicing the importance of strong core values like responsibility, humility, integrity and honesty. The staff of NG3 works along side the coaches providing a constant presence of reliability and service.
