Young Life to Partner with Hargrave Chapel Program

Pittsylvania County Young Life and Hargrave Military Academy are proud to announce their partnership in a new ministry opportunity for the Hargrave Corps of Cadets. Young Life is a Christian outreach program for high school students with a foundation in building relationships with students and earning the right to be heard. Young Life is currently in all 50 states and over 109 countries worldwide. Young Life is an incarnational ministry focused on volunteer leaders building authentic relationships with students. The volunteer leaders will come from within the academy’s faculty and staff.   These relationships look like conversations at the lunch tables, games, or in the barracks.  It’s adults genuinely caring about what is said. Cadets will also have the opportunity to visit Young Life’s camps this fall and possibly this summer.

Ben Paris is the Area Director for Pittsylvania County Young Life. He will be partnering with Michael Washington, Hargrave’s Chaplain, to bring a different approach to spreading God’s word and growing God’s Kingdom.  Ben was called to this ministry while teaching at Hargrave. Before joining the Young Life staff, Ben spent a total of 13 years at Hargrave Military Academy in roles including teacher, department head, football and baseball head coach, and athletic director. Chaplain Michael Washington also has deep roots at Hargrave, previously serving as a TAC Officer before taking on the role of Chaplain. Michael was on Young Life staff for over eight years in South Dallas as an Area Director and spent more than two decades in ministry. Michael has a passion for impacting the lives of young men and believes that the partnership with Young Life will create tremendous opportunities for the spiritual development of Hargrave cadets. 

Regarding the partnership with Hargrave, Ben Paris had this to say, “Partnering with Michael and Hargrave is like a homecoming party for me. I spent 13 years teaching at Hargrave and another eight at Fork Union Military Academy, so I know the in’s and out’s of military boarding schools. I’m extremely excited to bring Young Life to Hargrave and can’t wait to see what the Lord has in store for the cadets.”