Spiritual Education, Junior Youth Empowerment in Roland, Story City
By Diane Findlay, based on a conversation with Aubrey Ellig on July 7, 2026, entered September 2026
The left side photos show the junior youth group celebrating after completing a meal packaging session at Meals from the Heartland in West Des Moines. The right side shows both groups cooling off in the river in Roland during a trash pick-up walk on the Praeri Rail Trail.
About five years ago (2021) the Ellig family in Roland, Iowa started a virtues class for six children, including their son Tristan. The group was, and still is, diverse in terms of religious background and family beliefs—a diversity that is acknowledged, respected, and protected in the group and in interaction with their families. They met at the public library or in homes, basing their sessions on Linda Popov’s FAMILY VITRUES GUIDE. Over time, the children’s class evolved into a junior youth group and continued when the Elligs moved to nearby Story City. Meeting weekly through the school year and twice a week in the summer, they build their sessions around the junior youth empowerment Ruhi books, community service, and fun. They have now added a second group for younger children. Aubrey’s mom Tressa Reisetter collaborates with Aubrey in planning and leading these groups.
Community service efforts have included assisting with yard and garden work and picking up trash in areas of the town, coordinating with City government. Going forward, Aubrey and Tressa want to focus on helping the group find a cause or a problem in the community they can embrace and begin to address as a group, to learn about world religions and, in the process, begin to practice skills of consultation and independent investigation of spiritual truth. They plan to involve families more by having the group plan and prepare a meal, which they will serve to a gathering of their families.
It’s obvious from our conversation that one important reason this group has survived and thrived is Aubrey’s infectious enthusiasm and sense of fun!
