Pathfinders (Seventh-day Adventist)

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This article is about the Seventh-day Adventist youth organisation. For other uses, see Pathfinder.

Pathfinders is a community service oriented youth organization of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, open to all children from ten to sixteen years and upwards. It was founded in 1907. The first camp was held in Town Line Lake, Michigan USA in 1926. Activities include community service, camping, crafts, classwork, marching, and leadership training. Staff to student ratio is said to be about 1:5, which the organization stresses as an important learning benefit for participants.

The first Division camporee was the Far East Divsion Camporee in 1984 in Phuket, Thailand; This was followed by the North American Division's first International and Division Camporee at Camp Hale Colorado in 1985.^{[citation needed]} In 2004, the Pathfinders Faith on Fire International Camporee in Oshkosh, Wisconsin had more than 30,000 participants.

There are 6 standard ranks (known as "Class Levels") a Pathfinder can hold, each of which is awarded upon the completion of specific classwork requirements. The ranks are Friend, Companion, Explorer, Ranger, Voyager, and Guide. These levels are designed to be completed in one year each, but need not be awarded sequentially.

After the student has finished the Guide level, they can decide whether or not they wish to continue on to the Master Guide program. The Master Guide program is more independent, requires more effort and self interest than the other levels, and its requirements focus on witnessing and leadership more than individual skills. This class was designed to train youth leaders in the basic skills of youth ministry and leadership.

Meetings are held throughout the whole year and each pathfinder must attend a minimum of 75% of all meetings. Camps are also held throughout the year such as waterskiing camps, hiking, kayaking and beach camps.

Every so often a camporee is held which is a whole area such as North America or South Pacific come together and enjoy fellowship and do activities together.