I came to know Jesus when I was 15 years old," said Keith Cullen, the new director of student ministries at RAISE28 (formerly Rainbow's End Youth Services). "Introducing young people to the good news of Jesus is just me sharing what has been shared with me."

Cullen assumed the role in late January, but he was already very familiar with the youth center and its mission, having served on the board for the previous two years.

He grew up in Romulus, Mich., and attended Moody Bible Institute in Spokane, Wash. For five years prior to his new position, he served as a youth pastor in Mount Joy.

His diverse background also includes working for Jon Brandt Landscaping and Excavating in Elizabethtown and for WellSpan in mental health and applied behavior analysis services.

When the director of student ministries opportunity arose at RAISE28, Cullen was eager to step in.

"Being a board member for two years prior has given me more of a bird's-eye view," he said. "When the opportunity came, I sensed it to be the right move and all in God's timing."

In his new position, he wants to absorb as much information as possible and form strong partnerships, he said.

"My goal is to learn all that I can about our ministry to best serve our community," he explained. "My aim is to collaborate with students, parents, volunteers and community leaders to discover how to best fulfill our mission of reaching local youth with the life-changing Gospel of Jesus."

He also wants to highlight and honor the history of RAISE28, which was founded in 1982.

"We have seen many changes in more recent years," he shared. "Some challenges will be how we might incorporate some old ideas in new ways. Though we have much work ahead of us, we have an excellent team of staff and volunteers that share in this ministry - some we may not have met yet!"

Located at 105 Fairview St., Mount Joy, RAISE28 offers after-school programs for youths in kindergarten through 12th grade.

"We enjoy a good amount of games and activities, share a meal together - provided free by our volunteers - and spend time learning from the Bible," Cullen remarked. "Additionally, we host community events throughout the year; offer free programs such as music and karate lessons; and provide academic services and professional development such as tutoring, volunteering and internships."

Cullen moved with his family to Mount Joy in 2020. He enjoys spending time with his wife, Vicki, and their daughters, Charis and Magnolia, ages 4 and 2, respectively.

"A few of our favorite things are going on bike rides, hiking and birding, reading and singing and dancing," he said, sharing that his personal hobbies are varied as well. "I have my hands in a little bit of everything, but I enjoy training in MMA, skateboarding, playing guitar and learning Spanish."

He's optimistic about what the future holds for him at RAISE28, and he's passionate about sharing the organization's services with even more students.

"We're excited for all that God is doing in our community," he said, "and we look forward to serving alongside those who share the heart of our mission."

For more information on RAISE28, visit https://raise28.org.