St. Clair Shores — Life in middle school isn’t easy.

Balancing a daily schedule between school, family, friends, sports and extracurricular activities, it’s hard enough to find time for yourself — let alone God.

That’s why the Archdiocese of Detroit’s Catholic Youth Organization puts on WIND (which stands for “Walk In New Directions”), a one-day retreat for middle school students to spend the day with fellow Catholics in praise and worship, discussing God and other topics with their peers.

“WIND shows the youth of the archdiocese that faith is something to share,” said Eric Ruszala, director of religious education at Our Lady of Hope Parish and St. Germaine School in St. Clair Shores. “It shows them there are peers who share in their faith, and people who want to spend time with the Lord.”

Around 295 youths gathered Nov. 7 at St. Germaine School for the conference, which featured a praise and worship jam session, workshops about various topics regarding faith and music and a presentation from featured speaker Jackie Francois.

“WIND is a great opportunity for middle school students to come together to share in their faith and learn about God,” said Morgan Jacob, a student at St. Germaine and third-time participant at WIND, who volunteered for the retreat this year. “It’s just great to show young people we’re a community.”

The retreat features students from around the archdiocese, offering young members of the Church to see other Catholics from different regions of the archdiocese.

“This is a great chance for people to learn more about their faith and to be with more people in your faith group,” said Julie Colpaert, a retreat volunteer and student at St. Germaine School. “I went last year as a seventh grader, and it was a fantastic way to learn more about my faith. It’s always good to take the time out of a school or church setting and spend time talking about God.”

In addition to designating a Saturday to talk about God in an inviting setting, WIND allows students a chance to see the greater reach of the Catholic Church and how it relates to young people who are beginning to learn more about their faith.

“A lot of religious education directors use WIND as a confirmation retreat,” said Margie Howell, director of youth leadership development for CYO. “We want them to be able to get a glimpse of God, to get a hold of the bigger Church, helping them grow in their faith.”

Most middle school students might seem like their lives are split between living in the here and now while looking forward to high school, but Ruszala said the day retreat allows young adults to unplug, relax and focus on their relationship with God.