From left to right: Executive board members Aidan Favarolo, Avery Smead, Laurel Dick, Brooke McCallister, Maddie Llamas and Jack Llamas gather after the first executive board meeting for The Vine on August 18, 2025. Members discussed future plans for The Vine during the meeting. Photo used with permission by Brooke McCallister.

Three friends, a table at a frozen yogurt shop and a simple conversation — that’s all it took for a spark to turn into a flame. What started out as a small idea over frozen yogurt soon turned into a greater movement: The Vine, a student-led bible study organization.

The Vine, created by Virginia Beach City Public School seniors Avery Smead, Alicia Han and Brooke McCallister, is an organization that aims to connect students through faith by hosting monthly bible studies. 

“I met Brooke and Alicia at a youth group in July, and I felt led to share an idea that had been on my heart for a while: the vision to start an organization where students from all over the city could come together around God’s Word and be empowered to share the gospel with their peers at school,” Avery said.

The Vine takes inspiration from the bible verse John 15:1-4 NIV, which states, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the words I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you.”

“We wanted to create an environment for youth to learn about God and the gospel on a citywide level, interacting with people they may not normally see or get the chance to talk to,” Alicia said.

In order to foster a greater sense of diversity and inclusion, The Vine is made up of an executive board of students from schools all across the district.

“Avery, Alicia, and I make up the officers representing Ocean Lakes and Kellam High School. Besides that, we have nine executive board members from schools all across Virginia Beach,” Brooke said. 

The Vine plans to host monthly meetings in public spaces all across the city and invites all students to join. The first meeting will be held Sept. 6, 2025, at Red Wing Park

“The Vine exists to unify students who are on mission for Christ — to bring believers together and reach more people with the light, love, and healing power of Jesus, which is better than anything we could ever ask for or imagine,” Avery said.