Weekly Student Updates

This week I had a unique service opportunity. There is a kid who lives by me who ran for Junior Class Officer for next year, but didn’t make it. He also was planning on trying out for the Musical Productions class as well. So, I took him a treat and a drink to say sorry about his loss and then I spent the next couple of days helping him get his audition ready for Productions. I helped him find a song to sing and a monologue too which he then quickly prepared for his audition in the next day. The list of who made it was posted on Saturday and he made it! I was so happy for him! And I know he was happy too, especially since he hadn’t made office. I think I was more excited than he was though because I know it will be a good thing for him so I was so glad I could help him get ready for it.

-Aubrey Taylor

Welcome 2010 Mexico Students!

The General Orientation meeting is coming up in just a few days, and I couldn’t be more excited to embark on a new year of service, learning, friendship, and fun! The Mexico team will be going to a brand new site this year: Bautista Grande. This small mountainous village is located in Chiapas, the southernmost state in Mexico, which borders Guatemala.

I want to welcome all the members of the Mexico 2010 team to the program. I can’t wait to get to know all of you as we work together to plan projects to implement in Mexico and participate in community service throughout the year. We have a ton of hard work ahead of us, but I can assure you that it will all be worth it – this will be a truly life-changing year!

Thank you all for your dedication to humanitarian service! You are such amazing examples to me and and I look forward to serving with you this year.

Merrit Denison
Mexico Team Alum Leader

Welcome Students: Kenya 2010

Welcome 2010 Kenya Team!

Let me first start off by congratulating you all on your acceptance into this amazing program. Your achievements and dedication to service in your community have proved you all to be outstanding candidates for an equally outstanding program.

I look very forward to meeting you all individually and getting to know you on a personal level; I can assure you all that on this trip, you will establish some of the most profound and unforgettable friendships of your life. Sharing an experience like this with motivated people like you that care about making the world a better place warrants for a truly life-changing experience, in one of the most beautiful places in the world.

Thank you for all that you do. Get excited, and let the countdown begin – only 7 more months that will fly right by!

Lauren Beheshti
2010 Kenya team Alum Leader

Welcome Thailand 2010 Students!

Dont forget out General Orientation Meeting is November 14!

Here’s a messege from the alum leader for Thailand 2010 to get you guys pumped up!

Welcome Thailand 2009-2010 Team!

I am really looking forward to meeting all of you at the general orientation and then getting to know you as we serve together. We have some great projects in mind and are looking forward to your contributions. Myself and Sarah and Matt (our team leaders) are here to help you be successful. Please let us know any way we can help as we work with each other throughout the year.

Best!

Peter Frost

Thailand Alum Leader

Welcome Messege For Peru 2010 Team

Hey Peru 2010 students! Here’s a messege from you’re Team Leader:

Hey Peru team. I am excited to be your team leader this year. This year will require a lot of time and dedication, but it will all be worth it once we are in country. I cannot wait to meet each and everyone of you.

Stephen
Peru Team Leader

Kenya

Britnie Powell has been involved with YouthLINC since the beginning. She was on the pilot expedition to Kenya in 2000. Since then Britnie has been committed to continuing service both locally and globally. She has returned to Kenya several times doing humanitarian work, traveled to Peru with YouthLINC, taught English in China, participated in a CHOICE expedition to Guatemala, and lead the YouthLINC Thailand team for the past two years.

The work Britnie has done in other countries inspired her to become a teacher. She now has a Masters Degree in education and is currently teaching 6th grade at the Salt Lake Center for Science Education. At school she received a grant to have a Service Learning Club in which the students do a range of service activities: supporting a local care center for the elderly, environmental projects, organic gardening, helping the humane society, and they have even helped YouthLINC put together hygiene kits!

Locally, Britnie has been involved with the Boys and Girls Club, volunteered at Cottonwood Hospital, the Battered Woman’s Shelter, has tutored ESL students, made meals for the homeless, and has been a Sub-4-Santa for many years.

At home, she has two pet tarantulas, two pythons, a tree frog, and a handful of other creepy creatures. She is stoked to be returning to Kenya as the team leader this year!

Mexico

This is Paul’s first year with YouthLINC. He was recruited by Judy Zone through Rotary. Paul is a member of the Rotary Club of Logan, Utah. He has been to Agua Prieta, Mexico, numerous times on service projects with the Interact Club of Logan High School which, is a Rotary sponsored service club. Paul has also taken Rotarians to Agua Prieta several times to do construction projects. He works closely with “Wings of Angels” foundation whose prime objective is to provide medical care and housing for the poor in Agua Prieta.

Paul received a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from California State University, Dominguez Hills way back in 1975. He served with the Los Angeles Police Department from 1973 and retired in 1999. Most of those years were spent in the violent, gang infested, low income, areas of Los Angeles. It was there that he understood the need for support organizations to help keep the kids out of trouble and help build self-esteem.

In December of 2003, Paul, along with his wife and two of his four daughters moved to Providence, Utah. Retirement isn’t what he thought it would be. He serves in a leadership role in his ward within the LDS Church. He just completed two years as the Rotary Club Secretary. He is serving a Senior Service Mission at the Family History Center in Logan. In addition, he substitute teaches, part time instructs at the Bridgerland Technical College, Police Academy and he operates a Police Practices consulting/expert witness business out of his home. “Going and doing service projects is my way of relaxing. I am really excited about going to Mexico.”

Peru

Val began his YouthLINC experience with the Kenya Alum trip in May 2008 and also had the opportunity to participate in the July 2009 Peru Trip as MicroEnterpise mentor. On both trips he was accompanied by his wife, Diane who is a RN at McKay Dee Hospital. He is currently the Secretary-Treasurer of the Kaysville Rotary Club and had the opportunity to write the Grant Application for next years Rotary involvement in Palmeras Peru for the host rotary Club (Kaysville).

Val has always wanted to get involved in International Humanitarian Service and his experiences with Rotary and YouthLINC the last two years have been amazing. “The mission and program of YouthLINC are so compatable with my goals to see lifetime humanitarians of the rising generations while being able to do good internationally. The experiences in Africa and South America have had significant and life changing impacts on our lives.”

Val lives in South Weber where he previously served 3 terms on the City Council, is involved in community and church service. He served an LDS mission in Northern Argentina in 1972-4 and speaks “forgotten Spanish” but it started to come back after 2 weeks on the Amazon. By day he is employed as the Executive Vice President and CFO of Prime Alliance Bank and on the week-ends he enjoys ATVs, hiking slot canyons, kayaking, volleyball, and traveling. One special interest is exploring the Mayan ruins in Mexico, Honduras, and Guatamala which he had been able to do multiple times in the last decade or so.

He is looking forward to returning to Peru and being involved in the great things being done there, seeing friends there and be part of a new team of future YouthLINC Alums.

Stephen has been involved with YouthLINC for the last 2 years. He began his experience as a student, and then spent the next year as the alumni leader for the Peru team. Before YouthLINC, Stephen was the scholar for the Ronald McDonald House of Charities. His duties as the scholar were to volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House and assist with World Children’s Day. For World Children’s Day, Stephen was able to assist a McDonald’s branch in raising money for children in need all over the world. He consistently volunteered at the Ronald McDonald which housed families for little or no cost, while a family member was in the hospital. This experience allowed Stephen to see the power of caring and assisting others in need. Stephen has also been active in volunteering with Camp Hobe. At Camp Hobe Day Camp, he helps with fun-filled activities for the kids who are undergoing cancer treatments at various hospitals all around Utah.“For me, seeing the strength of the kids going through chemotherapy akes me feel that I can be as strong as they are. They inspired me to continue to help those in need and that was when I found YouthLINC.”

Stephen’s love and desire to serve others has driven him to pursue a career in medicine. He is currently undergoing the application process for medical schools and keeping and hopes to attend medical school in the fall of 2010.

Stephen enjoys playing basketball, tennis and golf. He also likes to read lots of books and watch lots of movies. He is excited to be serving as Team Leader this year for the Peru team and says he feels honored to be chosen. Stephen looks forward to working with Utah’s Young Humanitarian on this amazing journey.

Thailand

Driven by a desire to be an example of service to her two children, Sarah applies her tremendous energy to create positive change wherever possible. As a first grade teacher for the Utah School for the Deaf and Blind (USDB) she enjoys the opportunity of assisting deaf children with their speech and hearing ability on a daily basis. While finishing up her bachelor’s degree in special education at the University of Utah Sarah heard of YouthLinc and jumped at the opportunity of going to Kenya to work at the Kaaga School for the Deaf in 2007. Also recently Sarah has volunteered at the Holladay Rehabilitation Center, provided respite for parents of children with disabilities in Salt Lake County and prepared preschool-aged deaf children for the oral program at USDB.

As the Team Leader for the 2010 Thailand Program, Sarah is eager for the opportunity of service amongst people that still bear the scars of the 2004 Tsunami. Also, with her husband Matt, she looks forward to the experience of creating life-time humanitarians of the participants, families and friends that are involved in the program, especially by being an example to her own children.

Chiapas Alum Trip Fundraising Efforts

I am in the process of raising funds from both my Rotary Club in Richfield and my Company. My goal is to raise about $3000 between the two place to be used to buy shoes for the children. I am excited about participating on this expedition and the difference we can make in the lives of our brothers and sisters in this part of the world.

-Jay Bosshardt

NEW YouthLINC partnership

YouthLINC is proud to announce our partnership with East High School in Salt Lake City! The mission of the International Leadership School at East High School is to prepare students to lead and serve in a global community. The four-year program includes rigorous college preparation courses, at least three years of a world language, regular participation in cross-cultural activities, and consistent community service leading to an international service experience. YouthLINC will serve as a capstone experience for ILS!