Young Humanitarian Award Finalists 2010

EEvery year Youthlinc searches Utah for its top Young Humanitarian. This year we has 82 applicants from all over the state and there were 13 finalists who will be interviewed by a panel of Judges at Westminster Campus. We would like to THANK our amazing Judges!  

Rep. Rebecca Chavez-Houck:  District 24 - Utah House of Representatives

Domoina Voniarisoa: Project Coordinator Hser Ner Moo Community & Welcome Center

Myra Renwick: GE Government Affairs Officer

Heidi Prokop: VP/ Public Relations Manager, Zions Bank

Robert A. Shaw:  Dean, School of Education, Westminster College

Axel Ramirez: Associate Professor-UVU

Gerry Smith: Youthlinc Board Chair

Linda Mayne: USOE Service Learning Specialist

Mike Patch: PhD, UVU Professor

Betsy Ward: Executive Director:  Utah Campus Compact.

All of these amazing people are helping us find the best of the best, Utah's Finest Young Humanitarian 2010. All of the applications were so amazing it was very difficult to narrow it down.

Thanks to our Application Judges:

David Bjorkman
Martin Fox
Donna Dewey
Karen Roylance
Doug Wixom
Joni Glynn
Wendy Hanson
James Young
Daela Taeoalii-Higgs
Michelle Gould
Anna Garcia
Kim Smart
Jay Bosshardt
Mike Patch
Emily Ewarda
Linda Ewarda
Erin Wright 

who worked very hard ranking and reviewing all 82 applications but here are are our top 13 applicants and what they would like to leave you with!

Hunter Schone 

Service is a passing smile to a random stranger. Service is holding the door for an old lady with groceries. Service is being a friend to someone in need. Service is the tired eyes after a long day of selfless work, when you look in the mirror and you are proud of what you see. I guess what I'm trying to say is helping others gives me that confidence, that joy, that longing feeling that no matter what happens everything will be all right.
-Hunter Schone

Ruth Arevalo

I am hungry for knowledge, determination, and passion in this life. Without my service I would be the incomplete of the incomplete. More often than not, I am the one receiving life changing service regardless that I am trying to give someone else the same. I eat, sleep and live this life of opportunity. -Ruth Arevalo

 Steven Espinoza

"Serving becomes a part of one's identity where there is a constant sense of duty to help improve the lives of others. A humanitarian lives with a sense of compassion, which compels them to truly make a difference and lift others by helping them develop self-sufficiency, and inspiring them to continue the cycle of service. While serving, I prefer to focus on the person being served; the need and the desire to make a change, rather than what I might get out of it. In all of this I believe that as we look for and find the best in others; they will do something to also make the world a better place in which to live." 

Jerika Megan Michel

" Be the change you wish to see in the world."      Mahatma Gahdhi                  Ryan Price       "I will always serve to make a positive impact in the community.  Service has become an intimate part of myself and my life, and continues to change me in ways I never expected." -Ryan Price     Amberly Vincent       "I would consider myself a humanitarian because I not only volunteer my time on a regular basis, but I would rather serve then do anything else in the world! I’m committed to bettering the lives of people; and not only those who are needy, but also my friends and my family. I think it’s important that we, especially teenagers, regularly give our time and energy to reach out to those who feel hopeless. It’s important to let the homeless, the crippled, and the broken know that you care. "   - Amberly Vincent      Jared Smith       Service helps me forget my own problems and focus on others. Service has changed my life because I have seen others less fortunate than me and I have realized how blessed I am.  - Jared Smith      Ashleigh O'Connor      "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." -Mohandas Gandhi     Carlin Miner     I am a big believer of cutting out the excess, and developing ourselves further. I find that the most powerful medium for this is service. The door of discovering who we are is wide open for us when we get rid of all the distractions in life such as our phones, iPods, TV, Internet, make-up etc. and we put ourselves out there to help others. The act of service by itself is not important. What is important is that one or more persons are connecting in a time of love and gratitude. One person sees a need that another has, they love them, and then seek out a way that they may be able to easy the others sufferings. When we realize how powerful and sacred life is, and we then want to do something to make the life of another easier, that is a marvelous time to be a human on this crazy world of ours.  -Carlin Miner  Brian Johnson     I just recognize that those who have helped me out the most in my life are those who have empowered me to help myself. I love being able to do the same for others by providing opportunities, training, and education. If you want some sort of short slogan or something instead, then you can just sum it up with: Empowering the powerless by helping others help themselves through opportunities, education, and training. - Brian Johnson  Hanne Paine    R. Colton Bramwell   Kajsa Vlasic   Best of Luck to all these amazing Students! Utah is full of amazing Youth who are striving to make our world a better place!