Presenting Youthlinc's 2012 Team All Stars-- 6 extraordinary students

 Youthlinc's 2012 Team All Star Students

This year, Youthlinc had each team select one participant on the team that went above and beyond in their local and international service, exemplified strong leadership abilities and a future of humanitarianism.  We are proud to announce our six fantastic All Star students, and feel inspired by their passion to serving others.

Rebekah Meads; Cambodia Team

People ask me why I do service, and more often than not, I find it rather difficult to give them a good answer. My most honest answer to that question, if not understood properly could be taken in the wrong way, or even selfishly. I serve because of how it makes me feel. There is no better feeling in the world than when I am performing meaningful service. When I am serving I can't help but radiate pure joy! Seeing the gratitude and happiness my service brings to people is the most gratifying experience I could ever imagine. After my trip to Cambodia I told my mom that, "I've never felt so full as I did while I was serving alongside the Cambodians." I feel like any difference I might make by serving is insignificant in comparison to the impact that it has on me. Through serving I have learned more about life, love, gratitude, and myself than through any other experiences I've had. The chance to literally see the impact and difference you make on someone’s life will change your own life and perspective forever. It has mine. 

Ryan Davis; 
Guatemala Service Team

Service is the key to happiness.  I love serving because it gives me a chance to forget about myself for a time and try to uplift someone else.  I have come to crave the feeling that such service brings.  Service can be challenging, but it is never a wasted effort.  Service often goes far beyond impacting only those that were served.  Service by an individual gives that individual an opportunity to grow, and, on occasion, when the individual is seen by others the desire to help others can be passed on and can spread exponentially.  Everyone can serve, because oftentimes it is the little things that make the biggest difference.  When you next have a chance to serve make sure you take full advantage and give it your all.  When you do, you will find that the happiness and satisfaction that you receive outweighs any amount of effort on your part.

Alyssa Alley; 
Thailand Service Team

“In the end, though, maybe we must all give up trying to pay back the people in this world who sustain our lives. In the end, maybe it's wiser to surrender before the miraculous scope of human generosity and to just keep saying thank you, forever and sincerely, for as long as we have voices.” (Elizabeth Gilbert)

I do not live in a third world country; I do not starve or walk around homeless. I have plenty to eat, and I have a home. Service is simply a way to say thank you. I owe it to everyone around me, everyone I come in contact with. It is my duty to give back in any way I can. I owe it to my friends, my family, to humankind, and to my God. I love service. I love what it does to people; I love how it can bring together two people from different lifestyles and situations. I do it because I love it.

Avenlea Findlay; 
Kenya Service Team

Two years ago I had a friend ask me why I spent so much of my time volunteering. As I thought about it for a minute, I couldn’t really put an answer into words.  But then a quote by Mahatma Gandhi came into my mind. It states, “As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world…. as in being able to remake ourselves.”  This quote, to me, means so much more than the words express. In being human, we have the option to serve others in order to change ourselves, which in turn can change the world. 

Throughout different service experiences I have had, I have learned that the more time I spend and the more effort I put into service, the more I am taught. During the small amount of time I was in Kenya, the people there taught me so much about life through their amazing attitudes and their selfless actions. I feel that I am involved in service because I believe that people have so much to offer one another, and as you have opportunities, and the willingness to serve others, the people you serve will serve you in return.

Jessie Du Pre; 

Friends & Family Team

Service makes me happy.  Serving others became my calling when I truly realized how capable, blessed, and unfulfilled I really was.  Being a support or a friend for someone in need makes me feel worthwhile.  I feel indescribable joy when I connect with others and when I am able to do something for someone I just feel like I am giving back to a world that has given so much to me.  Youthlinc gave me a passion for local service as I spent a lot of time with kids at the Family Support and Treatment Center; there I met a lot of friends that had been exposed to the atrocities of this world.  I've learned that unfortunate circumstances befall some of the best people, and people that could use some help.  Through serving others and just being a friend to those in need I now know that little acts of service, kindness, and generosity better the world little by little.  I feel the power that comes with being an individual and through serving I know that I alone have immense potential to create positive change.   

  

Jessica Bergeman; 

Peru Service Team

I made a bucket list when I was 12 years old. On this bucket list I wrote, "To help a million people". I have never felt so inspired after serving others. It's amazing to see how things are before helping and to see what changes one person can do for others. No matter how tired or sick I feel, it's extremely rewarding afterwards.