Weekly Student Update
I prepared my lesson this week that I might get to teach the kids in Thailand. It should be quite an adventure since they don’t speak English and I don’t speak Thai! I think that the communication barrier will be a little bit frustrating because I want to be able to talk to the people, especially if we are trying to instruct them. If someone got up and started talking to me in a foreign language, I might listen; I might not. They would have to be very entertaining! So hopefully I can do that if I teach my lesson to the kids because I am really excited to share our culture with them and I hope they’ll be just as excited to have it taught to them!
-Aubrey Taylor
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
Weekly Student Update
I love American Idol! And the last few years they’ve dedicated a whole night of the show to a thing called “Idol Gives Back,” where they show previous contestants or famous celebrities who have gone to third world countries to help the people there. They talk about all the help you can give by simply donating a few dollars over the phone. This year, watching the show, I knew that was going to be me over there helping soon! But it is just so fascinating to me that there seem to be so many people who go over to those countries to serve or donate lots of money to help them, but still it’s like there’s always more that can be done. It is so fulfilling to the people who help, but also leaves you wanting to help even more, knowing that there is so much to do. It is so farfetched to me because I know we will greatly affect the people while we are there for two weeks. But the people are so helpless and there will also be so much we can’t do for them. But just think…the little time we are spending there, it may seem long now, but in the big scheme of things it really isn’t that long, and we will be helping so much while we are there. It will be such a big deal to us and to the people we serve, but in reality, we are all just contributing small pieces here and there along with other people all over the world to make a big difference.
–Aubrey Taylor
“Real Life” Mentor Refugee Program
First off, being a part of Real Life SLC has been an amazing and unique experience! Even though this program is still in its developing stage – I know that both parties involved (kids and mentors) have all grown. My favorite activities are when we have field trips. Going to Smith’s Marketplace with the kids was really great and I hope to do something like it again soon. I like activities like that because it urges the kids to practice their English. Also, I really liked going up to Ensign Peak with them and just having a relaxing day looking at the beautiful Salt Lake valley and just hanging out. I love playing tag or simply talking to the kids. 
I have made some great friends in the program and am hoping to only build them stronger with time! I am very thankful to Ellie for getting this program on its feet. I am hoping to come up with a great art lesson for the kids (most of them are already amazing artists!) so that they will have a piece to exhibit in the art show I’m hosting next month! Anyone who wishes to see these kids’ art talents should definitely go! All funds are for YouthLinc too. So, I guess to wrap this up…I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the kids. They have taught me so much and I am looking forward to the many experiences to come.
–Genevieve Bryan
Weekly Student Update
I have a really bad habit of biting my nails…and my parents and sister always say, “Stop biting. That’s not lady like!” or “That’s gross!” or whatever. Well now they’ve got a new terrible thing to say when I’m chewing my nails that really doesn’t have any comeback. Lately they’ve been saying, “You’re going to die in Thailand if you do that.” Yep, and they have a good point! Ugh, I really need to quit that habit because that would be really disgusting with conditions there I think. After I told my sister about the culture meeting and how we shouldn’t point at things in Thailand, she’s gotten a kick out of pointing at me as she says, “You’re gonna get sick and die!” It’s not really that funny when it comes down to it because I really do need to stop biting my nails so I don’t get sick. Maybe this new tactic will motivate me to stop…avoid dying…that’s probably as good as a motivation should be able to get, right?
-Aubrey Taylor
Davis Projects for Peace
Rebecca Burton, an alum of the program and past alum leader and team leader at the Kenya site, has been awarded a Davis Project for Peace grant for $10,000. The funds will be used this summer to supply four schools in Kiamuri with libraries for both teacher and student use. The Davis Projects for Peace is a program allowing students to design grassroots projects that they will implement during the summer of 2010. The objective is to encourage and support today’s motivated youth to create and tryout their own ideas for building peace. By improving the community’s educational resources, this library project will improve access to educational opportunities and ultimately lead to a greater peace that comes through an enhanced perspective of a global society. The YouthLINC Kenya 2010 team will be a key partner in the project’s implementation. Rebecca, who is currently studying international affairs at Columbia University, will guide this project’s design to assure its sustainability. She received the grant through New York City’s International House where she is currently a resident.
Reminders and Events for Kenya 2010
Construction
*reminders to everyone to bring at least one pair of work gloves, close toed shoes and a water bottle.
*To raise money they are putting on an art show (tentative date is May 21st down at Trolley Square). They would love volunteers to contribute art pieces (either to just be displayed or to be sold). They also need volunteers to help advertise, set up and run the art show. Email Genevieve if you are able and didn’t already sign up: genevieve.bryan47@yahoo.com
*To raise money they are selling the plastic “Live Strong” type bracelets that will be designed around a Kenyan theme. If you would like to help sell them, please let Genevieve or Lauren know. illes_lauren@yahoo.com
Cultural/Fun Fair
*They need you to sign up to share your talents in opening and closing ceremonies (singing, dancing, weird noises???) email lauren_beheshti@yahoo.com if you didn’t already sign up and you’ve got something to share!
*For the fun fair they are asking that every student and mentor buy and bring 5 plain white T-shirts of any size. Please plan to just carry those in your personal suitcase.
*For the fun fair they are needing donations of Beanie-Babies. Ask around and see what you are able to round up. You can bring those to the packing meeting.
*For the fun fair they are in need of nail polish. They don’t care if they are used or what color they are, any will do!
Education
*They are collecting supplies for school kits. The list of needed supplies is in your binder.
*You need to have a lesson outline by May and email it to the student overseeing your lessons. A reminder of who your lesson leaders are: Construction Committee- Lisa Moynihan- lisa_moynihan@yahoo.com Medical Committee- Ayrowyn Tanner- ayrowyn_tanner@yahoo.com Micro-enterprise- Madeleine Ballard- maddog@xmission.com Vocational Training- Rebecca Solomon- becbec13@gmail.com Fun Fair/Cultural- Chelsea Allen- chelsea.allen@aggiemail.usu.edu
Medical
*They are in great need of medical supplies (first aid, feminine hygiene kits. Lisa committed to getting together 100 hygiene kits and Lauren committed to gather 100 hygiene kits.
*Need toothbrushes, toothpaste and floss (everyone ask a dentist!)
Micro-enterprise
*They are having a car wash on May 1st from 11-2 and on May 8th from 11-2 at Les Schwab (we’ll send out an address).
*June 12th is the Kenya Cup. It will be held up in Park City. If you know golfers they are looking for people to get signed up. It’s $75.00 per person to sign up and they will golf in teams of 2. They need volunteers to help at the cup and they are also looking for prizes to raffle off such as restaurant gift certificates, gift baskets, or anything else that people would be stoked to get.
Vocational
*They are collecting different baking equipment (spoons, spatulas, pans, bowels, etc… as well as monetary donations.
*They will be doing a bake sale at the art show and possibly also at the Kenya cup.
Weekly Student Update
Well, our trip is getting really close it seems. As I was researching a little bit about the culture in Thailand, I was surprised about some of what I found. It took a long time for women to get better equality rights. There’s also a lot of worry about disease, corruptness, and lack of education in the lives of the children. I’m so glad we don’t have to worry about that here in Utah, and even as much in the United States. That just all sounds so scary to me to have to worry about those things everyday. But, maybe they just are used to it. Maybe it’s not a scare to them…
-Aubrey Taylor
YouthLINC Logos
Youthlinc identity crisis!
Some of you may have noticed that our logo is changing! Some of you may have finally given in and started typing YouthLINC with the last four letters capitalized, and now noticed that we have stopped doing that in certain cases! BUT there are still plenty of examples of YouthLINC being spelled with the last four letters capitalized! There are even some examples of youthLiNC being spelled like this!
How confusing!
Please forgive us for struggling with our logo, and let me clear it up for you: From now on, feel free to spell Youthlinc with the first letter capitalized and the last four in lower case. It’s the way most of you have been spelling it for 11 years. We have finally just given in and gone with it. It makes sense.
Here is the evolution of our logo: The name of the organization is derived from “youth serving the local and international needs community.” That describes us pretty well, and accounts for that letter c at the end.
At the beginning, we had this really ugly logo with the hands. People were calling the organization LINC.
Then a few years ago, in efforts to freshen it up and make it cuter, we went – too quickly – with a green logo that had a small y at the beginning and a small i in the middle. More name confusion ensued. People still called us LINC (because the last four letters were so prominent), but now folks were really confused about our caps and lower case spelling.
So, like an adolescent who plays with the spelling or even the substance of one’s names and then comes of age, we are dropping all the nonsense and going with the approach the overwhelming majority of you have taken for over a decade. Our new logo follows conventional spelling rules, and graphically emphasizes Youth, not linc. After all, youth is what we are all about: creating lifetime humanitarians. The ‘linc’ part is just the means to that end.
Be patient with us as we switch all of our publications and signage to the new logo… where it will stay from now on!
Judy Zone
Youthlinc Executive Director
Weekly Student Update
This week I talked to one of my teachers about going to Thailand in the summer. They were saying, “Holy cow! That’ll be amazing! I can’t believe you’re going to Thailand!” Then he also said he can’t believe my parents are letting me go and for sure would never let his daughter go on a trip like that. I bet people who send foreign exchange students to America don’t think that. I bet they know that America is a great place and safe for the most part, being very well developed. And we here in America are so scared to leave, to go somewhere less fortunate than here. I guess it would be really sad to be on the other side, maybe always wanting to go to a big city and live a nice life instead of going to a poor village to help them survive. But maybe they don’t see it that way. We are very blessed with what we have here, and that we go help these people for “fun,” ya know? We think it sounds so exciting to go for couple of weeks to a different country and land where they are not as blessed as we are and they have to live there forever. But then somehow they are such humble and grateful people. Why aren’t we more like that?
–Aubrey Taylor