Hey Guatemala team members! We are excited to start the 2016-2017 Service Year with you. We know you met your Team Leader and Assistant Team Leader at General Orientation (pssst … read more about them here). We also want to make sure you’re familiar with the awesome Alum Leaders on your team!
Alum Leaders are another link in the chain of command on a Youthlinc team. They serve as role models for student participants, specialize in creating a positive atmosphere for their team locally and internationally, work in partnership with mentors to oversee students in their appointed committees, and help Youthlinc instill a lifetime service ethic in young people. These individuals will be great resources for you throughout the year!
“Hi! My name is Mia Hunt, I served on the Madagascar June team last year, and I am excited to participate in such an awesome organization again. I am a senior at Highland High School, and I love painting and playing tennis for my school team. Currently I am an intern at the Ronald McDonald House, helping my mentor, the Hospitality Manager. Working there has made me want to go into a career working for a non-profit or service-based organization that I can work with kids with injuries or illness. I have volunteered at the Humane Society for many years, and last year I completed my service hours with Salt Lake Peer Court and the Humane Society. This year, I am the National Honors Society Publicity Officer at my school, and I get to help students find new opportunities for service. I am currently serving at my internship, the Humane Society, and I plan to start volunteering at Real Life. I think I will be a valuable member of this team because I am very hardworking, in that I am motivated to work on a project, I see the project through to the end, and give it my very best. I am so grateful for this opportunity to serve again, and meet the members of my new team!”
“My name is Jackson Start and I am a senior at Judge Memorial Catholic High School. My past volunteer work was with P.J.’s Forgotten Children, St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School and Real Life at Granite Park. I reapplied for Youthlinc again because it was an amazing opportunity for me to get to experience local and international service in a more involved way. I wanted to take on a more challenging aspect of service to be able to do more for others . My career interests right now is to become a loan officer after college.”
“My name is Bri Slaughter, and I am a junior at the Salt Lake Center for Science Education. I was born in New York, but have lived in Utah for the vast majority of my life. The last three years of my life have been the most significant ones yet. In the last three years, I have worked for Real Food Rising developing my agricultural and leadership skills, started high school at SLCSE developing a love for science, math, and engineering, started my own laser-cut earring business, volunteered with various organizations including Real Life and Salt Lake Peer Court, and most impactful, traveled to Cambodia on my first Youthlinc trip! For a career, I would like to pursue teaching. All the teachers I’ve had in my schooling have had a positive impact on me, and I’d like to offer that experience to students that may find it hard to get that experience. Service has become a large part of my life, because I believe in using my privilege for good, and using it to offer help to others who need it more than I do. Participating in Youthlinc helps me achieve this, and pushes me to continue to strive to do so.”
“My name is Elizabeth Barajas I am a junior at The Salt Lake Center for Science Education. Ever since I was a young girl my mother has always been involved in the community, so I started volunteering at a very young age. To name a few places: University Neighborhood Partners, University of Utah, Neighborworks, Real Food Rising, the Road Home, Utahns against hunger, Real Life. I went on a trip to Thailand in the summer of 2016 with Youthlinc. And ever since the trip I’ve grown as a person and I’m more passionate about things that are important to me. In particular my love for serving others has grown bigger and stronger. This is why I applied to be an alum leader for 2017 Guatemala team, now that I have been accepted, I’m looking forward to join the team and experiencing this new adventure together. I continue to serve locally and internationally because I enjoy meeting new people, learning from experiences, and helping others. I’m interested in a variety of careers, like studying to be a doctor, lawyer, veterinarian, psychiatrist. But the career I’ve got my mind set on right now is becoming an F.B.I. Agent.”
Katy is a junior at East High School. She loves swimming, biking, golfing and serving others. In her spare time, she is often found with a camera around her neck, snapping photos of her family, friends and environment. She moved to Utah from Wisconsin and she is an avid cheese lover and Packer fan. Her passion for language and culture correspond with her love for service. Katy is grateful to be participating in another Youthlinc adventure and she cannot wait for the new memories and connections to be made in 2017.
