April 2026

By: Hay Soe Editor’s Note At Youthlinc, we believe that the most meaningful way to understand our world is through the lived experiences of others. The following reflection is written by a member of our Real Life team, who works closely with refugee and immigrant youth here in Utah. Real Life exists to support students as they navigate education, identity, and belonging—often while carrying stories that are complex, painful, and deeply human. We share this piece because it re

By: Izzy Larson We live in a world where it is so common to always be seeking the next “new” or “better” version of what we have. We are so focused on the materialistic things in life that make us feel more important, and in a society that is so focused on external validation and extrinsic values it is hard not to be materialistic. While traveling and experiencing new places and new cultures, I have struggled to understand the reason that the people I am meeting are so happy

By: Josh Anderson In 2022, I had the opportunity to go on my first Youthlinc Service Year program to Kenya.  When I first signed up, I felt hesitant and unsure about my place in the program and the impact it would have on either me or the communities we worked with. Humanitarian work broadly was something I was not familiar with, and I had doubts about what would come out of the experience.  Little did I understand at the time just how incredibly transformational the experien

By: Rivi Bero The biggest thing I have learned from my service journey is that opportunities are waiting for you- you just need to show up!     Throughout my high school career, I’ve been fortunate to attend a private Catholic school strongly rooted in community service, with community service as a fundamental graduation requirement. For many, this may seem unnecessary, time-consuming, or even impossible due to the large number of hours that can look intimidating to the eye.