March 2026

By: Justin Powell This July, Youthlinc will take its first team to Colombia, but this story didn’t begin this year. It began with relationship. Over the past several years, Youthlinc has had the privilege of hosting three extraordinary Colombian leaders through the U.S. State Department’s Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI): Sebastián, María, and most recently, Juan Pablo. Each fellow left a lasting imprint on our organization, and each helped lay the groundwork f

By: Matthew Cordner The Youthlinc Service Year experience is one that will truly change your life, but how much you gain depends on how much you put into it. The Youthlinc service year is about more than just the capstone trip, it’s about serving others and building connections both in your local area and abroad. First, invest yourself fully into your local service. This is where the real change happens. When I was a humanitarian, I would volunteer twice a week at the Springv

By: Eva Mora When I first signed on to do my first Youthlinc trip, I had no idea where I was going, what I was doing or even why. I had no real why. I signed on late in 2023 to the Cambodia 2024 team and no idea how much it would change my life. That same year I became a student body officer at my school. The fundraiser my school hosted each year brought me 40 hours of service in my own community in just a month. It was the most service I had done in a long time, and I realiz

By: Justin Powell On February 18, the Youthlinc community gathered for the premiere of Closer Than We Think: A Year That Changes You —and what a night it was! Even with a snowstorm rolling in and roads less than ideal, you showed up. That simple act says more than any speech could. It speaks to the strength of this community and the shared belief that our mission matters. At Youthlinc, we talk often about creating lifetime humanitarians. The premiere was a living example of t

By: Elizabeth Divis Every year, 12th grade students at Juan Diego Catholic High School participate in the Senior Service Project or Juan Diego Senior Service Week (JDSSW). For a whole week, seniors participate in service opportunities in the community instead of classes. Every senior is assigned to a specific service location, and this year, three students spent the week with Youthlinc’s Real Life program. JDSSW 2026 took place over the week of January 26th-30th, and three Ju