Little Fish Finding Purpose in a Big BYU Pond

Coming into BYU as a freshman, I felt overwhelmed by the large student body and plethora of opportunities for campus involvement. I was very involved in high school land felt I could do more with my free time. After spending one too many hours napping and eating ice cream from the vending machine, I decided to walk into the Y-Serve office. Looking back, I am so grateful I did. I no longer felt like a little fish swimming aimlessly. I was still a little fish, but this time I felt like I truly belonged. That belonging came from meaningful service.

Y-Serve is a center for service and learning on Brigham Young University campus. I have been active in Y Serve since I began studying at BYU in 2017. There are over 70 community service programs each with a different mission and focus. I have had the privilege to participate in several over the last few years.

Sports Hero Day

I was a counselor for a day over a group of about 50-100 local elementary school students. I led them on tours of our athletic and training facilities and they even got to interact with BYU athletes and coaches. The purpose of this activity is to instill in the hearts of these young kids that it’s okay to dream and that if they believe in themselves they can do big things, maybe even become a college athlete someday!

Check out this video to catch a glimpse of the magic of this day.

Gym Kids

Twice a week I volunteered with conducting fun and engaging recreational activities for kids with special needs. These kids came from special needs programs at elementary schools in the Provo, UT area. This was a time for them to feel at ease and practice their motor and social skills outside of their typical school environment.

Tutoring at Independence High School

I volunteered in a sophomore English classroom. The teacher had me assist her in grading and filing papers and I also assisted students with their classwork. These students came from difficult situations and many had learning disabilities.

Cougar Coaches

I volunteered to be a basketball coach for a fourth-grade girls team. The team was part of the city league, Junior Jazz. I planned practice drills, new plays, and taught the girls the rules and technique of the game. We had practice 1-2 times a week and games every weekend. We were able to win the championship at the end of the season (pictured below)!

Y-Serve Social Media Marketing Team Program Director

As program director, I am on a team that manages Brigham Young University Y-Serve Instagram and Facebook pages. We meet once a week and also have quarterly meetings with all of the organization leadership. I answer questions from students and community members via social media channel and utilize social media marketing techniques to boost followers. My team and I also communicate with all Y-Serve programs in order to create on brand content that will attract more volunteers and raise awareness within the community.

Y-Serve Instagram