“YYGS Connect helped grow into a confident leader, establish friendships, expand my community service, and find my passions.”
After YYGS Connect, I was able to expand Music Shines Bright (MSB), my nonprofit organization focused on providing music therapy to senior citizens, nationally through a successful crowdfunding initiative. I was able to raise $12K in funding that goes towards the furthered expansion of MSB and the recovery of Alzheimers and Dementia senior citizens.
“The most memorable part of YYGS was definitly the family time. I was able to meet people with such different and interesting life stories from all around the world. Another great aspect of the family time was the instructor who was so understanding, and even though she was older than the participants of YYGS, she spoke with us as equals. The open and communicative atmosphere made me feel like I could open up.”
“[At YYGS] I could develop meaningful connections that motivated me to explore the realities of other countries, finding the value of collaborative learning and peer discussion which was something I was experiencing for the first time.”
I started a social venture that brings college students and young leaders to help children from public elementary schools to receive a virtual education (during this time of the pandemic).
“YYGS is the most excited that learning has ever made me, and that’s what will stick with me from the experience. Throughout your years in school, you always follow the same curriculum and you always know what’s coming. I remember seeing the YYGS seminar selection list and not knowing what the majority of them would involve – which made every aspect of YYGS ten times more exciting.”
“YYGS gave me the opportunity to learn about insightful subjects not offered in a normal school program. YYGS has driven me to explore a variety of subjects without fear. For example, I was scared, at first, to discover the topic of brain evolution. However, it ended up being one of the most interesting concepts I learned. Hence, the courage that I developed will definitely make my experience in college even more interesting and exciting.”
“It’s hard to choose one favorite lecture, but Viveca Morris’ lecture about the impact of our actions on animals and the planet made me reflect on my actions and how I impact the world, which was the most valuable to me. YYGS allowed me to reflect on topics that I wouldn’t have thought of otherwise; it made me think more critically but also open my eyes to new perspectives and possibilities.”
“The most memorable thing for me was having the opportunity to share with young people from all over the world who are intelligent, curious, and passionate about research, something that I had never experienced. This will be an unforgettable experience for everything I have learned and obtained, making this an intellectually and culturally enriching program.”
“I had the ability to explore scientific fields online, through my sessions regarding epidemics and humankind, the immune system and cancer, and contagion and the ontological conception of disease. I began to realize my motivation emanates from the ability to grasp challenging ideas, question them, and develop a solution to the specific topic.”
“The lectures of YYGS left a mark on me, and led to my co-founding of a charity organization, ‘Light A Life Foundation.’ The vision of this ambitious non-profit organization of four is to have zero street urchins by 2030, in a bid to embrace these marginalized and outcast members of society who are just as vulnerable as we would be if caught in such a disadvantaged situation.”
“The global community that YYGS brought together facilitated inter-cultural conversations on everything from international relations to political philosophy and sociological theories. The most memorable session was the Simulation, as it facilitated inter-subject collaboration and encouraged students to produce genuinely-employable projects.”
