Students travel internationally to provide service

Friday, Sep. 02, 2016

SALT LAKE CITY — Service can be addicting. Just ask Judge Memorial Catholic High school senior Ben Butcher and recent graduate Phil Start. Both young men began volunteering for the non-profit organization Youthlinc during their early high school years. 

Two of Phil’s sisters, who both traveled internationaly with Youthlinc, introduced him to the organization, then he became a mentor for Ben. Now, both plan to continue into college, and beyond. 

“I have always loved volunteering,” Ben said. “I have been the recipient of the Presidential Service award for volunteering more than 100 hours (a school year) since my freshman year. When Phil told me about his experience with Youthlinc, I figured it would be a good way to get my hours done and have a great time and a life-changing experience.”

Ben and a group of 40 other volunteers went to Guatemala for two weeks this summer and worked with the local people, helping them build an economy. 

“Many of the women knew how to sew, but did not know how to sell their things, so we held like a big business fair and taught them how to do it. We also taught English lessons to the students. I taught my students about the planets. I would first tell them in Spanish, and then go over it again in English.”

Ben and his group also took some time to teach English to some adults as well. In addition, they completed a necessary construction project. Many homes did not have cement floors, especially in the kitchen area. Meal preparation was done on a dirt floor or dirty tables. Ben and the other volunteers laid cement floors in 37 homes and gave them new stoves that had ventilation. 

Phil, now a Youthlinc alum leader, traveled to Cambodia in 2015 and most recently, to Madagascar for two weeks in June. He and his group of volunteers were charged with building a school. From sifting the dirt to making bricks, they literally built it from the ground up. 

“These experiences have made me very grateful for what I have, from food on my table to an education,” Phil said. “In Madagascar, the cost per student is about $10 a year for them to go to school, and they really value it. It was really cool seeing the school building go from nothing to literally a school building.”

Phil and his group also taught English and instructed some of the women on how to sew necessary items, like feminine products. 

Youthlinc was started in 1999 by Judy Zone, a secondary school teacher, and had just 16 students from Murray High School that first year. According to Youthlinc.org, 2, 250 students  have contributed 150,000 hours of service in Utah alone since 1999. 

High school and college students who participate in Youthlinc must first complete 80 hours of local service through area organizations before they go on an international service trip. 

Ben and Phil both plan to study business in college and continue their volunteer service. For each of them, their time and experiences with Youthlinc has been life changing. 

“Somehow, in my future, I want to be incorporated with international service,” Ben said. “It is an experience you can’t get anywhere else.”