Tashi McClain encourages students with some tough love.

Each Thursday and Friday, Tashi McClain gets to interact with kids on a one-on-one basis, while going on fun field trips, such as a trip to a Halloween corn maze.  After hearing about Youth Life on a freshman year field trip with one of her classes, Tashi, a Lipscomb University senior, studying law, justice and society, and a member of her school’s Phi Alpha Delta, later came across Youth Life again and decided to take action.  She has been volunteering in YLLC West’s middle school classroom for the past year and a half.  Although the days of the week have varied due to the class schedule that semester, Tashi’s mission is the same– to encourage the students that they can succeed.  She says that when the students complain about work being too difficult or too long, rather than sugar-coating it, she tells students that homework only gets more difficult when you get to college and that understanding the foundation for education will help them later.  Encouragement from students not to give up is sometimes all they need, no matter their circumstances.

“I want to be an example for them [communicating to them] that no matter what background you are from, you can do whatever you want to do.  I came from a single-parent home like many of the YLLC students… even though I fell under that statistic, I didn’t let that stop me from reaching my goals.”

Tashi is truly one who sets an example for those at Youth Life.  When students see that she is still able to volunteer at the centers twice per week to help students with their homework, they too feel they can step it up.  Tashi would like to invite others to volunteer with her at Youth Life Learning Centers.

“Give it a chance,” she says.  “You can’t change the world, but you can make a difference with one student at a time.  You don’t need to come every day, but if you change one life, they can change other lives.  You can start the chain and think about the greater good.  And it honestly doesn’t take a lot, even if it’s only one or two hours per week.”

YLLC Team up with My Own Backyard for Spring Break Mini-Camp

Youth Life Learning Centers team up with My Own Backyard Ministries to create a fun Spring Break Mini-Camp focused on creative arts.  My Own Backyard asks the local community to “discover the mission field in your own neighborhood.”  That’s where they found us at Youth Life.  Whether our youth were making beats on drums, strumming guitars, getting crafty, or learning a new dance move, they took with them a sense of creative growth.

We are so grateful for My Own Backyard for collaborating with us for the the youth at our centers to make this mini-camp possible.  Please visit http://myownbackyard.me for more information on their organization.

For additional pictures of our Spring Break Mini-Camp, visit our  Facebook page.

How Will You Say 1,000 Words?

Tychelle and Ashley after the photo shoot

Tychelle, an energetic, confident, six-year-old YLLC student at West, took her love for being in pictures to new heights.  When Youth Life Learning Centers asked her, she quickly jumped at the thought of being in professional photographs for our upcoming event and campaigns.

Last week, Ashley Segroves welcomed Tychelle into her beautiful, brick studio, located in downtown Nashville, to take some stunning photographs.  She proves that there are countless ways you can make a difference at Youth Life Learning Centers.  Ashley made such a tremendous impact when she volunteered her time and donated photographs for our cause.  So put on your thinking caps, be creative, embrace your gifts and think of a way you can make an impact at our centers or for our agency.

We’d like to thank Ashley Segroves for her talent, support, and great energy.  For more information on Ashley Segroves Photography, visit www.ashleysegroves.com.