Going to NYI? What are you excited for?
The planning team is getting more and more excited as NYI gets closer and closer! According to my official countdown (aka my phone calendar) there are just 22 more days to go till the big event! Helping to plan the Institute can be overwhelming to say the least and at times the process seems to fly by so quickly! It’s easy to get lost in all the “nitty gritty” of logistics and forget about what NYI really does for our participants. Thinking about it tonight I remember what value I saw in NYI when I went as a youth delegate and why we all try to make sure it’s the best it can be! NYI was the conference where I always gained the most inspiration – I know if it wasn’t for events like NYI, I would never be as serious about my Red Cross service as I am today. Going to the institute (if you haven’t gone before) opens up your eyes to the “big picture”. When I went I realized I wasn’t alone in what I was doing, there were plenty of passionate youth from across the country that were giving their time, blood, and money too. This new perspective and feeling of the “big picture” was a bit surreal at the time for me. However as the reality sank in, so did the fact that I wasn’t just contributing to a small youth program back in my hometown chapter, I was part of something much larger. NYI shows you this, it leaves you feeling empowered☺
So here I am now, a few years older, an inch or two taller, and a member of the planning team. Knowing how much NYI is going to offer to our participants this year, I can’t imagine what it would feel like to be going as a youth delegate. I’m so excited for everyone attending! Participants will hopefully feel more support than ever this year – with enthusiastic Senior Leaders from the Red Cross attending, amazing guest speakers from our sponsor State Farm who strongly sees value in what we are doing, interactive discussions with your peers on challenging and current topics for the organization – this is going to be an institute of a whole new caliber.
Aside from the amazing feeling of support and unity you will experience at NYI there will of course also be some time for fun. Our events committee is pulling out all the stops for the social on Friday night – from gear swap networking, to competitive games and prizes, to some chitchat and picture taking with senior leaders – this event covers it all. Saturday night is the infamous NYI dance – 300 youth dressed as brightly as possible, dancing and glowing on the dance floor – what could be better? Our “Neon Dance Party” will surely be a blast.
Although the events will be tons of fun and all the sessions will offer great value, when it comes down to it, what I’m really excited for is just being able to provide participants with an amazing experience that leaves them feeling supported, inspired and empowered to keep doing what they are doing for this incredible organization for years to come – just like the experience I got years ago.
With ALL of this being said, what are you most excited for? With NYI just around the corner, is it that awesome unique gear you are bringing on Friday night to the swap meet? Or the ridiculous outfit will you be wearing on Saturday night? Share your thoughts!
Bianca Kahlenberg, Florida
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