PROVO, Utah — A summer activity especially for youth that started on the BYU campus in 1976 has flourished into a nationwide — and international — Especially for Youth program that will celebrate its 30th anniversary this summer. The 2006 theme is "The Greatest Gift," and is taken from Doctrine and Covenants 14:7.
This summer, there will be 17 EFY sessions at BYU and approximately 100 held from coast to coast in the United States and in Canada, according to Greg Tanner, the director of EFY. He added that about 50,000 youth ages 14-18 from all over the world will take advantage of the opportunity to grow socially, physically and, especially, spiritually during June, July and August.
And for young men and young women living in Utah, Idaho and Arizona, EFY provides some lower-cost, alternative "area" or "day" sessions. These sessions are virtually the same EFY experience including activities and quality of counselors. They are available for a cost of $55 to $65 (depending on location). The cost-savings difference between the day sessions and the overnight sessions is because the day sessions do not provide overnight housing accommodations, and they utilize volunteer counselors. Area programs are for those who have a home where they can sleep each night, and who can be at the EFY session location from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. for five weekdays.
Many overnight sessions are already full. However, anyone still interested in registering can check for available spots on the Internet at EFY.byu.edu. Area sessions, for the most part, are wide open and are proving to be a wonderful alternative for the overnight EFY experience, according to program administrators.
Even when a session is listed as full on the Internet, EFY administrator Pete Kadish advises, "Don't give up." There are usually dropouts and transfers after initial registration is over and spots continue to become periodically available throughout the summer. When there is an opening it will instantly show up online and will be available to whoever signs up for it first.
Another thing Brother Kadish points out is that "BYU isn't the only best session. We strive to make every session the best by providing the same experiences and spiritual growth wherever we hold EFY."
One of the keys to the success of EFY, according to Brother Tanner, is the proximity in age between participants and their young adult counselors. He said most male counselors are returned missionaries and all counselors are temple worthy, even if they haven't been to the temple yet. So they are good examples and teachers for the youth, close enough in age to relate well with them.
EFY, a Church Educational System program administered through BYU, provides youth with a variety of activities such as dances, games and service opportunities. Standards of conduct are based on the Church's "For the Strength of Youth" pamphlet. In support of these standards, seminary and institute employees, and others, speak at daily classes and devotionals.
"We're in it for the youth," Brother Tanner said during a Church News interview, which was attended also by Brother Kadish, administrative assistant, and program administrator Tod Myers.
"We try to support what the Young Men and Young Women organizations of the Church are trying to do." He added, "We want the youth to return to the family as better family members, and to their priesthood quorums and Young Women classes as better participants. We want them to continue to feel the Spirit."
Activities such as stake and ward youth conferences give many of the Church's young people blessings similar to those available through EFY. However, at EFY sessions, "most of the youth don't know each other as they come together in 'a spiritual haven,' " Brother Tanner said. They don't know who's popular or who's not, or any other information that may prejudice the way they relate, so they rally around each other and strengthen each other.
Generally, EFY participants and programs leave a positive impression wherever sessions are held, usually on the campuses of small colleges, according to Brother Tanner. He noted EFY participants are typically the best group on the campus — respectful, cheerful and grateful.
E-mail to: ghill@desnews.com