Youth Enrichment Services (YES) sat down with another amazing alumni, Alexis Savage, to reflect and talk about her experiences at YES.
Alexis Savage joined YES in 2001 and stayed involved throughout high school. She was a recipient of the Richard Williams Memorial Scholarship. “The YES community is always there for you and you can always come home,” she says. Alexis recently returned to YES and currently serves on the Board of Trustees and the YES Alumni Relations Committee.
Thinking back on her history with YES, Alexis really did it all. She was involved with Junior Volunteer Program (now known as the Leadership Corps Program), Girls Outdoor Adventure Leaders (GOAL), Environmental Team, ski trips in the winter, bike trips in the summer, fixing bikes in the shop, and also worked as a teen staff in the office.
Throughout her time at YES, Alexis says that when trying new things she learned that you just have to do it! “At YES we went skiing and just did it,” Alexis remembers. “We went and fell down but that never stopped us from trying something new the next time.” Alexis also says that her experiences at YES taught her to be more resilient and embrace diversity. “At YES, we’re taught that it’s okay if you don’t look like everyone around you. You still belong,” says Alexis
YES not only allowed Alexis to grow as an individual, but she says it also allowed her to grow in her relationships with her family. Both her sisters, Amanda and Aiesha, as well as her brother, Andrew all participated in YES programs. Her older sister started at YES two years after her, and her little brother also participated in programs with her. Alexis says these opportunities allowed her siblings to bond and have a greater connection over their shared experiences. “YES gave us a chance to grow our sibling relationship in different ways,” says Alexis.
Alexis also credits YES with giving her amazing opportunities to see “real mountains” and experience something completely new in new places. She also has fond memories of her time going camping with YES. It was on these trips that Alexis learned about stars and constellations, and she was introduced to nature in a way that she otherwise wouldn’t have had access to. “Seeing new places opened my mind to realize that there is so much more to see in the world!”
Alexis currently works as a professional model. In addition to being on the runway, she also works in e-commerce. She enjoys reading and taking care of her plants. She also loves to travel and hopes to visit Santa Fe, New Mexico and South Africa one day!