Especially for Youth

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Especially for Youth
Efy.PNG
Frequency Weekly during summer months
Inaugurated 1976
Participants 50,000+
Patron(s) The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Especially For Youth (often abbreviated as EFY) is a week long youth-oriented seminar focused on fellowship and teaching the principles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Run by Brigham Young University's Division of Continuing Education, EFY is the largest LDS-oriented summer camp, attracting over 50,000 attendees every year at locations around the world.[1][2]

Contents

Structure [edit]

Attendance is open to all youth aged 14 to 18. Sessions, which are primarily held in the United States, follow a common curriculum created by the LDS Church. Sessions take place during the summer months in order to coincide with the summer break practiced by many schools. The program is led by Latter-day Saint young adults who serve as counselors for the youth during the sessions. Many of the speakers, but not all, are selected from the LDS Church's Seminary and Institute programs or from the faculty of BYU and its sister institutions, BYU-Idaho and BYU-Hawaii. All United States and Canada sessions are organized and managed out of the EFY headquarters on the BYU campus in Provo, Utah, where it is part of the BYU Division of Continuing Education, with sessions elsewhere organized by local organizing committees and area authorities.

EFY states that its mission is to help participants "come unto Christ".[2]

History of EFY [edit]

The program was created by Ronald C. Hills in 1976 when 172 youth and 15 counselors met for the first session of the summer program. Jeffrey R. Holland, now of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, was one of the banquet speakers at the founding session. The next year, attendance had risen to 863 youth. As of 2005, the total number of participants who had attended EFY over the years is 409,484.[3] John Bytheway wrote his Masters Thesis at BYU on the early years of EFY.[4] In 1999, Michael R. Hicks composed The EFY Medley, which up to 2012 become one of the main songs sung at every session of EFY.[5][6] As of August 2012, JD Hucks is the current program director.

Global expansion [edit]

Home Evening Games the first day of EFY México-León 2011

In recent years, the EFY program has expanded to more parts of the world. In 2006, EFY expanded outside of the United States and Canada for the first time, with sessions in England, Germany, Mexico and Sweden.[7][8] Further expansion followed in 2009, with EFY sessions for the first time in Spain, Italy, France and Guatemala. In 2010, EFY sessions was held for the first time in Australia, New Zealand, Portugal, Cape Verde, Norway, Netherlands, Tahiti,[9] El Salvador, and Honduras. Puerto Rico hosted an EFY session in 2011. It is anticipated that Colombia will hold a session for the first time in February 2014.

Locations of EFY [edit]

The traditional EFY programs that involve staying overnight are normally held on college campuses. Although the first were held at BYU and other LDS Church-owned institutions, more recently many have been held at various public university campuses. There are some held at non-LDS private universities such as Southern Virginia University, although not affilited with the church, it is owned and operated primarily by LDS Church members, the University of Redlands and other private universities chosen for good location and or other factors that facilitate the program. In some limited situations EFY has been held based out of a hotel rather than a university campus. The stay-at-home programs which do not involve overnight accommodations are often held at local LDS stake centers.

Sessions of the Especially for Youth program have been held in the following nations.

There are also a number of nations that haven't hosted a session of the Especially for Youth program, but have been invited to participate in sessions in other nations. These nations include:

  •  Ireland: As of 2009, officially participated within sessions held in the United Kingdom.
  •  Austria/ Switzerland: Officially participate within the session held in Germany in 2010.
  •  Iceland/ Denmark/ Sweden: Officially will participate within the session held in Norway in 2010.
  •  Belgium: (Dutch speaking) Officially participated with the session held in the Netherlands in 2010 and will do so in 2012

EFY sessions in Latin America started in Guatemala in 2009 and is now running as SOY (Strength of Youth) in the Central America region, Mexico and other South American countries.

EFY themes [edit]

In 1982, EFY introduced its first annual theme. Since then, a theme and a scripture have set the tone for each EFY Session.

  • 1982: The Time Has Come
  • 1983: Ascending Together
  • 1984: Discovering New Horizons
  • 1985: Let Your Light Shine
  • 1986: Lovin' Life
  • 1987: Sailin' Home
  • 1988: Win the Race
  • 1989: Forever, My Friend
  • 1990: Learning For Myself
  • 1991: Walk With Me
  • 1992: Of One Heart
  • 1993: Sharing the Light
  • 1994: Serving With Strength
  • 1995: Return With Honor
  • 1996: Living the Legacy
  • 1997: Treasure the Truth
  • 1998: Joy in the Journey
  • 1999: A Season for Courage
  • 2000: Forward With Faith
  • 2001: Remember the Promise
  • 2002: We Believe
  • 2003: Look and Live
  • 2004: Stand in the Light
  • 2005: A More Excellent Way
  • 2006: The Greatest Gift
  • 2007: Power In Purity
  • 2008: Steady and Sure
  • 2009: Be Thou An Example
  • 2010: Courage to Stand Strong
  • 2011: Believe, Hope, Endure
  • 2012: Arise and Shine Forth
  • 2013: Firm in the Faith[citation needed]

EFY schedule [edit]

Everyday of the sessions time is given in Devotionals, Gospel Study, Session Director Morningsides, Journal Time and Personal Scripture Study. There are little if any changes between each of the nations who hold sessions of EFY, with only slight changes in the schedule of the Overnight and Stay-at-Home program.[20][21]

The schedule has changes overtime from year to year though. In the late 1990s the schedule involved three dances (on Monday, Wednesday and Friday) and it also involved scheduled exercise time each morning. There have also been various shortened versions offered, at times involving a three day schedule and currently there is the EFY Express which involves a one-day program. Since the EFY Express one-day programs all occur within a day they can be held during the school year.[22]

Overnight Program - Overview of Week
Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Morning

Counselor/Coordinators Preparations

Classes

Classes

Young Men/Young Women Activity

For the Strength of Youth Activity

Checkout
Afternoon

Registration
Meet Your Counselor
Meet Your Company
Orientation

Classes
Variety Show Tryouts/Musical Rehearsal/Free Time

Classes
Variety Show Tryouts/Musical Rehearsal/Free Time

Variety Show
Musical Dress Rehearsal/Free Time

Service Activity
Free Time
Evening

Session Director Devotional
FHE Games and Goal Setting

Dance Etiquette and Instruction
Dance

Banner and Cheer Preparations
Games and Cheer-Off
Pizza Night

Testimony Tips
Fireside/Musical Program
Testimony Meeting

Picture/Address Exchange
Dance
Slide Show
"Taking it Home"

Adventure-based sister programs [edit]

Brigham Young University–Idaho hosts three EFY-like programs that encompass a significant outdoors component. These programs include Adventure for Youth, Outdoor Youth Adventures, and Youth for Excellence.[23]

References [edit]

  1. ^ Hunsaker, Brent (11 June 2009). "Flu symptoms raise concerns at BYU summer camps". KTVX (ABC 4 News). Retrieved 3 January 2010. 
  2. ^ a b "What is EFY?". Especially for Youth. Division of Continuing Education, Brigham Young University (BYU). Retrieved 3 January 2010. 
  3. ^ 2005 Participant Journal, pp. 72 - 73[clarification needed]
  4. ^ Bytheway, John (2003). A History of "Especially For Youth" — 1976-1986 (Master of Arts thesis). Digital Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University. http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/MTAF&CISOPTR=15594&REC=1. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
  5. ^ Salisbury, Karianne (4 January 2008), "EFY Medley: The man behind its creation", Deseret News, retrieved 2013-01-17 
  6. ^ "EFY Medley: As Sisters In Zion & We'll Bring the World His Truth", MichaelRHicks.com (Michael R. Hicks), retrieved 2013-01-17 
  7. ^ 2006 Participant Journal, pp. iv - v[clarification needed]
  8. ^ "EFY: 30 and Beyond". News and Events (News from the Church), lds.org (LDS Church). 4 May 2006. Retrieved 3 January 2010. 
  9. ^ a b EFY Tahiti 2010 Training Notice (French)
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h See the Official Websites list
  11. ^ EFY Cape Verde (Portuguese) Retrieved on January 29, 2010.
  12. ^ EFY Finland (Finnish) Retrieved on December 11, 2009.
  13. ^ EFY France (French) Retrieved on December 11, 2009.
  14. ^ EFY Guatemala (Spanish) Retrieved on December 11, 2009.
  15. ^ EFY Germany (German) Retrieved on December 11, 2009.
  16. ^ EFY Italy (Italian) Retrieved on December 11, 2009.
  17. ^ EFY Portugal (Portuguese) Retrieved on January 29, 2010.
  18. ^ EFY Spain (Spanish) Retrieved on April 20, 2010
  19. ^ EFY Spain 2009 Registration Closing Date Official LDS Spain Website (Spanish) Retrieved on December 11, 2009
  20. ^ Overnight Agenda, Especially for Youth. Retrieved October 16, 2009[dead link]
  21. ^ Stay-at-Home Agenda, Especially for Youth. Retrieved October 16, 2009[dead link]
  22. ^ EFY Express page
  23. ^ "Youth Programs at BYU-Idaho". Brigham Young University–Idaho. Retrieved 20 July 2011. 

External links [edit]

Official websites by location


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