Spot Light on GYV Staff Alumni, Andrew Murray
February 22, 2010
Name: Andrew Murray
Nationality: Scottish
Attended GYV: 1994 & 1995
Education: B Ed (Hons) in physical education
Current work: Deputy Head Teacher of a special school for students with behavioral difficulties.
Biography highlights: After leaving Legacy in summer of ‘94 I drove right across the USA with Paul Harvey and Will Russell, also of ‘94, until there was no road left! Washed my feet in the Pacific and drove all the way back again. Saw some crazy things on that road trip! I came back in ‘95 stronger than before and didn’t complain once about the bugs or the food! Spent the next 15 years teaching and getting the experience to do what I do now — helping young people re-engage with their life and education. I met Julie and now have a 7 year old son called Lewis, who is a wee gem! 
My memories of GYV: So many, I still have flash backs! The mind can take years to analyze everything that happens at Legacy! I can still see the faces of the other staff as if it were yesterday. The children of Legacy, I imagine them all grown up now. The zero waste days when I had to finish all my tofu. Building the trim trail, I must have been fit when I was younger. Reciting Burns poetry into a cassette tape for the Legacy archive. I wonder who got the job of transferring all that tape onto MP3? Sitting at Mr. Rash’s fire and being poured mint tea. Mostly though I remember the unconditional acceptance and humility of some of the best people I have ever had the pleasure to spend time with (Paul, Will, Linn, Cheryl, Celena, Rebecca, Arianne, Karl, Amir, John (the Navaho), Bob so many). And then there are all the students….so many….peace to you all…don’t stop believing.
“Let’s Move” at GYV
February 19, 2010
First Lady Michelle Obama recently unveiled her “Let’s Move” campaign a national public awareness campaign against childhood obesity. A staggering statistic….one in three American children are overweight or obese, putting them at a higher risk for developing diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other illnesses. Here at the Global Youth Village, healthy eating habits are a way of life and we teach our participants the importance of a healthy balanced diet.
“Let’s Move” is a campaign geared to target all aspects of a healthy lifestyle including helping parents make better food choices, serving healthier food in school vending machines and lunch lines, making healthy food more available and affordable, and encouraging children to exercise more.
Here at the Global Youth Village, our daily activites and diet mirror what this campaign is trying to promote. Our menu is predominately vegetarian with tasty international foods and all of our dishes are prepared with natural foods and whole grains. The youth learn the importance of a healthy diet for their physical and emotional well being. Each day of our sessions we encourage our youth to get involved in one of the numerous recrational activities we offer! So if your looking for a place to “Let’s Move” visit us at GYV!
WIN A SCHOLARSHIP: GYV Essay Contest!
February 17, 2010
Enter our Global Youth Essay Contest between February 20-April 10, 2010! Your essay must answer the question “How can I use technology to change the World.” The winners will receive full or partial scholarships to this summer’s program. Click here for offical rules and details.
Contest Overview
- You must be ages 15-18 and a US citizen
- Essays should not exceed 500 words
- You must read the official rules
- Essays should be e-mailed to gyv@legacyintl.org
- Essays should be submitted between February 20- April 10th
- Your essay will be judged on
- (a) overall creativity (20%),
- (b) content for your proposal on how using technology can change the world (70%)
- (c) overall grammatical and structural fluency (10%)
Hello from NC!
February 14, 2010
Sherry Ayres S’96 is in touch and is now living in North Carolina. Two months ago, she and her Ecuadorian hubby Luis just had a baby girl, Fiona Sophia. They are delighted. She is doing the working mom juggling act… back at work and taking classes again. She currently works with youth as a private academic coach.
Charlotte Maxwell
February 14, 2010
Krista Alderson, P’87-88 is now the Executive Director of the Charlotte Maxwell Complementary Clinic in Oakland, CA. The clinic provides free alternative medicine treatments to low-income women with cancer as well as organic food, interpretation services, transportation and medical services. She loves the organization for the mission and has used over 350 volunteers to deliver services to 800 clients. GO KRISTA! She is grateful for the great values that Legacy has taught her…about community service and being there for one another in times of need.
Greetings from Germany
February 14, 2010
Oksanna Baitinger S’96, ‘02-’04 writes from Berlin where she is staying with her parents and says she misses everyone at GYV. She wants to wish everyone a Happy New Year!
