When John Donne penned the poem, “No Man is An Island” over 400 years ago, little did he know the impact he would have on generations of people, particularly at Louisiana Youth Seminar.
LYS delegates pose with their counselor
At LYS, “No Man is An Island” is our motto. But it’s more than that — it’s the guiding light that inspires all that we are and all that we do. For the past 46 years, it has changed and inspired roughly 10,000 lives. And today, these words and their meaning have never been needed more.
These are trying times… times that can shake our faith in humanity, in justice, in the basic principles we hold dear as Americans. These are the times when we need to turn to these words for comfort, inspiration and peace. These are the times when we need strong and real leadership, the kind of leadership that LYS has developed for almost half a century. These are the times when we need to turn to our LYS community for support and remembrance that “We need one another, so I will defend each man as my brother, each man as my friend.”
Elected officers for LYS 2015
As one LYS delegate alum said, “After LYS, I realized there is no perfect leader, but rather characteristics that make great leaders. These are the leaders who think first about others before themselves, who see a problem and become obsessed with fixing it, who know what should be and have the vision to make it a reality. They may not be the most outgoing or have that special something that sets them apart, but these are the leaders worth following, the leaders who strive to make the world a little more extraordinary.”
Our country and world could use a little LYS spirit right now. Spread the LYS spirit to your friends, family, classmates and neighbors. And always remember: “No Man is An Island.”
In keeping with the spirit of LYS, we would love to have you join us at LYS #46 Opening Convocation on Sunday, July 17, at 2 pm in the LSU Student Union Ballroom. Please mark your calendars and join the LYS family.
“These are the leaders worth following, the leaders who strive to make the world a little more extraordinary. ”