Especially for Youth
Encyclopedia
Especially For Youth 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.
, 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 Institute and Seminary
programs or from the faculty of Brigham Young University
and its sister institutions, BYU-Idaho and BYU-Hawaii. All United States and Canada sessions are organized and managed out of the EFY headquarters in Provo
, Utah
on BYU Campus, 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".
, 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. The current director is Gregory Tanner. As of 2005, the total number of participants who have attended EFY over the years is 409,484. John Bytheway
wrote his Masters Thesis at BYU on the early years of EFY and Michael Hicks composed The EFY Medley in 1999, which has become one of the main songs sung at every session of EFY.
, Germany
, Mexico
and Sweden
. 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
, El Salvador
, and Honduras
. Puerto Rico
hosted an EFY session in 2011.
, which is owned and operated primarily by Latter-day Saints, the Univeristy 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 instead of on a university campus. The stay-at-home programs which do not involve over-night 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:
Sessions of the Especially for Youth program for 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.
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.
hosts three EFY-like programs that encompass a significant outdoors component. These programs include Adventure for Youth, Outdoor Youth Adventures, and Youth for Excellence.
Seminar
Seminar is, generally, a form of academic instruction, either at an academic institution or offered by a commercial or professional organization. It has the function of bringing together small groups for recurring meetings, focusing each time on some particular subject, in which everyone present is...
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
BYU Division of Continuing Education
The BYU Division of Continuing Education is a quasi-college at Brigham Young University that oversees continuing education programs.-History:...
, EFY is the largest LDS-oriented summer camp
Summer camp
Summer camp is a supervised program for children or teenagers conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as campers....
, attracting over 50,000 attendees every year at locations around the world.
Structure
Attendance is open to all youth aged 14 to 18. Sessions, which are primarily held in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 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 Institute and Seminary
Church Educational System
The Church Educational System of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints consists of several institutions that provide religious and secular education for both Latter-day Saint and non-Latter-day Saint elementary, secondary, and post-secondary students and adult learners...
programs or from the faculty of Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
and its sister institutions, BYU-Idaho and BYU-Hawaii. All United States and Canada sessions are organized and managed out of the EFY headquarters in Provo
Provo, Utah
Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
on BYU Campus, where it is part of the BYU Division of Continuing Education
BYU Division of Continuing Education
The BYU Division of Continuing Education is a quasi-college at Brigham Young University that oversees continuing education programs.-History:...
, with sessions elsewhere organized by local organizing committees and area authorities.
EFY states that its mission is to help participants "come unto Christ".
History of EFY
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. HollandJeffrey R. Holland
Jeffrey Roy Holland is an American educator and religious leader. He served as the ninth President of Brigham Young University and is a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . As a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, Holland is accepted by...
, now of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy...
, was one of the banquet speakers at the founding session. The next year, attendance had risen to 863 youth. The current director is Gregory Tanner. As of 2005, the total number of participants who have attended EFY over the years is 409,484. John Bytheway
John Bytheway
John Glenn Bytheway is an American author and academic, who is well known as a comic motivational speaker for youth within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints .Bytheway was born in Salt Lake City, Utah...
wrote his Masters Thesis at BYU on the early years of EFY and Michael Hicks composed The EFY Medley in 1999, which has become one of the main songs sung at every session of EFY.
Global expansion
In more 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 EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. Further expansion followed in 2009, with EFY sessions for the first time in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
. In 2010, EFY sessions was held for the first time in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, Cape Verde
Cape Verde
The Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Tahiti
Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
, El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
, and Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
. Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
hosted an EFY session in 2011.
Locations of EFY
The traiditional EFY programs that involve staying over-night are normally held on college campuses. Although the first were held at Brigham Young University and early on at other LDS Church owned campuses, more recently many have been held at various public university campuses. There are some held at non-LDS private universities such as Southern Virginia UniversitySouthern Virginia University
Southern Virginia University is a liberal arts college located in Buena Vista, Virginia that promotes standards and values of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while not being owned nor operated by the Church...
, which is owned and operated primarily by Latter-day Saints, the Univeristy 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 instead of on a university campus. The stay-at-home programs which do not involve over-night 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:
- As of 2009, officially participated within sessions held in the United Kingdom./
Switzerland: Officially participate within the session held in Germany in 2010./
Denmark/: Officially will participate within the session held in Norway in 2010.
Sessions of the Especially for Youth program for 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
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
EFY schedule
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.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.
| 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
Brigham Young University–IdahoBrigham Young University–Idaho
Brigham Young University–Idaho is a private university located in Rexburg, Idaho. Founded in 1888, the university is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and transitioned from a junior college to a four-year institution in 2001, known for the greater part of its...
hosts three EFY-like programs that encompass a significant outdoors component. These programs include Adventure for Youth, Outdoor Youth Adventures, and Youth for Excellence.
External links
Official websites by location- Americas United States & Canada Mexico Guatemala Brazil Argentina
- Europe United Kingdom & Ireland France Germany Spain Italy Portugal Norway The Netherlands
- Australia & The Pacific Sydney 2010 Perth 2010 Brisbane 2011 Melbourne 2011 Tahiti
- Asia & Africa South Korea Cape Verde