Lisa Boyd-Physic (right) with Mentor at Merida Meridian,
Being a Youth Design Alumni, I still remember when I first applied to the program. I noticed the flyer on the bulletin board in my highschool hallway, and immediately I thought, “This is perfect for me.” At the time I didn’t fully recognize the impact that Youth Design would have for me. It completely exceeded my expectations of what I could achieve that summer. I mostly thought that I would be able to work on art and design (which I did), but I didn’t realize that the program would reveal so many opportunities that are out there. I used to believe that being an artist for a career meant not being able to pay rent or the mortgage. Although that may be true for some, Youth Design showed me that you can still follow your creative passions in many different job positions. For example, I had no idea that a person could be hired to discover what the color forecast for the season is. That completely blew my mind. I learned so much, and I was able to grow with a creative confidence that I never had before. I went from sketching about once or twice a month to sketching something new every single day. Youth design helped me grow as an artist and extend my creative ideas into other areas as well.
Overall, the most important thing I took away from Youth Design was that I don’t have to settle for any mediocre job just because it pays decently. If I apply my creativity along with ambition, dedication, and passion, then the possibilities are limitless.