Our interview with YOKE Kid Jake:

When did you start coming to YOKE? 6th grade

How did you hear/know about YOKE? My older sister went to YOKE

What’s your favorite part of YOKE club and why? Skit time because I like to see the leaders put in awkward situations.

How many camps have you been to? 3 camps

What’s your favorite YOKE camp? The Mystery-themed camp

What’s your favorite part of camp and why? My favorite part is always the messy games.

What has your leader taught you? My leaders, of the many things, have taught me that through hardship God always shows his provision.

How has YOKE impacted your life? YOKE has impacted myself in a few aspects, one, I have learned that positive and encouraging environments are better for interaction, and two, I have learned that although YOKE isn’t always the cool thing to come to it has greatly impacted my walk with the Lord. Lastly, I have to say that through YOKE, more specifically, through YOKE camp I have met one of my life-time best friends, my leader Andrew Bowling. He has been an extremely positive influence on me and how I have been growing up from grades 6th through 8th.


Our interview with YOKE Folk Andrew:

How did you hear/know about YOKE? My friends invited me in 8th grade (I was new to West Valley), and I have been involved ever since!

What’s your favorite part of YOKE club and why? I love playing games with the kids and interacting with them at club.

How did you meet your YOKE kid? I met Jake my first camp as a YOKE leader (Spring 2011).  He ran up to me and said, “You’re tall.”

Describe your YOKE kid: Jake is genuine, driven, and compassionate — rare qualities for a kid his age.  He is a natural leader, loves playing sports, and conversates with literally anyone.  He is a great influence for those around him.

What kinds of things have you and your YOKE kid done together? Jake and I have gone to Dollywood, UT Basketball games, concerts, restaurants, Walmart, and Dick’s Sporting Goods (a lot).

Has your YOKE kid made any decisions for Christ while in YOKE? He made his decision prior to us meeting.

In what ways has YOKE helped your YOKE kid? It has definitely helped him surround himself with the right people.  He is a very influential person to his peers, so him surrounding himself with good role models to influence him has been really important (for him AND his peers he has such a strong influence on).

Anything else you want to tell us about your YOKE kid? He is up for anything and is awesome to hang out with.

How many camps have you been to? I have been to 2 spring, 2 summer, and 1 fall camps.

What’s your favorite YOKE camp? My favorite camp was my first summer YOKE camp.

What’s your favorite part of camp and why? My favorite part of camp is messy games — who doesn’t like getting disgusting?

What has your YOKE kid taught you? He has taught me that I really do have an impact on those around me, even though I might not notice it.  Since we met, Jake has constantly told me how important I am to him and how much he values me as his mentor, but also one of his best friends.  He has taught me that my words and actions echo louder than I realize.

How has YOKE impacted your life? YOKE has shown me so many things, the main one being my walk with God.  I have met so many great people through YOKE to surround myself with, and I am confident that many of those individuals will stick with me through the rest of my life.  It is so vital as a college student to have a strong Christian base for support, and I am extremely lucky to have that with the leaders and kids I have formed friendships with.

What decision have you made for Christ while in YOKE? I received Christ prior to YOKE, but it has definitely strengthened my commitment to Him.

Anything else you want to tell us? YOKE not only gave me the opportunity to mentor younger kids, but it gave me the opportunity to be mentored by awesome individuals like Beth Glenn and Stephanie Enger.  My experience has been irreplaceable and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.  God has blessed my life through YOKE.