Chase’s Story

How BYEP helped transform Chase’s life

December 2024

Chase is in his sophomore year of high school this school year and has been a participant at Big Sky Youth Empowerment, also known as BYEP, since 7th grade. When he first joined, he did not know for certain what he was trying to get out of BYEP, but he didn’t have much to lose. Now in his third year of the program, Chase wishes he could go back in time and tell himself just how transformative BYEP would be. 

Originally, the main inspiration for joining BYEP was mostly because Chase heard there would be cooking classes, but as he spent time in the program it became much more than just a way to perfect his omelet skills. Chase recently told us that “Definitely, I’ve changed. BYEP helped me discover who I am and who I could be. I don’t think I’d be able to figure out my unique style of personality if it wasn’t for BYEP”. 

In talking with Chase about his peer group and mentors, it is clear that he has nothing but love for them. He made sure to emphasize how well everyone meshes despite all the different personalities in the group. That is thanks in large part to the mentor’s infectious energy—mentors are young adults who volunteer 10+ hours of their time each week to spend with BYEP teens. Chase’s group, consisting of 8 teens, loves music and “getting out and doing stuff,” which is really what BYEP is all about. Like many participants, Chase’s favorite outdoor adventure is the winter skiing adventure, but for the summer, he most enjoyed the Yellowstone National Park hike. They explored a beautiful area and the hike provided a lot of time to bond. 

But even with the love of adventure running deep in the group, Chase shared that he equally loves the workshop days. Workshops are from 4-7 pm during the week after school and give teens a chance to process what’s going on in their lives, and involve group activities and life skills development. There was one workshop in particular that stood out to Chase recently, during which the teens were encouraged to find their leadership style, and he got to see where his fellow group members placed themselves on a chart. 

As we talked about all the adventures Chase does with BYEP, we asked him if he had always been so outgoing. “I don’t think I’d be the same person I am right now if it weren’t for BYEP, because frankly I don’t like the person I used to be.” Before BYEP, he recalled feeling like a “weird kid” and a “trouble child”, but he’s not particularly interested in dwelling on what his life was like before BYEP. Now, “I just feel more like me,” he told us confidently. “BYEP helped me discover who I am and who I could be.” 

Feeling like a “weird kid” can be enough to crush a teen’s sense of self worth — their sense of empowerment. And that is why BYEP is so important in this critical time of a young person’s life. Instead of feeling isolated and out of place—a sensation too many of us remember from our youth—at BYEP, teens learn what it feels like to be accepted. In turn they are able to grow into their authentic selves, and learn how resilient they truly are if they empower themselves.

Knowing your worth, feeling connected to peers, and moving your body outside, can do absolute wonders for our youth. We are proud that BYEP can provide the space for authenticity and connection for teens like Chase.