Stories and News
Read about our Big Sky Youth Empowerment’s latest news, and how BYEP has made an impact on our community since 2001.
Isaiah’s Story
Isaiah was sitting in his 8th grade classroom when he heard an announcement over his school’s loudspeaker. Someone on the speaker was telling the students about Big Sky Youth Empowerment, also known as… BYEP! While Isaiah was nervous to join BYEP after the presentation at school, all it took was one day in a workshop for him to realize that this was exactly the type of program he wanted to be involved in. He felt safe. And BYEP provided a community where he could be…
Nina’s Story
Nina remembers sitting in her 7th grade counselor’s office when she first heard of Big Sky Youth Empowerment (BYEP). She had never heard of the program before and, at the time, did not care to know. All she knew was that she did not want to join. She was feeling depressed and suicidal, and had a hard time finding the motivation to do anything — nothing seemed to matter. At that time, Nina thought she would not make it past the age of 16. It felt impossible to…
Supporter Stories: Inspiration Snapshot
Brandon Hardin of Primal Skis has been an enormous supporter of BYEP. Earlier this year he came up to Big Sky to host a BBQ cookout for our teens, flipped burgers again at our Give Big Lot Party for Youth Empowerment, and donated Primal Skis to our Bingo fundraiser event. Those are just some of the ways Brandon has given back to vulnerable teens in our community. For him, being able to help with BYEP…
BYEP x MWS Canoe Trip
It's the middle of winter in Montana, and while we're loving shredding at Big Sky this season, it's also a perfect time to reminisce on our canoeing trip last summer. In June 2022, BYEP Crux participants joined forces with our friends at Montana Wilderness School for a week-long canoe trip along the upper Missouri river. The trip was a special opportunity for participants in 11th and 12th grade to learn canoeing and backcountry skills. The trip was truly magical. Teen participants, BYEP Program Managers…
First Impressions: a Note from Danica
BeeeeeeeeeeeeYeP! This is the sound of BYEP, the sound of belonging. At the end of my first day as the new Executive Director at BYEP in mid-July, I was invited to join a huddle for this group beeeeeeeeYeP! It is a cheer I had never heard before, and I will never forget the sense of belonging and connection that we felt in that closing activity of the day. A group of eight teens, three volunteer mentors, a BYEP Program Manager, and I had just wrapped up a three hour Monday workshop with a circle of sharing. We shared one thing we appreciated…
Emily’s Story
About 5 years ago Emily was sitting in her therapist's office. Her therapist was telling her about Big Sky Youth Empowerment (BYEP), and it was the first time she’d heard about the program. Her immediate reaction was “There's no way I'm doing that”. At that time, Emily refused to do practically anything that pushed her out of her comfort zone, and BYEP was definitely out of her comfort zone. Despite her hesitancy, there was something inside of Emily that made her take the leap and apply to the mentorship program. She remembers her first…
Big Sky Youth Empowerment names Danica Jamison as new Executive Director
Big Sky Youth Empowerment (BYEP) is thrilled to announce that Danica Jamison has been hired as the organization’s new Executive Director. Jamison has over 15 years of experience in the nonprofit sector and will begin her new position on July 11, 2022. Jamison joins BYEP from Greater Gallatin United Way (GGUW) in Bozeman where she served as the President and CEO for the last eight years. GGUW has supported and addressed human service needs…
What’s BYEP?
That’s what Charlie L., a 2018 Big Sky Youth Empowerment (BYEP) graduate, said when asked where she would be if she hadn’t joined the Bozeman-based nonprofit during her 8th grade year. In a state with one of the highest youth suicide rates in the country, Charlie’s story is striking. Although BYEP doesn’t operate on the premise of suicide prevention, BYEP participants frequently share the same sentiment that Charlie does: the community support and life skills they found at Big Sky Youth Empowerment were critical to their journey away from the decision to take their own lives. For the past 20 years…