Inspirational Feature by J1 Reporter Lauren Novacek

“Be strong, smart and caring.” This is what Kayla Young’s dad tells her every day. These words have inspired her from the beginning. She is using these words to become just as inspiring to other people.

Young graduated from Marian High School in 2015. This is where the light inside her began to prosper even more. She picked Marian because it was a family trend, four of her aunts had gone there. The community aspect really drew her in and she said “I fell in love.”

Her favorite memory was as a Freshman Retreat Leader her senior year. She looked over during mass and saw her freshman retreat group with their arms around each other. This drew tears to her eyes because she was so happy for them and their journey that was just beginning at Marian.

She also recognizes that teachers have made a difference. Religion teacher Mr. Andrew DeLeonardis and English teacher Mrs. Marsha Kalkowski, changed her life for the better. “They both became so much more than teachers to me and took the time to get to know me as a person,” Young said.

Two years ago, Young went to the Dominican Republic for a summer service trip with nine Marian classmates. While there, she learned about the value of joy. The people of the Dominican taught her how to love and how to be herself.

In Young’s senior year of high school, she was named Marian Girl of the Year. This is one of the highest honors to receive and Young was more than appreciative. “I was so honored and touched that I was chosen, because Marian truly was the biggest blessing of my life, and my experience meant the world to me.”

Young now attends Creighton University. At Creighton, she looks forward to her Freshman Leadership program everyday. She looks forward to this because she loves getting to interact with everyone and learning different things about them. This program has helped her develop her sense of community and her sense of self.

She carries on her service to the community at the Children’s Respite Center. She goes there every Tuesday. She says, “It can be sad sometimes, but the kids’ smiles absolutely light up my week.”

The first person Young ever looked up to was Abby Wambach. Abby Wambach is one of the star players on the United States Women’s Soccer Team. Young was inspired by her because she had an amazing work ethic and was a role model to her team. This is something Young wanted to be as well.

As she has grown older, she looks up to her Uncle Ezra more and more. Her uncle has had to go through many tough changes in his life, but he never lets them bring him down. Young says, “Ezra cares so deeply for those around him, and he has always radiated and lived the message that you need to be true to yourself.”

When asked who has had the biggest impact on her, she says her parents. Ever since the start of college, she looks back at certain situations and realizes she is doing exactly what her parents would do. They have taught her to have a love for learning and leadership, and have shaped her to live as a well-rounded person.

Young’s biggest goal is to serve others and to be happy. She would really like to buy her parents a lake house one day, because this has been a dream of theirs for a very long time. To accomplish her goals she will use the qualities she believes are the most important to leading a successful life. These qualities are joy, work ethic, and positivity. Even if she’s having a bad day she tries to look at the world in a positive light. “It keeps life from being boring.”

One of Young’s favorite things to do is smile. “I always try and smile at people, because I think that seeing a friendly face can make a day better. Smiling is one of the best forms of showing joy,” Young said.
Kayla Young is looking to make quite the impact on the world.  “When I look back at my life, I don’t want to regret anything, but know that I did everything I could to be the best I could be so that I could share that with others and serve alongside them.”