Profile by patrick ogaz

The little Lifegiver Allison’s wayW gives her Life

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was playing the infamous “All Right Now” tune to support the Mountain View High School Spartan football team.

I was part of the Pep-band, and our team had just scored a touchdown and everyone was screaming. As the screaming settled to a soft hum, “Oh my gosh! Allison!” erupted from Jennifer, a friend standing next to me.

Confused as to who and why Allison had any importance I asked Jennifer about Allison. Jennifer pointed to a 20 year old looking woman: she was short but was screaming and laughing with the energy to fill a giant.

Jennifer explained who Allison was, and how Allison was her friend even though she was technically 22. Jennifer explained to me that Allison was like her best friend, and that Allison was super friendly

By Patrick Ogaz

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“You should meet her!” Jennifer said, gesturing me over to meet the woman who was now again jumping up and down enthusiastically. I looked at Allison, then smiled at me, I wanted to meet her, but the fear of meeting a new people had taken over, I held my ground and never moved over to meet her. Soon thereafter, Allison, the woman with a giant smile forced me to overcome my fear, and soon Allison and her giant

ily about suicide. Depression and lack of self worth are on the rise.

Current teen issues are exactly what Young Life and Allison are trying to combat. Allison desires to provide a healthy outlet for kids to grow and thrive; she is a listener, supporter and “a mentor”(Elaine Giles) and someone who will invest herself, and be a support system like a life giver, even when no one else is.

When I look back it was Monday night in November, and I was headed to my first Young Life club. Though I had been reluctant about going, I knew Allison was going to be there and I wanted to meet her since I hadn’t met her at the football game. I was petrified, sweating and wondering what I was doing here. However, within moments of entering the house that Young Life meets I heard “Hey, how are you?” This shout seeped through a swarm of high schoolers who were clumped and chatting. It was Allison who then came running to me in pink workout shorts and a green Young Life t-shirt. Her eyes were like jewels, sparkling and filled with excitement as she came over to greet me.

Allison formally introduced herself to me, explaining who she was and how excited she was to meet me, she then just smiled at me. She gave me a

So why do you do marching band?

Is it fun? Do you like the people in it? What are your ambitions?” smile became a monday norm.

Soon after I would witness Allison’s gift as a Life Giver.

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llison Hatasaki is a devoted member of Young Life, a nondenominational Christian organization focusing on high school kids.

Many high schoolers Allison helps suffer from a broad arrangement of ailments. One is severe depression according the National Alliance on Mental Illness contributes to “2 million attempts at suicide each year in adolescents” Even worse self worth is so low in teens about 24 percent of all high school teens have thought heav-

ALLISON With her Dog high five and asked me what my interests were and how my daily life was going. Before I could answer, Allison blurted, “So wait are you the one that does marching band?” I responded “yes”, expecting nothing more.

She screamed, “that’s so cool!

I have always wanted to be in a Marching band.” I sheepishly smiled, my eyes started to wander around as Allison continued to pepper me with questions. “So why do you do marching band?

Is it fun? Do you like the people in it? What are your ambitions?”

Allison was giving her full attention. I responded with a short, slightly dry explanation about who I was and not once did she take her focus off of me. She asked me about who I was, what I liked, what preferences I had, and about my favorite baseball

team” I said “obviously the Giants.” She yelped, “they are my favorite team!”. We engaged in a conversation that got me out of my shell; her giant attitude was exuberant and she was personal and authentic. We talked for quite a while about life events and how they personally affected us, I don’t remember much about what we had talked about, but I knew I had made a best friend, I felt like I had a large gulp of life.

Its been a few years since then, I have since asked Allison why she listens to people and why it helps. She explained her philosophy that “when you take the time that really makes them feel valued and it helps make them feel that their thoughts and their values actually matter.” 71 percent of youth believe family life

provides high levels of love and support, but only 28 percent feel they have a positive communication with parents(My Citizens news)”.

I can attest when Allison took the time to listen to me and smile, we shared a unique authentic experience, I think an experience some don’t all receive from home. Katie Moran adds that “The fact that she is our age makes her more relatable”, katie continued and explained that being relatable, and approachable made Allison and her relationship stronger than perhaps with even her own parents.

I can vouch that Allison and I have a very close relationship, through that I have learned that this lifestyle is one her whole family obtains. Allison grew up in

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called Wyldlife.

Allison thrived as the leader for several years before enrolling in college as an English major.

By that time Allison was regularly volunteering for Young Life. After Allison’s return

“A color that I think that represents Allison is green. Green because, I think green reresents

-Katie Moran

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a loving and nurturing family that ienjoys interacting with teens; she grew into a family that’s desire was invested time in making teens feel valuable. Allison grew up and attended Mountain View high school, where she grew up in the house in which Young Life was hosted. Growing up her father led the Mountain view club in which she attended, likewise he was also a life giver to many local highschoolers. Her family was structured around Young life, she seized the opportunity to volunteer and lead the program geared for middleschoolers

growth”

from college, she continued leading, but she was part of the South Peninsula club that contains Los Altos and Mountain View. Since then she has slowly taken hold of Young Life of South Peninsula as the leadership coordinator. Now that Allison works for Young Life, she currently works on improving club.

She presently is trying to achieve her goal of continual relationships in which extending relationships as long as possible.

She hopes to attain this through constant communication, whether that’s texting, Facebook or Instagram. She doesn’t stop there; she’s begun her personal goal of staying in touch

with people who have “aged out” or people who have graduated from High School. Allison explained how a student who had graduated last year from High school was continuing his education in college, she explained that this person wanted to talk to her. So they both met at Starbucks and they talked about life and about college. Throughout the conversation he told Allison that he was having economic problems going to De Anza, and he didn’t have a computer to do his school work and to sign up for classes. The conversation continued, it became apparent to Allison she could be able to help.

Allison helped his computer issue by providing a used computer to this old club member. Because of Allison’s generosity the kid was able to complete applications and is now able to do school work on the computer.This is one of many explanations allison gave about how even though this kid had graduated, she felt it was important to keep connections strong and to support someone wWho was in need. It is Allison’s lifelong goal to make sure that “these friendships lasts forever” Young life is full of laughter and smiles, running and playing wild games, people skipping around with goofy outfits. As festivities erupt from this yard, the night will live on, people will soon

collect around a fire, huddled together. People smile and bond, but when the blaze comes to a smoulder the remaining hope Allison has is that all the kids that have become her mission, continue life with her, and grow in their relations, and that monumental friendships will remain long after club, and long past high school. She hopes like the marshmallow that gets toasted around this fire, that this experience formed a sense of togetherness. This togetherness she hopes are the ones that last “Forever”; and that the seed of God’s love remains in their hearts and minds.

That the kids who are transformed here grow from adolescents into adults, in the way that they carry themselves. Allison hopes that being like a live giver to a seed that the plants will soon grow and thrive. I asked a Elaine a Young Life club member about a color she saw in Allison, the main color she gave was green, the irony is in that Young Life’s main color is green. She said “green, because it represents growth”. It’s the growth, energy and heart Allison brings

everyday to our local High School students. Some judge Allison and ask what she does, yes she is small but she moves out teens in a giant way. Allison commits to Young Life to “watch the kids grow, I feel that that is so special, and it’s such a blessing to watch.”

ALLISON’S BIBLE

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