Pat and Lindsey Pettyjohn have been involved in youth mentoring and development since their first years as students at Huntington College in rural Indiana, where they met and fell in love.

They both completed their university degrees in education - Lindsey in English teaching and Patrick in developing youth programs that focused on cross-cultural curriculum.

“I did an internship for six months in Kenya while I was working on my degree,” said Patrick.

“It was during my training there that I discovered my passion for the kind of work that I wanted to do.

“In turn, it inspired me to want to do the same for others. Too many people think they have nothing good to offer to the world or they simply don't know how to go about doing so.

“Our objective is to develop programs that help people find what is best inside of themselves, draw it out and make it flourish.”

Once the Pettyjohns married their careers fused as well.

While working as Campus Life Directors for an international organization in Indiana, they were offered jobs as camp directors in Aix-en-Provence.

“We were lucky because the organization brought over exchange students from around the world,” said Lindsey.

“But we both wanted to have an opportunity to work and live overseas.”

Since in Aix, Pat and Lindsey have been organizing weekly and seasonal events, weekend trips and youth camps for the surrounding student population for the last year and a half.

“It can be something as simple as all watching a TV program together; creating a family atmosphere, from what is essentially, a group of strangers away from home,” she said.

The Pettyjohn's particular interest and expertise in the evolution of youth across the planet has attracted them to the United World College group where they will be heading up its two week Youth Leadership summer camp in Megève this July (see right).

“When youth are taught the right tools and given the self-confidence in what they know and who they are, they can change the world,” said Patrick.

“It shows them how they can positively contribute and make a difference in the world.”

Photo: Pat and Lindsey Pettyjohn