Leading with Love: Teen Taylor’s Global Perspective

I was born at the Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan, where my parents had their first overseas job. Having never lived in the United States, I’m part of a small group of U.S. citizens who haven’t experienced living in their “home country.” When people ask where I am from or where my home is, I can’t name a specific place.

This is known as being a third-culture kid — a kid who grows up in a different culture than the one their parents grew up in. As a third-culture kid, home is wherever my family is and my life has always been connected to military installations and diverse communities within Department of Defense Education Activity schools.

Okinawa, Japan. Rota, Spain. The island Kingdom of Bahrain. These are all places I’ve called home at different points in my life. Frequent relocations are often a part of growing up in a military community, which means constantly saying goodbye to friends. I’ve learned to view farewells as temporary, thinking of them as “until next time” rather than final goodbyes. My home and my perspective are global — and thus my friendships are, too.

An Afterschool Anchor Bridges Spain to Bahrain

I became a Boys & Girls Clubs member in first grade after moving from Okinawa, Japan to Rota, Spain. At the time, my father worked for Navy Child and Youth Programs, so I was deeply familiar with Club youth programs offered to military-connected families like ours.

No matter where I lived, my Boys & Girls Club-affiliated Youth Center was an afterschool anchor that helped me adapt to new environments. My Youth Center staff taught me hard work, respect and leadership from a young age.

But perhaps the biggest thing my Boys & Girls Club-affiliated Youth Center did for me was to empower me to embrace what I saw as an obstacle, as an opportunity instead.

Even as an adaptable military-connected kid, there are moves that I was more worried about than others. When my family shared that we were moving to Bahrain, a small island in the Persian Gulf between Saudi Arabia and the peninsula of Qatar, I didn’t know what to expect. I’d only seen this region through the lens of negative news and media stereotypes.

When we made the move in 2018, I immersed myself in the diverse cultural experiences afforded to me by living in Bahrain and the accessibility of traveling within the region. I spent time fishing with Sri Lankan fishermen and dancing with the Masai tribes in Kenya. These encounters revealed that despite differences in appearance, language and customs, we all share the same fundamental human experience — trying to make the most of life with the people we love. My Youth Center at Naval Support Activity Bahrain prepared me to be accepting of diversity, turning this eye-opening move into a growth opportunity rather than a challenge.

Life-changing influences in Bahrain, like a music teacher who ignited my love for guitar and a band director who inspired my passion for music, helped me discover music as a universal language that transcends societal barriers. My connections through my Youth Center helped me see similarities my peers and I shared. I was able to embrace both my identity and the importance of global unity, while fostering a determination to grow and succeed through every outcome.

Leadership in Action: Shaping Programs

Not only do the Teen Center staff listen to our opinions; they’re dedicated to creating custom programs based off our interests. For example, I’m leading the renovation of our music program. To bring this project to life, it’s my job to assess the program’s needs, manage inventory and order new equipment. I’ve been able to use my instrument repair skills to restore instruments and audio equipment. I’ve also gained valuable project management experience navigating the government’s ordering systems.

During the pandemic lockdown, our teen leadership program Keystone Club ended due to a lack of attendance at the Teen Center. When things opened again, I energized efforts to revive our Keystone Club and now our teen program is robust enough that we were able to send four of our teens to the National Keystone Conference in Atlanta, Georgia to network and engage with Keystone teens from across the globe.

Career Loading, Leading with Love Always

I’m down to the final months of figuring out my college plans as I wait to hear about scholarships. I hope to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill or Brigham Young University-Idaho, both schools with strong academic programs and great outdoor recreation.

Wherever I end up, I have a big responsibility ahead. As Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s 2024-25 National Military Youth of the Year, I’m a teen spokesperson for all military-connected young people. So far, it’s been amazing to make connections and meet like-minded young people from all over the globe who want to make a difference.

I’m still determining what my career path will be. I like to dabble in everything: from engineering and music, to marine biology and conservation. Maybe I’ll end up in a reggae band… but also be a mechanical engineer working on clean energy from the ocean — we’ll see what happens!

What I do know is that I will continue to steer away from negativity and fear, and instead seek the good and the love in whatever I pursue. I belong to a generation that is not afraid to allow other people to help us grow. We know it won’t be easy, and sometimes it will be uncomfortable. But it’s important to watch out for each other, respect each other and lift each other up, always.

Being a third-culture kid in a melting pot of countries has shaped my open-mindedness. My experiences with people from diverse cultures have shown me that we are more alike than different.

These interactions, along with supportive mentors and friends at my Boys & Girls Clubs of America-affiliated Youth Center, have nurtured my ability to lead, advocate and connect with others, while teaching me to embrace change as a constant part of life.

Great Leaders Start Here

Boys & Girls Clubs of America provides caring adult mentors and life-shaping programs to millions of kids and teens each year. In safe, inclusive places, youth build the skills and resilience to thrive in school, the workplace and in life. Join us on our mission of helping all young people reach their full potential: