The Boys & Girls Club Story

Great Futures on the Great Plains

It is always a special occasion when a new Boys & Girls Club is dedicated in any community, because of the beacon of hope and opportunity it provides to families and youth who need us most. It is also a symbol of the transformational power of our Movement and the profound impact Clubs have on the lives of young people.

Last week was no different as a brand-new, 26,000-square-foot site was dedicated in Yankton, South Dakota (population 15,000). Thanks to a significant partnership established in recent years with the local school district, the Club is attached to a middle school. What made this dedication extra special, however, is the fact that Yankton has a reputation as a “town of no,” where residents have rejected efforts to develop enhanced infrastructure, support systems and NGO projects. It took a real community effort, including significant donors, public partners, and investments from the state, city and school district to make this new Club a reality. Its existence is a testament to the leadership role that Clubs have in bringing communities together to provide great futures for young people.

The site will serve hundreds of youth every day, boosting average daily attendance. It also features a stunning new Teen Center to attract, retain and grow teen membership. South Dakota’s governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, members of congress and state elected officials, as well as 500 other attendees, were on hand for the

CEO Vanessa Merhib and I discussed my new role.

dedication, demonstrating the tremendous power of advocacy, brand and impact. Of course, there was some good ole’ fun as well, with the Club creating jobs for all of us – mine was bathroom monitor for the day!

Congratulations to CEO Vanessa Merhib, her entire staff and board, and the very special Ness family (Larry, Diane and Rob), who made this dream come true.

Onto Sioux Falls
The trek through South Dakota continued with a community town hall meeting in Sioux Falls with the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Sioux Empire, led by Rebecca Wimmer and board chair Jeff Jones. Sioux Falls is a bustling community, and the Boys & Girls Club is at the heart of the support system for youth and families there. Over the last few years, site improvements and outdoor enhancements have been key to the Club’s success in growing ADA, teen membership and overall membership. A meeting with key leaders in the community focused on the challenges and rapid deployment solutions to those challenges that Rebecca and the Club will lead to assist the community.

Final Stop, Pierre

Club member Morgan Eckert gave me an excellent tour of the Pierre Club, which included meeting these younger kids engaged in a computer lab lesson.

My visit to the Mount Rushmore state concluded with an afternoon and evening in the state capital, Pierre. Nearly 200 people joined Boys & Girls Clubs of the Capital Area leadership for an inspirational reception and stakeholder support meeting. The highlights of the evening were our youth emcees Mackenzie Sarratt, Natasha McAlpine and Bella Pickner. We also heard from Pierre Boys & Girls Club alum and software entrepreneur Matt Smart, who spoke about how his Club Experience made him the person he is today.

We also heard a terrific progress report on a $500,000 challenge match endowment gift. The donor talked about his experience as an immigrant, and what America means to him, as well as the importance of Boys & Girls Clubs. Board Chair Tad Perry and Executive Director Becky Spoehr have their sights set on serving more youth at more locations and, eventually, constructing a new building to meet the tremendous need in the community.

Great things are happening on the Great Plains, and great futures are being created for many kids and teens. It could not have been a more special two days.

Meet New National Youth of the Year Jocelyn Woods!

Last week in Washington, D.C., Jocelyn Woods was named 2016-17 National Youth of the Year. The announcement came before a packed house of Boys & Girls Club supporters at the National Building Museum, which included members of Congress and Club alumni such as American Ballet Theatre principal dancer Misty Copeland, comedian JB Smoove and Grammy Award winner Ashanti.

National Youth of the Year is the highest honor a Club member can achieve, and the latest success in Jocelyn’s accomplished life. Her Boys & Girls Club journey started when she was just 5 years old, in Milpitas, California. In a community where drugs and crime and gangs were not unusual, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Silicon Valley gave Jocelyn a safe place to spend out-of-school time.

Jocelyn received the National Youth of the Year award from Misty Copeland (second from left) as her co-finalists applauded.

Relationships she formed with Club staff over the years have helped Jocelyn become self-assured and recognize that current circumstances do not necessarily dictate future success. When school stopped challenging her, she took it upon herself to apply to a private school … which admitted her *and* awarded her a scholarship. Using coding skills learned at the Club, she made her a photo-sharing app and landed internships.


Helping others is important to Jocelyn, too. As a 6-year-old, she’d help her mother pack toiletries in plastic bags to give to people who were homeless. That desire to give back continues to burn bright in Jocelyn. To help teens who struggle with various issues, she founded a nonprofit called the Under-represented Teen Advocacy Program. As UTAP Chief Operating Officer, Jocelyn helps lead efforts to connect Bay-area teens with services for health care, legal counseling, educational assistance, basic needs, counseling and drug rehabilitation.

Jocelyn’s goals include to study journalism at the University of Southern California. Her longer-term plans include becoming a reporter as well as an attorney and entrepreneur. As National Youth of the Year, Jocelyn will receive $145,000 in academic scholarships, a portion of the over $1 million in scholarships awarded to Club teens every year through the program. She will also receive a trip to Disney World and a new Toyota. The Youth of the Year program is presented by The Walt Disney Company with support from signature partner, Toyota, and partners University of Phoenix and Taco Bell Foundation.

Together, we can create opportunities for youth just like Jocelyn, to enable all kids and teens to achieve a great future. Congratulations, Jocelyn! And thank you in advance for being the extraordinary voice and advocate for all young Americans that I know you will be.