Jennifer, the 2012 BGCM Youth of the Year with Ivan Gilreath, President / CEO of BGCM

On Saturday, January 28^th, Jennifer Jiminez was named the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands Youth of the Year before a group of area supporters, friends and family at the annual organizational competition held at the Woodmen Tower. She was one of five contestants, each representing an area Club to compete from the title.

Other candidates included Devin Young (Carter Lake Unit), Allysia Holm-Peoples (Mt. View Unit), Darian Henry (North Unit) and Devin Rollins (Westside Unit).

Jennifer, along with the other candidates delivered their speeches and gave interviews in front of a panel of judges including Victor Baez, Tom Kerr, Rick Kimble, Clarence Nichols and Marjory Podraza.

Jennifer began her speech in Spanish.

“I am the Boys & Girls Clubs,” Jiminez said, translating her original statement.

She recounted her early childhood difficulties in earning English.

“I couldn’t understand what the teachers were telling me at school,” Jennifer said. “I felt frustrated, dumb and out of place.”

On top of cultural setbacks, Jennifer said her family’s tight finances were another source of anxiety, leading the family to live out of a car for months and ration food.

“My parents never had money to put me in a sports class or a dance class,” Jiminez said. “But at the Boys & Girls Club, I didn’t care. I had this wonderful opportunity to enjoy being myself. I learned so many things that I still use today.”

Jiminez’s next stop is the state Youth of the Year Competition in Lincoln, March 20th. There she will compete against other organizational winners from across Nebraska for the state title. If selected, she will compete for the title of Midwest Regional Youth of the Year to win a $10,000 college scholarship. Regional Youth of the Year candidates compete for the national title in Washington, DC.

Pictures From the 2012 BGCM Youth of the Year:

[Show as slideshow]

12►

About Jennifer Jiminez

Jennifer  is currently a senior at Westside High School and has been coming to The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands South Unit for 4 years. She was born in Los Angeles, California and moved to Omaha, Nebraska when she was 7 years old. She’s been active in the Club, and is always willing to help. Upon high school graduation, Jennifer plans on attending the Art Institute of Los Angeles, where she will work towards a degree in fashion design. It is her dream to pursue a career in the fashion industry.

It’s time to mark your calendar for the event of the year.

Join us May 12th at the Omaha CenturyLink Center as The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands celebrates 50 years of making our community a great place to be a kid.

We’re brining in Boys & Girls Club alumni and rock ‘n’ roll legends Kool & the Gang to help us Celebrate Good Times and kick off another 50 years of service to our youth.

A sample of the evening’s entertainment:

Event Information

• Date: Saturday, May 12th, 2012
• Time:  6:00 pm
• Place: Omaha Centurylink Center – 455 North 10th Street (click for a map)

Formal invitations will be arriving soon. Follow us on Facebook for more information about our event and to learn about all Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands has done over the past 50 years and all we are continuing to do to make great futures for area kids.

If you have any further questions, please contact the Clubs at 402-342-1600 or by email events@bgcomaha.org.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) named Austin Hadfield the Midwest regional winner in its 10^th AnnualClub Tech Digital Arts Festivals competition for his entry in the Photo Tech category. As a regional winner, Hadfield, 17 will move on to represent the Midwest region at the national level of competition for the 16-18 age group.

For the Photo Tech category, Boys & Girls Club members were asked to create a poster that showcased citizens engaged in activities that give back to their community or depicts someone who models good character. Hadfield’s poster creation, entitled Great Leadership showcased his creativity and tech skills learned at The Boys and Girls Clubs of the Midlands. The entry will be judged by a panel of national experts.

Austin H.'s winning submission: Great Leadership

“Through theClub TechDigital Arts Festivals we’re able to inspire our future designers, game developers, filmmakers and musicians,” saidDan Rauzi, senior director of technology programs, Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “It is amazing what our kids and teens can do when given access to technology and allowed to express themselves creatively.”

Club Tech Digital Arts Festivals allow BGCA, along with founding sponsor Microsoft and Comcast, to give young people an avenue to get creative and design original pieces of digital artwork—from posters and PSAs to stop-motion animation and logos. The competition is one component of the Club Tech program which teaches critical technology skills. Members from across the globe, age 6-18 can take the tech skills they’ve learned through their Boys & Girls Clubs and enter various categories. In 2010, more than 20,000 young people participated in local contests.

“WithClub Tech, members are introduced to the world of clay animation, robotics, game design, digital movie making, photo illustration, graphic design and music production,” added Rauzi. “We’re giving them real-world skills that will not only help them excel in school, but create a future career.”

National teen winners receive an expenses-paid summer trip that includes sightseeing and job-shadowing experiences. In years past, winners have visited colleges and the offices of large corporations such as Microsoft, Comcast and Best Buy to get a behind-the-scenes look at potential careers.

The Festivals are just one way that Boys & Girls Clubs of America, founding sponsor Microsoft and Comcast hope to technologically enable some 4 million youth served by some 4,000 Clubs nationwide and abroad through Club membership and community outreach. Club Tech also provides software, develops and delivers curricula, and provides program management and computer training for staff and youth. The sponsorship allows Clubs to integrate technology into every aspect of the organization’s fabric, from overall management to core programs. To learn more about the technology programs offered at Boys & Girls Clubs, visit www.bgca.org/clubtech.

Stock Market Challenge returns to the Scoular Building in 2011 for another thrilling ride through ticker tape and turmoil. Click here to learn more about how this event benefits our youth and partnership opportunities for you or your business.

It is an enormous pleasure to announce the 2010 Day for Kids celebration! This Boys & Girls Clubs annual event will be hosted locally by Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands – Council Bluffs Unit on September 25 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at our 815 N. 16th Street location in Council Bluffs.

This day is set aside each year to celebrate and honor America’s children by spending meaningful time with them. Day for Kids is an amazing opportunity for you to reach out to families right here in the Omaha-Council Bluffs area. The Day for Kids is a free, fun event, very similar to a school carnival, designed to raise awareness of the Club and its mission to enable young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.

Many of the games will be designed and operated by our youth leadership clubs: Keystone Club with teenage Members and Torch Club with Members between the ages of nine through 11. Other games will be provided by businesses and organizations throughout the community who volunteer to spend this afternoon recognizing the unique and phenomenal individuals our Members are. Mascots from local sports teams are also slated to join in on the fun.

In addition to celebrating Day for Kids that afternoon we will also be celebrating World Wide Day of Play with a rousing kickball tournament. The single elimination tournament will foster good sportsmanship, a love of play and reinforce the importance of a healthy lifestyle.

The Day for Kids/World Wide Day of Play also provides businesses opportunities to volunteer, donate and provide services as well as participate in all the fun.

For information on how your business or organization can be a part of this amazing afternoon please contact Angi Sada-Farnen at (712) 256-5603 or asada@bgcomaha.org.