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.

The National Youth of the Year Program is designed to promote and recognize service to Club and community, academic performance and contributions to family and spiritual life. Competition begins with each Club selecting a Youth of the Year who receives a certificate and medallion, and then represents their Club at the State level competition. Below are the candidates selected to represent each of the six Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands locations, in the upcoming Youth of the Year competition on January 28, 2012 (click here for event details).

Devin Young

Carter Lake Unit

7-Year Member

Thomas Jefferson High School

11th Grade

Devin has participated in numerous club programs including Passport to Manhood, Smart Moves, Club Possible, Triple Play, Torch Club, Keystone Club, Image Makers, and many others. On top of his busy schedule at the Club, he is active in his school and community. Some of his after-school activities include: cross country, baseball, basketball, track and Engineering Club. Devin is an intelligent, goal-oriented young man with many opportunities in front of him.

Kristen Hemmingsen

Council Bluffs Unit

3-Year Member

Lewis Central High School

11th Grade

Kristen is a member of several school clubs such as swimming, bowling, vocal music, track & field and also volunteers as a football manager. At the Club, she’s been involved with many different programs and currently serves as the secretary for the Keystone Club. Kristen has one sibling, a younger brother whom she loves to help with homework and sports. She plans to graduate from Lewis Central in 2013 and enter college that fall to pursue a degree in Athletic Training.  

Allysia M. Holm-Peoples

Mt. View Unit

2-Year Member

Omaha Northwest High School

10th Grade

Allysia (A-lee-see-ya) is an honor student, student-athlete, a member of the student council, a member of the Magnet Law Program and a member of the varsity basketball & volleyball teams.  Her hobbies include: art, fashion design and working with younger members at the Club.  Allysia aspires to become a successful attorney and have an impact on the lives of the young people in her community. 

Darain Henry

North Unit

3-Year Member

Omaha Central High School

Graduate

Darain has participated in many Club programs including: CareerLaunch, Keystone Club, SMART Girls, Road Code, and Stock Market Challenge and continues to volunteer at the Club. Outside the Club, she volunteers at Salem Baptist Church Child Care Center, assisting with serving food, clean up, distributing snacks, and reading time. Darain will attend Metro Community College this spring and to begin a two-year program in Nursing. Afterwards, she plans to enroll in the University of Nebraska-Omaha and obtain a bachelor’s degree in Nursing with the ultimate goal of becoming a Registered Nurse.

Jennifer Jimenez

South Unit

4-Year Member

Westside High School

12th Grade

Jennifer 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.

Devin Rollins

Westside Unit

6-Year Member

Westside High School

10th Grade

Devin has been actively involved in the club, its programs and activities, specifically the Torch Club, Passport to Manhood, Keystone, Power Hour, the Westside Club Basketball Team and more. Devin always has a positive attitude and strives to help his peers at the Club better themselves by being a leader and exhibiting model behavior.

The NCAA Baseball post season may be over, but Team USA is in full swing with a recent stop in Omaha. After a game against Japan at TD Ameritrade Park on Friday night, Team USA held a skills clinic at Ultimate Baseball Academy on Saturday, July 9th.

South Club Youth Development Professional, Matt Patten, took 36 members from the North, South, Westside and Carter Lake Clubs to the clinic.

“It was really fun,” said Patten. “Team USA did a great job working with our kids on the basics they need to be successful later on in their playing careers. We hope they can come back next year.”

Over 500 people “hit the beach” at On the Road benefiting the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands (BGCM) on Saturday, June 11, 2011 at Stinson Park at Aksarben Village. The event was sponsored by Battle Sports Science.

Honorary chairs, Howard Kooper and Tom Fellman along with chairs, Kirk and Sue Swartzbaugh commented, “the energy surrounding the event really shows the support the community has for the youth served by the Boys & Girls Clubs.”

BGCM President and event emcee, Ivan Gilreath, dedicated the event to long-time Club supporter Phil Schrager. Terri, Rick and Harley Schrager joined Ivan on stage to accept a memorial plaque and to say a few words about Phil’s legacy and the impact he had on underprivileged youth in Omaha.

Chancellor Smith, the 2010 Nebraska Boys & Girls Clubs Youth of the Year and a beneficiary of a Phillip and Terri Schrager Foundation Scholarship, spoke at the event. “Chancellor showed us all why the Clubs are so important. He shared his story and got the crowd excited about the work the Clubs do every day,” said Kirk Swartzbaugh.

The event itself brought in $240,000 to support the Club’s five core program areas:  character and leadership development, education and career development, health and life skills, the arts, and sports, fitness and recreation.

A very special thanks to all of the sponsors, supporters, volunteers and staff that made On the Road possible.

For event photos go to http://www.bgcomaha.org/gallery/?album=1&gallery=45