Fred Schott has been a member or served a Boys & Girls Club for the better part of 53 years. He attended college at George Williams College in Chicago on a W. Clement and Jesse V. Stone Boys Club scholarship, and finished up at the University of Louisville. It was there he began his professional career at the Portland Avenue Boys Club – the same Club he attended as a young boy.

Fred and his wife Donna moved to Omaha in 1972 with their three young girls, because Fred wanted to further his Club career under the tutelage of Bill Hinckley and Tom Davis. With the help of another Club scholarship, Fred earned a Master’s Degree in Urban Studies from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

He left the Clubs in 1981 to start a career in the insurance industry, but remained close to the Movement as a consultant, speaker, trainer and board member.

In 2002, Fred returned to Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands as President and CEO, a title he held until February 1st of this year. Under Fred’s leadership, BGCM rebuilt the new North Omaha Unit, opened the Westside, Mount View and Council Bluffs Units, and doubled the number of members served each year.

In “retirement,” a term he uses loosely, Fred plans to continue to serve poor and underprivileged youth in the community through various outlets. To quote Fred himself, “you never really leave the Boys & Girls Clubs family.”

Due to the ongoing snowstorm affecting the Omaha, Carter Lake and Council Bluffs areas, all Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands Units will be closed

Anderson of the North Unit was selected Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands Youth of the Year. The competition was held on the 20th floor of the Woodmen Tower, with judges, staff, family and friends in attendance.

DaSean, a Senior at Marian High School and a 9-year Club member, told the story of her father’s murder and her mother’s addiction and legal troubles, and the stress it put on her and her two younger brothers.

She went on to describe her discovery of the Boys & Girls Clubs at a pivotal time in her life and the presence of positive female role models that changed her outlook on life. In closing, DaSean talked about her mother’s recovery and her successful path towards earning her master’s degree.

DaSean is now set to take her passion and her story to the Nebraska Youth of the Year competition, where she will compete against other youth for the title of Nebraska Youth of the Year and a college scholarship.

Congratulations to DaSean and all of the other Youth of the Year candidates for their hard work and dedication to their Clubs and communities.

click here for photos from the competition

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 15, 2011.

DaSean
North Unit
9 Year Member
Marian High School
12^th Grade

DaSean is a very important part of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Midlands’ North Unit.  She has participated in many programs and events at the Club.  The staff and Club members love and appreciate everything she does.  DaSean has a great attitude and a genuine love for The Club.  She is a reliable and positive role model to many.

Jesse
South Unit
8 Year Member
Omaha South High School
12^th Grade

Jesse has had to overcome various obstacles in his short seventeen years of life.  When Jesse was growing up in his neighborhood he witnessed many disturbing images that no child should ever have to witness.  With all kinds of negativity happening around him Jesse admits that he could have gone down the wrong path, but through the grace of God he was introduced to the Club.  A positive place for kids  where he could escape the problems in his neighborhood. Jesse realized that he could express himself in any positive way without having to hear other kids try and put him down with verbal or physical abuse.  Jesse now is going to graduate high school and is looking forward to joining the Marine Corps.

Devin
Carter Lake Unit
6 Year Member
Thomas Jefferson High School
10^th Grade

Devin is a dedicated and hardworking, member of the Club, brother, son, and grandson.  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.  His submission this past year in the black & white category Image Makers was a regional winner for his age group.  On top of being very active at the Boys & Girls Club in Carter Lake, he is active in his school as well.  His is involved in cross country, baseball, basketball, and track.  He also takes part in Engineering Club with his school, learning more about opportunities for his future.  Devin is an intelligent and goal oriented young man with many opportunities in front of him.

Canadi
Westside Unit
5 Year Member
Westside High School
10^th Grade

Canadi demonstrates leadership everyday at the Boys & Girls Club.  The first thing she accomplishes when entering the Club on a daily basis is helping our younger member with their homework in the Education Center.  She does an amazing job of being patient and going over things until they are familiar and have the knowledge to finish it on their own. But she doesn’t quit there. She follows that by going to the Teen Center to help out members her own age.  That’s probably the most surprising and most satisfying service Canadi does for this organization – being a role model for others.

Precious
Mount View Unit
1 Year Member
Benson High School
9th Grade

Precious is a 14 year old freshman at Benson High School and is one of Mt. View’s everyday members and mentors.  Precious is always seen helping out the front office with the coat and bag check in, interacting with the younger members. She participated in the Stock Market Challenge in 2010.  Precious is also a member of the Keystone Club at Mt. View and is looking forward to some of the fun and exciting things that they have planned for the teen center in the spring.

Cameron
Council Bluffs Unit
8 Year Member
Bellevue East High School
10^th Grade

Cameron is a sophomore at Bellevue East High School.  She is involved in many activities including forensics, the school’s newspaper, National Art Honor Society, cross country, soccer, dance and Key Club.  She is also member of French Club, student council, Future Business Leaders of America and did costuming and make up for her school’s production of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing.  Cameron has dedicated her summers to volunteering at her Club.  She spent nearly 40 hours a week at the Club running an art club for younger members and particularly liked working with the kindergartners and first graders.  She also ran Cooking Club, talking with the younger members about different snacks from cultures around the globe.  Cameron has competed in the Stock Market Challenge twice. She has also completed NetSmartz and Date Smart.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 10/18/10 (OMAHA, NE) – Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands to Hold Lights On Afterschool Rallies 10/21. 7,500 Rallies Nationwide Aim to Make Afterschool Programs Available to All.

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands will sponsor five Lights On Afterschool rallies on Thursday, October 21. The rallies will be some of more than 7,500 such events around the nation that day, the 11th annual Lights On Afterschool, organized by the Afterschool Alliance. Speakers in at each event will call for expanding afterschool opportunities so that every child who needs a program has access to one, and discuss the harm that results from budget cuts and freezes to these program. At the event, parents and supporters will sign a new petition that urges lawmakers not to deny or divert funding for afterschool programs. The six rallies include:

• Westside Unit (1414 Robertson Drive): 5:30 – 8 pm
  • Artist, Tom Kerr, to help members draw huge light bulb with sidewalk chalk
  • Dinner served for all in attendance
  • Games, Karaoke, Challenges for families with prizes
• North Unit (2610 Hamilton Street): 4:30 – 5:30 pm
  • Club BBQ for all in attendance
  • Speaker – OPD Northeast Precinct Captain Kerry Neumann
• South Unit (5051 S 22nd Street): 3:15 – 4:45 pm
  • Speaker – Roger Garcia (Mayor Suttle’s aide)
• Carter Lake (4101 N 17th Street, Carter Lake, IA): 4:30 – 6 pm
  • Artist, Gerard Pefung, to help members draw huge light bulb with sidewalk chalk
  • Free spaghetti dinner for all in attendance
  • Speaker – Russ Kramer, Mayor of Carter Lake, IA
• Council Bluffs (815 N 16th Street, Council Bluffs, IA): 5:30 – 6:30 pm
  • Club members and families will cook smores, take photos and make picture frames

Each rally will highlight three of the significant contributions that afterschool programs make to Omaha, Carter Lake and Council Bluffs by keeping kids safe and healthy, inspiring them to learn, and relieving working parents of worries about their children’s activities during the afternoon hours. Hundreds of parents, supporters, and community members are expected to attend.

About Afterschool Alliance
The Afterschool Alliance is a nonprofit public awareness and advocacy organization working to ensure that all children have access to quality afterschool programs. More information on Lights On Afterschool is available at www.afterschoolalliance.org.