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Outlook: 2009
By Fred Schott
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands President / CEO

The Great Irony
As you have seen and read in our recent newsletters and as you will see even in a quick perusal of the chronicle you now hold in your hands, 2008 was a wonderful year for kids at the Club.

Never in our history have we served more children every day, on average 1003 every single day. Average daily attendance has more than doubled since 2002.

Never in our history have we received more contributions to annual operating. Never have we raised more money in our special events – up 62% in 2008. Contributions have increased by double digit percentages every year since 2003, last year by nearly 30%.

Still, we find ourselves reducing staff and cutting services when they have never been more needed, during a time when we have never had more faithful and passionate supporters of our vital work.

In short, our rapid growth borne out of a passion to do more, to serve more kids, combined with the economic downturn, has temporarily caught up with us. Investment income, grants, membership and service fees were significantly down over years past.

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Jag’s Help Eagles Soar
Boys and Girls Clubs North Unit’s Jaguar Program Feeds Football Talent to Central

Recent success from the Jaguar Football program at the Boys & Girls Clubs North Unit has drawn attention and support from the community; prompting over thirty people to volunteer their time to support the teams.

The Jaguars join many other Pee Wee and Pop Warner teams in the Omaha Metro area that teach the game of football to the city’s youth. With so many different programs, it is difficult to keep up with which are doing well outside of one’s own area.

One person however is paying particularly close attention to the recent news made by the Jaguars. Class A State Champion Football Coach, Jay Ball from Central High School is well aware of the talented players headed his direction from the Jaguar teams.

“There’s a lot of young talent down there,” Ball says. “When we get players from the Jaguars program we know they will be well schooled on the fundamentals of football. Simply put, Jaguars’ players are well coached! The Jaguars program teaches their young men discipline, respect and commitment. The players we have from Jaguars Football all work hard and are great contributors to the Central High football program.”

Coach Ball should know, six players from his 2007 Class A State Championship team are current or former Boys & Girls Clubs members who got their start in the Jaguar Pop Warner football league. Ronnell Grixby, Chris Griffin, Marcus Hall-Oliver, Ricoh Mountain, Foster Crawford, and Julian Jones are all thankful for what they learned at the Boys & Girls Clubs and from their Jaguar coaches.

“Like the motto says, it’s the positive place for kids,” says Marcus Hall-Oliver. “The Club is where I met many friends and future teammates. It’s where it all started for me.”

Seniors Grixby and Griffin, both current club members, are a true testament to the success the Boys & Girls Clubs can bring. Both young men have worked very hard to get where they are today, and will soon be taking their games to the next level: college football. Their dedication to the values instilled in them by the Boys & Girls Clubs, as well as from their coaches and mentors will serve them well for the rest of their lives…both on and off the field.

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Westside Member Given National Recognition

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Digital Arts?
Jasmine Stovall from the Westside Unit seems to think so. Jasmine recently found through the Digital Arts Program that she could apply her passion for conservation with her artistic abilities to create something very special…the result was “Tree Hugger’s Magazine.”
“I created Tree Hugger’s Magazine to let kids know how important it is to get involved in saving the environment; starting right at their local Boys & Girls Club.”

Jasmine submitted the magazine cover to the Westside Unit’s Digital Arts Festival, a program intended to teach members ages 6 to 18 how to create computer-generated art. She never dreamed that her entry would make it all way to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Digital Arts Festival… and win!

“I am very proud and excited for Jasmine,” says Tracey Culliver, Digital Arts Program Director at Westside. “She is a very creative and focused young lady who gives 100% to every thing she does. I can see her accomplishing great things in her future because of her dedication and hard work.”

To recognize her accomplishments, BGCA will provide Jasmine and Ms. Culliver with an all expenses paid trip to Minneapolis, MN where they will tour the city’s many art exhibits and various other attractions. Jasmine will be given her award during a special presentation, July 21-25.

“I am very excited for my trip to Minnesota,” says Jasmine. “I am really eager to see all of the exhibits, museums, and other things they have planned. By the end of the trip, I think I will have gained a better understanding of art and technology in general.”

For Jasmine, this entire process has been about more than just an award for an art project, it has been a strong reinforcement of the message she delivers every day about protecting the environment. Working very hard to educate her family, friends, church youth group and Club on the benefits of recycling, Jasmine is sometimes made fun of because of her views.

“I’ve always thought of myself as a tree hugger,” says Jasmine. “It means that you like to help the environment, so it is really not a bad thing at all!”

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