College!!!

When I first started working at the Club in 2004, the average age of the children we served was probably around 8. The Club was for little kids...at least that is what the teens thought who walked by the Club everyday and saw it swarming with elementary school students. That's definitely not the case these days. We have a thriving teen population. This wasn't something that came easily, though. We had to "grow" our teens....meaning- we took kids when they were young and made our programming consistently relevant for them. We listened to them, surveyed them, took note of what programs they attended (and which ones they skipped) and used that to keep them engaged. The result of our diligence- a great group of teenagers! Our teens speak to our elected officials about problems facing our youth. They act as tutors and mentors to our younger kids. They give up their Saturdays to clean trash in the neighborhood. But it's not all work and no play...they have dance parties and video game tournaments. They go on field trips to locations as near as the Harlan Cinema Four or as far as Washington, DC. They watch Broadway plays. But it is through these activities that they bond and learn to rely on one another. It is these activities that the strongest of friendships are made.

Tonight, our teens bid farewell to a couple of their own. Sara Donahue and Mimi Boggs leave for college this week. This is incredibly bittersweet for the staff. As much as we are going to miss these two phenomenal young women, we are so excited to celebrate their accomplishments. We have had kids who were semi-active with Club activities graduate high school and go to college. However, Sara and Mimi are the first ones who have remained active in Club activities through graduation and until matriculation. They will be official alumni of the Cawood Ledford Boys & Girls Club! Tonight, the teens and staff will bid them adieu with dinner at El Charritos- the celebration location of choice for our teens. It will be difficult to tell them goodbye, but I know that both of these young women have great things in store for them. Sara wants to pursue a degree in teaching from University of the Cumberlands and Mimi wants to go into veterinary medicine and will begin her college career at Sewanee. We are all so proud of them and look forward to seeing them accomplish great things over these next few years. We've decided to hang their college pennants in our Club as a reminder to the "little kids" of what happens when you work hard to pursue your goals. We hope it will serve as an inspiration for them to grow in the Club, graduate high school and attend the college of their choice. Then they can hang their college pennant in the Club for all to see. Who knows? Maybe in a few years our wall will be covered in college colors ranging from UK blue to Harvard crimson. Wow! That will be so cool!!!

DC Baby!!!

I have the coolest job. Seriously. Being executive director of the Harlan County Boys & Girls Club is challenging and heartbreaking at times, but it is also incredibly rewarding and (if truth be told) a lot of FUN. Thanks to the incredible grant-writing skills of Miss Laura Adkisson, we were fortunate enough to receive a Taco Bell Teen Experience Grant which will allow us to take a group of teenagers from the Cawood Ledford Club to Washington DC! The excitement around the office is palpable. The group of kids we are taking are members of PLAN (Potential Leaders' Action Network) and have worked over the past year on developing leadership skills.

These kids are AMAZING. They've met with state legislators and local leaders to discuss the importance of Boys & Girls Clubs. They've learned to build their character, even when those around them are trying to tear it down. They've raised awareness in our community of the needs of our youth. And now, we get to take this amazing group to DC- the leadership 'hub' of our great nation. What an amazing opportunity for our kids! I know it's selfish, but what a great opportunity for the staff! I get to see these kids' faces when they see the White House for the first time or the Washington Monument. I get to hear them discuss the issues facing children in Harlan County with Representative Hal Rogers. What an honor! But taking these kids to DC will also prove to be an enormous responsibility. The staff will have to field questions about the civil rights movement when they see the section of the Lincoln Memorial devoted to Dr. Martin Luther King. We will have to console them when we visit the heartwrenching genocide exhibits in the Holocaust Museum. But I know we have the right people for the job. Laura, Sarah, and Kevin are some of the most intelligent and insightful people I know. They do amazing work with the kids at the Club and I know they will make this an unforgettable experience for the teens.

We put the finishing touches on our itinerary today, solidifying restaurant choices and making reservations. As with all of our teen programs, the teens had a great deal of input of what we would be doing on our trip. The only requirement (laid down by Club staff) was a visit to the Capitol. The teens were allowed to choose everything else. And they chose well. We'll be going to Arlington National Cemetary to see the changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknowns. We're going to see the monuments and the National Zoo. We will be visiting the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum as well as the International Spy Museum. And of course, you can't have a teen-field trip without visiting the Hard Rock Cafe for dinner. Whew! It will be a whirlwind tour, but when you have a group of teens who are eager to learn you have to squeeze in all of the experiences you can. After all, opportunities like this are few and far between.

By the way, thanks for reading my first blog. I hope to update it at least weekly with all of the goings-on at the Boys & Girls Club as well as random bits and pieces from my (occasionally) interesting life. Blogging is new and quite foreign to me, but I think I'll find it enjoyable. Hopefully, you will too!