The Boys & Girls Club makes it their mission to enable all young people, especially those who need them most to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. It was nine years ago is when I started attending The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Gardiner as an eager 5th grader. I remember being one of the youngest kids in the Teen Center and somehow fitting in instantly with everyone there. It did not take long for it to become a second home of mine and for the staff and other kids to become like family to me. If it is one thing I am thankful for in life, it is that I grew up a Club kid.
Many kids these days do not get to experience the same opportunities that I have because of my connections with The Boys & Girls Club. My life has not been an easy one for sure, but because of the opportunities I was able to have at The Boys & Girls Club, I have been able to push through adversities in my life to be able to reach my full potential and experience so many amazing things. The Club started out as just a summer camp and afterschool program for me, but as I got older, I started to appreciate and take advantage of all that the Club had to offer. Some of my very best memories as a kid take place at The Boys & Girls Club, whether it was the two-night camping trips, Keystone trips, the Community Learning Center program, or even just hanging out there.
Like I mentioned before, it did not take long for The Club to become a second home to me. There have been many uncertainties that I have faced in my life, but the one constant I have always been able to count on was The Boys & Girls Club. For me, The Boys and Girls Club was (and still is) a place I could go and know that I have people I can count on who I trust. Many of the kids and even staff at the Club have also gone through the same hardships as me, and it’s much easier to talk to them about my fears and problems than even some of my closest peers outside of the Club. These people have become irreplaceable, and I’m not sure where I would be without them. I consider them to be my extended family.
I know I am so blessed to have opportunities that other kids are not able to experience when I am at The Boys & Girls Club. Through my involvement in the Keystone Club, I was able to be a part of something that improves my community and myself. I joined Keystone my freshman year and continued with it until I graduated high school. Because of Keystone, I was lucky enough to take part in many community service opportunities such as Give Kids The World in Orlando, visiting veterans at Togus Hospital, bottle drives, and even attend the National Keystone Conference in Orlando, Florida. If it was not for The Boys & Girls Club, I do not think I would have even found my passion for community service. The Keystone Club has also taught me so much about the importance of giving back to my community and the value of working hard to reach goals that at one point of my life may have seemed impossible.
Dancing With The Staff was just another program that shaped my childhood. Dancing With The Staff is an annual competition held at The Club where staff and students pair up, form a dance routine, and perform it in mid-November. Through this program, I got to face my huge fear of being on stage. I also learned that I was not that bad of a dancer! I had always wanted to try taking dance classes when I was younger but financial costs made it impossible to do so. The Club providing programs like this gave kids like me a chance to figure out their talents and try new things despite their abilities or household income. It is such an amazing thing to go from the club kid on stage to being the staff that mentors the kids who are feeling the same stage fright as I once was. The Boys & Girls Club has made me into someone who is willing to try new things, and face even some of my biggest fears.
Youth of the Year was another program I was fortunate enough to take part in while at The Boys & Girls Club. The "Youth of the Year" is an annual competition through Boys & Girls Clubs around the nation where club kids discuss how much The Boys & Girls Club has helped them over the years, and how much it really means to them. I was lucky enough to be able to win at the state level and move onto the regional competition. The regional level took place in New York City and I got face against some of the top people in this competition. I will be honest, I have never been someone who was comfortable speaking in front of a large group, but the Club helped me to face that fear and compete in this amazing opportunity. Because they pushed me to do it, I was so blessed to be given a 6,000 dollar scholarship for winning at the state level. The "Youth of the Year" helped me and my family so much when I went off to college, and it especially helped me to overcome my fear of public speaking, so I was ready when I went off to school. I do not think I could never thank The Boys & Girls Club enough for all that they do for me and for believing in me when I did not even believe in myself.
When I am at the Club I can forget about all the struggles I have in my life and I can just be myself. Many people may have considered me to be an underdog considering my life circumstances. The Boys & Girls Club never made me feel this way, though. They let me know of my potential and inspire me to use my talents to help those less fortunate. The Boys & Girls Club has helped me become someone I can be proud of, and I hope that others are proud of me as well. With all of their help over the years, I am now attending Saint Joseph’s College of Maine in the hopes of one day becoming a teacher. The Boys & Girls Club helped me to find my right career path and have always kept me on the right track. It is the greatest outlet in my life to keep me confident, provide me with opportunities, and support me through all of life’s challenges. I am so proud to say that I grew up a Club kid, and I would not want it any other way.
