>> THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF
SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA HAS BEEN
CHANGING LIVES SINCE 1997 AND
THE BRAND-NEW EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR IS GETTING STARTED
WITH THE FOUNDATION TO RAISE
MONEY TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAMS
GOING ON IN STAR CITY HERE TO
TELL UMORE AS CITY COUNCILMAN
MICHELLE EXTRA ALONG WITH LAYLA
WHO WAS AWARDED YOUTH OF THE
YEAR FOR THE BOYS
AND GIRLS
CLUB OF SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA.
THANK YOU FOR
COMING ON.
LAYLA, TELL ME ABOUT YOUR
ESPRESSO BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB.>>
IT IS A BUNCH OF FUN.
WE DID A LEARN ANDWORK
TOGETHER AND IT WASA GREAT
EXPERIENCE PEER FOR
YOUNGER
KIDS, AND AS YOU GROW OLDER IT
IS AMAZING.
>> SOMETHING YOU
CAN GET
INVOLVED WITH YOUR AFTER YEAR.
YOU WERE AWARDED
YOUTH OF THE
YEAR.
TELL ME ABOUT
THAT HONOR.>>
YOUTH OF
THE YEAR IS AWARDED TO
STUDENTS WHO WORK HARD ALL YEAR
AND PARTICIPATE IN EVENTS AND
GET GOOD GRADES.
IT IS FUNNY, BECAUSE WHEN WE
APPLIED, ME AND MY BEST FRIEND
BOTH APPLIED.
WE WERE THE FINAL TWO AND IT
WAS BETWEEN US.
IT WAS A LOT OF FUN AND A CLOSE
PICK.
>> YOU MAKE FRIENDS WITH BOYS
AND GIRLS CLUB.
AND YOU
GET
AWARDED SOMETIMES.
HOW EXCITED
WERE YOU?>> I WAS
REALLY EXCITEDAND HAPPY.
MY BEST FRIEND AND I WERE HAPPY
FOR EACH OTHER.
IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE.
>> MICHELLE, CONGRATULATIONS ON
YOUR POSITION.
WHAT IS YOUR VISION?
YOU ARE NOW THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR.
WHAT IS YOUR VISION GOING
FORWARD?
>> BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB IS SUCH
AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY PEER
NOT ONLY FOR THE YOU TO
PARTICIPATE, BUT FOR THE ENTIRE
VALLEY AND REGION.
THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF
AMERICA HAS BEEN AROUND FOR
OVER 150 YEARS.
THE ORGANIZATION ITSELF HAS
REALLYCHANGED LIVES.
ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS AND
REASONS I WAS EXCITED TO TAKE
THE POSITION IS THAT WE HAVE A
LOT OF AUTONOMY AS THE LOCAL
ORGANIZATION TO PROVIDE
PROGRAMMING FOR OUR STUDENTS
AND TO SERVETHE POPULATION.
WE ARE
ABLE
TO TAILOR THINGS
AND WORK WITH
COMMUNITY
PARTNERS TO
PROVIDE, FOR
EXAMPLE HEALTHY
COOKING
CLASSES.
TO DO THINGS WITH
HEALTH
AND
WELLNESS AND CHARACTER
BUILDING.
ALONG WITH THE
ACADEMIC
PORTION.
WE CAN
REALLY TAKE OUR KIDS AND
EXPERIENCES AND MAKE SURE THEY
ARE GETTING THE
MOST OUT OF
GROWING
UP HERE.>> IT HAS TO BE
HEARTWARMING FOR YOU
TO HEAR
STORIES
AND HEAR THAT IT IS
WORKING AND THE KIDS ARE
ENJOYING IT.
>> TRUE.
ANNA DELETE WE HAVE THE STORIES
AND WE HAVE A DATA TO BACK IT
UP.
WE ARE
TRACKING DATA EVERY
DAY
ON THE STUDENTS SO THAT WE KNOW
WHAT WE ARE DOING HAS OUTCOMES.
>> DO
YOU HAVE NEW INITIATIVES?
>> ONE
OF
OUR BIG THINGS IS
MAKING SURE WE ARE GETTING
TEENS INVOLVED.
WE ARE FOCUSING ON TRYING TO
HAVE 18 RETENTION.
THAT IT WILL FOCUS ON KEEPING
TEENAGERS AND PRETEENS INVOLVED
IN THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB'S.
TO CONTINUE IN TRACK AND
MEASURE THE SUCCESS AS THEY GO
THROUGH THE CLUB.
WE PROVIDE AN AFTERSCHOOL
ENVIRONMENT AND ARE SO MUCH
MORE THAN A MENTOR PROGRAM.
WE ARE PROVIDING LINKS AND
RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS TO MAKE
SURE THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO
ACHIEVE ANYTHING THAT THEY CAN
DREAM OF AND HOPEFULLY, EXPOSE
THEM TO THINGS THEY
HAD NOT
THOUGHT OF.
>>
IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO GET
INVOLVED, HOW DO
THEY DO
THAT?>> WE
ARE LOCATED ON NINTH
STREET AND SOUTHEAST
ROANOKE .
YOU CAN COME DOWN OR LOOK US UP
IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA.
WE DO SERVE OUR POPULATION
AFTERSCHOOL.
WE HAVE 19 SCHOOL BUSES.
THAT IS ONE OF THE GREAT WAYS.
WE ALSO HAVE A FUNDRAISER
COMING UP ON WEDNESDAY WITH
BUFFALO WILD WINGS.
>> IT IS 100 % 10%
>> 10% OF ALL FOOD SERVED WILL
COME TO OUR LOCAL
ORGANIZATIONS.
100% OF ANY ADDITIONAL
DONATIONS ARE COMING DIRECTLY