MEET OUR TEAMMATES

Being a part of this organization has helped me in more ways than one, and I am forever grateful for it. The doors that have been opened for me are life-changing. My Boys & Girls Clubs journey started back in 2014 when I was in eighth grade. I started as a volunteer at the Levitt Club and since then I’ve been hooked. From volunteering at different Clubs across Des Moines to becoming the first Junior Youth Development Professional (YDP) in 2018, I think you could say I know the ins and outs of the Club. 

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The endless relationships built and opportunities created are what I love the most. The biggest opportunity I achieved was winning both District and State Youth of the Year in 2019. 

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After being at the Club for six years now, I have gotten a lot more out of it than I expected. I even started a dance team at one Club. I have been able to be a volunteer, Junior YDP, Youth of the Year, a coach, and a mentor, all before turning 18. Being here has been life-changing.

Eight years ago, I was a college student unsure of what career path I should take. I decided to complete 30 hours of an internship through Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Iowa for my degree. From the minute I walked into our McCombs Club, I fell in love with the organization. I fell in love with the people that I get to work alongside each day. I fell in love with the families that I could connect with after school. But most importantly, I fell in love with the Club members who walk through our doors each and every day.

 

When you walk through our Club doors, you can count on every day being unlike the day before. You never know if you will spend the afternoon helping a member with homework or spending an hour teaching 12 middle school students how to make homemade mac and cheese. But what you can count on is when you leave the Club that night, you will know in your heart that you just made a difference in someone’s life. I love working here at BGCCI!