DAY 1 (December 20) | Kiarah
DAY 1: Kiarah (age 12) attends the Lincoln Street Club. During Spring Break Camp this year, Kiarah learned to sew her own pillow case from scratch on a sewing machine through our Fiber Arts program! Sewing is a skill that Kiarah had no experience with, but with a lot of patience, determination, thread and a seam ripper, and support from Club staff, she managed to head home from camp that week with a pillowcase of her very own. In the end, Kiarah was super proud to have made something of her own! She may not have realized it in the moment, but through this program, she left The Club with improved hand-eye coordination, perseverance, patience and a practical skill that she can continue to use throughout the rest of her life.
Thanks to donors like you, members like Kiarah are gaining practical skills to use for the rest of their lives.
DAY 2 (December 21) | Victoria
DAY 2: When Victoria (age 8) started at The Ferguson Crestmont Club last year, she was shy and unsure. She rarely talked, always followed directions and did her best to "blend in" with the rest of the kids. Victoria's mom let Club staff know that Victoria & her twin were very co-dependent and likely would need encouragement to try new things and get out of their comfort zone. Victoria had trouble making friends and being independent from her brother at first, but soon, Mr. Cornelius helped to change that! Mr. Cornelius is the staff member that facilitates Victoria's Homeroom. He always encouraged Victoria and her twin to sit separately during snack and Power Hour time, as long as they were comfortable doing so. In addition, he provided plenty of opportunities for members to be helpers during program (passing out pencils, collecting papers, wiping the board, etc). Victoria slowly became interested in helping and taking on small leadership roles as the year progressed. Small helping tasks like passing out materials helped teach Victoria learn that she can be independent and lead others. She even used the skills modeled and encouraged by Mr. Cornelius to lead her own program for the new friends she made in Homeroom this year.
Thanks to donors like you, members like Victoria are gaining their independence at The Club.
DAY 3 (December 22) | Issac
DAY 3: Issac (age 6) exhibited significant behavioral issues at school, home, and The Club, primarily involving physical contact. His adoptive mom had expressed considerable difficulty in teaching him to keep his hands to himself with the staff at The Ellettsville Club. His first few weeks at The Club were challenging. Issac frequently engaged in play fighting that at times caused accidental injuries. If he became upset with other Club members he would often acting out physically. Ellettsville staff were determined to try everything they could to keep Issac and other members safe while Isaac attended The Club. After multiple meetings with his mother about his behavior, staff, along with his mom and Issac himself, decided on a kind of catch phrase with him to remind him of the importance of keeping his hands to himself: "SAFE HANDS." They also created a corresponding hand sign where we interlock both our hands. It is part of our mission "To empower all young people, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO NEED US MOST..." Issac and his family needed us most. After several weeks of using these tools, Isaac showed remarkable improvement in keeping his hands to himself. He has since been recognized as "Member of the Week" and has consistently received positive behavior reports for his active participation in programming.
Thanks to donors like you, Issac and many others that need us most are getting the tools that they need to be successful.
DAY 4 (December 23) | Jace
DAY 4: Jace (age 12) was pretty quiet and unassuming at The Owen County Club. He tended to be hesitant to speak up or try new things. Jace has been a member at The Club since we opened in May of 2024 and became involved in Member Council. Member Council gives members the chance to be leaders within The Club--they make decisions about programs offered, weekly themes, service projects, and all kinds of other things! Member Council has helped Jace develop the leadership skills to ask for help and to offer help to others. Jace attended the Owen County Cooks for Kids Event in November and was highly engaged with the event. Watching him on this day, you woud have had no idea that Jace was once a quiet guy when he first began to attend The Club. He helped attendees carry their plates of food to their tables, dressed up to fit the rock & roll theme and was super engaged and excited to be helping and to know that the work he was putting in that day was going to help raise funds for him and his friends at The Club.
Thanks to donors like you, members like Jace believe in being involved in helping their community, creating productive citizens.
DAY 5 (December 24) | Gracie
DAY 5: Gracie (age 12) started attending Camp Rock last year. At the beginning of Camp, she wasn't too sure how she felt about the dirt, the bugs, and the boys in her age group. Gracie is a sweet and funny soul, but she isn't afraid to tell someone like she means it if they're being unkind. Even though she sometimes did not agree with what her peers were saying or doing, Gracie respectfully encouraged others to do what was right, be caring, and overall became a great role model for younger campers. She taught them to stand up for what is right, to not give in to peer pressure and to be yourself! Gracie even won Camper Of The Week this summer!
Thanks to donors like you, campers like Gracie have the opportunity to lead others to what is right.
DAY 6 (December 25) | Nash
DAY 6: Nash (age 9) has a passion for comics. He can be found reading, writing, or designing a comic pretty much any time! He had a dream of starting a “Comic Book Club” this Spring at The Lincoln Street Club to share his passion with others and to teach them how to make comics of their own. After getting the word out and making some flyers to hang around the building, Nash managed to get a solid group of his peers to join his Club. Staff worked to accommodate this passion project and to create some space within The Club for these members to write their comics. Nash has been quite the leader of this group and reminding everyone to number their pages and include a title page. Nash says, “There’s one rule in Comic Book Club, use your own ideas!”.
Thanks to donors like you, members like Nash can express their passions, grow in their creativity, and lead all on their own
DAY 7 (December 26) | Hero
DAY 7: This Fall, The Ferguson Crestmont Club started a Special Program that teaches members the basics of African Drumming! On day one, Hero (age 7) was very excited to get to play with the drums and learn how to use them! He and his buddy Jeremiah (age 8) were so excited that they spent the next week going around The Club, teaching other members some basic beats that they learned in the program. This led to them slowly growing a drumming crew of new members. In the following weeks, we have had many members who are excited to participate in African Drumming due to the interest that was sparked by both Hero & Jeremiah.
Thanks to donors like you, members like Hero & Jeremiah have the opportunity to find new passions.
DAY 8 (December 27) | Emma
DAY 8: Emma (age 11) truly flourishes in more intimate settings, and the Smart Girls program at the Ellettsville Club provides just that. It is an intentional, supportive space designed to foster open dialogue and genuine connection between members that identify as girls. Within this environment, Emma has not only found her voice but has also emerged as a quiet leader among her peers. She consistently models vulnerability, curiosity, and courage—demonstrating that it’s not only okay to ask questions and share openly, but that doing so can empower others to do the same.
Thanks to donors like you, members like Emma find spaces where they can thrive and inspire those around them to grow, too.
DAY 9 (December 28) | Hannah
DAY 9: Hannah (age 14) was one of our first members signed up for tutoring at the Owen County Club last year. She's been a regular Club attender since Owen County opened. Hannah has been in tutoring at Owen County to get help with Math. As an 8th grader, Math has been getting more challenging, but she's been working hard in her tutoring sessions to make progress.Hannah comes to tutoring with a positive attitude every day. She completes her homework, is respectful to staff, and is eager to learn. She is a joy to have in tutoring! Hannah is more confident in her math skills. She is still working every day to get better and to slow down when working through problems, but she is improving and looking at math in a positive way! Hannah was even the winner of our Awesome Attitude Award at the end of the last tutoring semester! Hannah's involvement in tutoring has increased her confidence and her ability in Math, helping her become a better student.
Thanks to donors like you, members like Hannah are getting the help they need to grow in their academic success both inside and outside of The Club.
DAY 10 (December 29) | Xander
DAY 10: Xander (age 18) has attended Camp Rock every summer for as long as he can remember. He attended Camp Rock as a camper when he was younger, but when the time came for him to age out of Camp, he was unsure what to do next. Then, Xander realized he could be part of the Counselor-In-Training (CIT) program! Xander said "Being a CIT can be really rewarding as you start bonding to the kids and they start seeing you as their role model. It opens your eyes even wider. Being a CIT is when you have the chance to help create the magic behind Camp Rock. This new role gave me a new, good type of challenge. It taught me leadership and patience."
He was a CIT for 3 summers, and when the time came for Xander to potentially become a staff member this year, he didn't hesitate for a second. Xander said "This summer was when I got to be the counselor to campers like the one I'll never forget that that helped me on my first day of Camp. Being a counselor allowed me to witness the full circle of Camp Rock. It is amazing to see these campers grow up and thrive throughout the years." At 17 years old, Xander spent the summer of 2025 as a full-time staff member at Camp Rock through the Americorps program. This allowed him to work more hours as a minor staff member and to begin to build up his funding for college in a few years. Xander was able to wrap up his 9th summer with Camp Rock with a $1900 education award through Americorps to apply to his future in college, and he's currently working at The Lincoln Street Club this school year to gain more experience in working with youth.
Thanks to donors like YOU, teen members like Xander are able to gain real work experience and support for their futures.
DAY 11 (December 30) | Ryne
DAY 11: Ryne (age 9) has been attending the Cutters Soccer program at the Ellettsville Club for a while now. From the start, his passion for soccer was clear, and he quickly became a strong player in the program. At first, he focused on improving his own skills, but over time, he began offering tips to his teammates and encouraging others to do their best. Now, Ryne not only exceeds playing soccer but he has also demonstrated great leadership skills and helps players feel confident. His dedication and teamwork have grown tremendously and we are so proud to see him grow as a player and a leader.
Thanks to donors like you, members like Ryne have access to programs like Cutters Soccer, which teach them important skills such as teamwork, leadership, and sportsmanship!
DAY 12 (December 31) | Jahleil & Darnell
DAY 12: The beginning of each school year, we have quite a lively bunch of kindergarteners and first graders joining The Clubs! The Clubs are super fun and safe places, but they can be overwhelming for any new member, especially one that has just started their journey through school. Thankfully, our staff are trained to help them find their place at The Clubs & they help foster a sense of belonging for all members. Jahleil (age 6) and Darnell (age 5) are brothers that started at the Ferguson Crestmont Club this year for the first time! Both boys were nervous coming in and had plenty of fears, but their nerves were quickly eased with the help of staff! The brothers formed an immediate connection with Ms. Paige, their homeroom staff leader, and she was quickly able to identify their fears and work to help them adjust to Club life. Now, both boys adore Ms. Paige and often go home talking about the new friends they have made thanks to the work staff put forward to help Jahleil and Darnell feel comfortable and like they belonged at The Club.
Thanks to donors like you, members like Jahleil and Darnell are able to form positive adult relationships with staff members like Ms. Paige, assisting them in recognizing that they are cared for and that their success is important.