DAY 1 (December 20) | Kimber
DAY 1: Kimber (age 11) struggled to choose & participate in a program at The Lincoln Street Club, often roaming around the Club and not engaging in the activities provided. With a little one-on-one time with a part-time staff member and a good conversation about her likes and interests, we found one sure thing that keeps Kimber SUPER engaged- painting! Through The Club, Kimber participated in a collaborative art project with the Indiana University Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology, where she painted her own skateboard to represent who she is and how she wants the world to see her. She spent 5 whole weeks creating her art and productively working to express herself through her project. Now, Kimber's skateboard is on display in the museum and she is able to help our Art Coordinator with our younger members in painting programs! Kimber displayed amazing involvement with the project overall!
Without donors like YOU, members like Kimber may not find passions to help them express themselves in a healthy way.
DAY 2 (December 21) | Malasiyah
DAY 2: Malasiyah (age 9), like many members at The Ferguson Crestmont Boys & Girls Club, needed some help learning to control her emotions and to direct her energy in a positive way. Ferguson Crestmont's Social-Emotional Learning program, led by their Social-Emotional Learning Director, assists members on a daily basis in controlling their emotions, communicating their feelings, and using tools to help them create positive relationships.
Recently, Malasiyah came to the rescue when a younger member fell on the playground. Malasiyah immediately went to the member & comforted her while she cried. Malasiyah walked this younger member through deep breaths and used her social-emotional learning skills to help the younger member calm down! After deep breaths, she walked her inside to get an ice pack & a drink. Without access to the social-emotional learning program, Malasiyah & other members may not have the tools and knowledge needed to help them to succeed at The Club & beyond.
Strong social-emotional skills help our members to strive socially, academically, emotionally, and later in life, professionally.
Without donors like YOU, members like Malasiyah would not have access to life-changing social-emotional learning skills.
DAY 3 (December 22) | Kayson
DAY 3: Kayson (age 5) is a kindergartener at the Ellesttsville Club. The Club can be a big, scary place for our kindergarten members--not only are they adjusting to their first year of school, but they are getting used to the schedule, program options, and sheer number of other kids that are surrounding them while at The Club after school. Like many new kindergarteners, Kayson struggled to participate in certain programs at the beginning of the year because he had not quite yet developed the fine motor skills needed to write, draw, or spell his name. Staff created activities to work with Kayson to help with his writing and fine motor abilities during the after-school program. After a few weeks at the Club, Kayson was able to be more engaged in Art and Education based programs that required him to use those skills.
Thanks to donors like YOU, members like Kayson have the support needed to develop life skills.
DAY 4 (December 23) | Jack
DAY 4: Jack (age 12), like many of Camp Rock's middle-school aged campers, is one of the coolest kids at camp in the eyes of the younger campers. The big kids get to do archery, swim further out into the lake, and are the biggest and best at gaga ball. This is all true for Jack, but Jack takes his "big kid" role seriously. He can always be found inviting other campers to play a game of soccer with the older kids, high-fiving and cheering them on for overcoming a fear like getting in a canoe for the first time, or helping them to take their fish off of hooks. He knows that he is a role model for the younger campers, and he is sure to make sure that they all feel like they are welcome and that they belong at Camp Rock.
Without donors like YOU, our members may not have a peer role model like Jack to look up to.
DAY 5 (December 24) | Duane
DAY 5: Duane T. (age 7) is a member at the Lincoln Street Club that has recently been hooked on reading! As a part of member recognition, we have our own Club currency, Club Bucks. Members can earn Club Bucks at our clubs by being super extra caring, productive, responsible, respectful, and safe. Members can then spend their currency at the Club Buck store to purchase items to take home with them! This year we had a set of Magic Tree House books in the Club Buck store for 30 Club Bucks. Duane had been talking about buying this set for MONTHS. He worked hard at The Lincoln Street Club to earn all 30 Club Bucks by helping staff to clean, being helpful to other members, caring for his peers, and being productive and participating in programs. In October, the time has finally came! Duane came in with a bucket of Club Bucks he'd been saving, excited to get his new set of books.
Without donors like YOU, members like Duane might not get the recognition they deserve for the awesome things they do.
DAY 6 (December 25) | Dave & Kennedy
DAY 6: The Ferguson Crestmont Club used the 2024 presidental election day as an opportunity to focus on teaching members the importance of civic responsibility and voting. Members voted on Club-related items, such as their favorite snack or their favorite program, but they also voted for two members to lead The Club for a day. Members Dave (age 13) and Kennedy (age 8) ran for and were elected as "Unit Director" and "Program Director". Dave and Kennedy were tasked with making important decisions about next semester programs and understanding the wants and needs of The Club. Dave & Kennedy also stepped up to the plate and helped members to choose programs, make the right choices & be caring, productive, responsible, respectful and safe. Members used this opportunity to tell their elected officials their opinion on Club culture & programs and trusted David and Kennedy to get the job done.
Without donors like YOU, members like Dave & Kennedy would not have the opportunity to learn about the importance of being involved with and participating in their communities.
(Member names/photos have been edited or blocked in this story for the privacy of members)
DAY 7 (December 26) | Naveya
DAY 7: Naveya (age 12) started participating in Youth of the Year Program this semester at the Ellettsville Club. Youth of The Year is a leadership development program run within our Clubs, at the state level, and at the national level for teen-aged members. Youth of the Year recognizes members for their leadership, service, academics, and advocacy for themselves & the Club. Naveya has put forth tremendous effort into this program through her essay-writing, resume-building, and advocating for the importance of The Club; she has encouraged members to stay involved in The Club's programs. Naveya has shown excellent leadership skills, advocacy work, and effort throughout her time in this prgram.
Thanks to donors like YOU, members like Naveya have the encouragement and support to become leaders and advocates in their communities.
DAY 8 (December 27) | Capri
DAY 8: Capri (age 5) is a member at the Owen County Club. During the fall semester, The Owen County Club provided a basketball program to members! Capri was intimidated going into the program--she was playing alongside members that were older, bigger, and more coordinated than she is. With some encouragement from staff and the older members and a few weeks of practice, she mastered the dribbling skill! Capri was able to dribble the ball all the way down the court and back without losing control.
Thanks to donors like YOU, Capri was able to gain a new skill and a lot of confidence through this program!
DAY 9 (December 28) | Coltrane
DAY 9:Coltrane (age 11) is a long-time camper at Camp Rock. He has been working hard at home and through school to gather and use tools to control his emotions, to express how he is feeling, and to interact with others. Camp Rock is one of Coltrane's favorite places. It is a place where he can be himself, have fun, and where the staff understand his strengths as well as his needs. Trane has been working for nearly 4 years to earn Camper of The Week, which is awarded to the camper that staff vote weekly as the most caring, productive, responsible, respectful & safe camper. This summer, Trane did it! He won Camper of the Week in a unanimous vote--staff recognized him for participating and being productive in all of the camp activities, for being very respectful to staff and other campers, for making everyone laugh without fail, and overall for the behavior improvements he has made throughout his time as a camper! Trane worked hard over many recieve this award, and he deserved it!
Thanks to donors like YOU, members like Coltrane know that they can do ANYTHING!
DAY 10 (December 29) | Ari & Desi
DAY 10: Ari and Desi (age 9) are twins that attend the Ellettsville Club. The girls both have some vision issues that make reading and doing school work a challenge. They joined our after-school tutoring program, and it has made all the difference. The Club was able to purchase full page magnifiers, larger print workbooks, high contrast reading material, as well as reading line guides for their tutoring sessions. Ari & Desi say that tutoring makes school easier for them and although they were struggling last year, but have a lot of A's this year.
Academic tools through tutoring have made a difference for Ari and Destiny, and we've been able to use these materials for many kids in the Club this year. Their mom, Ashley, said "Arianna and Destiny have started to have more of a love of learning. They have improved so much with reading and math since last year. The girls are excited about coming home and showing me their grades now and going to school. I am very thankful for all the hard work and dedication that the tutors have done to help Arianna and Destiny."
Thanks to donors like YOU, members like Ari & Destiny have access to learning tools and after-school academic support that they need to be sucessful at school.
DAY 11 (December 30) | Will
DAY 11: Will (age 15) saved the day during a session of Cooking Club at Ferguson Crestmont! The program focus on this particular day was to teach members how to make an easy homemade pizza with healthy ingredients--knowledge that they could take home with them to create a healthy meal for their own families. Mid-program, the pizza dough was turning out too think and watery. Will worked together with the help of Club staff and fellow member Olivia to experiment with various baking ingredients (primary flour, which inevitably ended up everywhere) until the dough returned to the appropriate texture and was ready to be baked. The pizzas turned out delicious, thanks to their quick thinking and their knowledge of pizza chemistry.
Without donors like YOU, members like Will would not have the space to experiment with and learn life skills that they can take home to their families and into their futures.
DAY 12 (December 31) | Leila
DAY 12: Leila (age 7) is a quieter member that is always doing what she is supposed to do at The Club, but like a lot of siblings we serve tends to hide a bit in her older sister's shadow. This summer, Lincoln Street hosted a Talent Show in the Public Library's auditorium. At the talent show, Leila got up on stage in front of the entire Club and sang and played a song. Staff & members cheered her on as she played & sang, not expecting her to be so comfortable on stage! It took a lot of courage to get up on that stage and play her ukulele for us all. Leila felt confident enough & comfortable enough with her fellow Club members & staff to show them something amazing & that is usually out of her comfort zone.
Thanks to donors like YOU, members like Leila have a place where they can be themselves and feel like they belong.
