Poised and self-assured children and teen ambassadors of the Gifford Youth Achievement Center shook hands and greeted supporters of the organization at a Donor Appreciation Reception last Wednesday evening at Northern Trust Bank.
“A more impressive group of young people I don’t believe I’ve seen in a long time,” said Northern Trust Bank Wealth Strategist Mike McGee. “The human condition is a phenomenal state of mind. And when people are taught that they can be anything, and can accomplish anything and they see the value of that within themselves, then it’s great to see the look in their eyes when you get a chance to talk with them.”
Adam Bolinger, current board president, offered appreciation to the donors who make it possible for hundreds of children to participate in the many after-school and summer-camp programs offered by GYAC.
“We are so blessed and appreciative of the support that we have from those of you in this room tonight,” said GYAC Executive Director Angelia Perry. “As a product of the Gifford community, I grew up knowing that I’d go to college, based on what was instilled in me by my parents. But for many of the students that we serve, college is unrealistic and therefore not a goal.”
At GYAC, they strive to expose students to new opportunities, thoughts and ideas, she said, noting that they were the first organization in Indian River County to implement Kids at Hope, a belief system that all children are capable of success – no exceptions.
Guests heard from two remarkable teens – Xaria Reason, an after-school participant, and Wayne Farmer, a participant in their newest initiative, Boys to Men to Greatness.
In addition to working on homework and science projects after school, Reason, a student at Sebastian River Middle School, also attended Science Institute of Discovery last summer, where they worked on STEM projects and visited the Kennedy Space Center and FIT. But her face truly lit up when talking about the acting, singing and dance classes she has taken at Riverside Children’s Theatre.
“During this time I discovered that I have great passion for acting and it’s really fun,” said Reason, who has performed in several RCT productions, including one that took them to Atlanta.
“Look to see Xaria on Broadway,” said Perry, adding that Reason will be in the upcoming RCT production of “Aladdin.”
“This current school year, we serve 208 students,” said Perry. She said 98 percent have improved their grades in one or more classes, 100 percent of their students in the Moonshot Moment program have made gains in reading, and partnerships with Riverside Theatre and the Vero Beach Museum of Art have exposed all the children to cultural activities.
The Boys to Men to Greatness initiative, which pairs black male mentors with teen boys, has been tremendously effective, with each of the 22 teens improving academically and behaviorally.
“I joined Boys to Men to Greatness two years ago, in 2014. It’s really changed my life,” said Farmer. Sharing that he was formerly reserved and shy, Farmer is now dually enrolled as a senior at Sebastian River High School and a sophomore at Indian River State College. He has been offered a scholarship to Bethune-Cookman University, where he plans to study psychology, and credits GYAC for keeping him on the right track, saying, “GYAC keeps moving forward in everything they do.”
