The Boys & Girls Club's 2nd Annual Be Great Awards, A Great Success

MORENO VALLEY >> On Friday, May 6, the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Redlands-Riverside held their second annual Be Great Awards ceremony in honor of the club’s greatest achievers among its members and their top supporters towards the club's mission. This event took place at the Moreno Valley Conference Center and was hosted by Tony Shin of NBC4 news and club alumni, Miguel Fernandez. The ceremony honored the 2016 Youth of the Year Ambassadors of the Boys and Girls Club, and the recipients of the Be Great Mission award and the Be Great Impact award. The Boys and Girls Club was incorporated to encourage kids to stay off the streets, stay in school, and get involved in their community. To its members, it can be looked at as a home away from home; a safe and fun environment where the kids can learn, evolve, and give back. The 2016 Youth Ambassador awards went to the star kids in the program who have made a significant improvement in school and continue to work hard towards their future. The first recipient of the Youth of the Year Ambassador award went to Isabel Cruz, a high school sophomore. “Before joining the club, I got terrible grades and I didn’t care much for school and didn’t want anything to do with it. Joining the Boys and Girls Club and seeing so many kids wanting to do well in high school, go to college, and get a great start on life made me want to better myself,” Cruz shared. She now has a strong passion for school and hopes to one day become a journalist. She gives the Boys and Girls club all the credit for encouraging and empowering her to be motivated for success. The second recipient was Destiny Puente, a high school junior. She too had her share of troubles in high school prior to joining the club. She now works at the club by serving food and is the vice president of the Keystone Club, a community service organization ran by the high school students of the Boys and Girls Club. Destiny states, “The Boys and Girls Club has helped me avoid bad decisions and taught me how to deal with peer pressure. Instead of being on the streets, I am getting help with my homework at the club. The club helps me achieve my goals and motivates me to be the best person I can be.” The third recipient, Adrian Chavez, a high school junior, was very shy prior to joining. She also struggled with ADHD, low self-esteem, and anger issues. She received Ds and Fs in her freshman year of high school, but is now receiving As and Bs. Being a part of the club has encouraged her to be more outgoing and be motivated about college. She now wishes to go to college and pursue a career in law enforcement. Adrian stated, “The Boys and Girls club helps kids to break out of their shell and be more social.” The fourth recipient, Karla Ponce, was at risk of not graduating on time prior to joining the club. Since then, she has graduated high school. She now works as a volunteer at the club as a junior staff member. Karla added, “The club has helped me to stay focused on school and motivated me to go to college. She hopes to one day be a radiologist and a positive role model for the youth. The fifth recipient, Stephanie Puente, a high school junior, works as a junior staff member for the club and hopes to be an attorney one day. Not only is she an involved staff member of the club, but she helps financially support her family of eight. She shared, “Coming to the Boys and Girls Club helped me see that life’s not just a struggle, and see that there is a silver lining.” She now has a full sense of responsibility and leadership skills as she does her part within the club as well as at home with her family. And the sixth recipient of the night was Adrian Johnson. Adrian’s childhood consisted of witnessing drug abuse and being forced to move from place to place. Growing up with that kind of background made him a very depressed and hypersensitive individual. He joined the club while he was failing his freshman year of high school. Now a senior, he has raised his GPA up to a 3.3. He also won the area Youth of the Year competition and had the honor of competing for state. Adrian hopes to be an actor one day. Adrian was able to resist the life of drug abuse that he was introduced to because he, “doesn’t want something as negative as drugs to affect my future, to affect who I am…I stick to who I am and don’t let anybody influence me.” He also stated that, “being a club member taught me family isn’t just who you’re related to. He is very active in the Boys and Girls club by helping members with their schoolwork and volunteering for different activities within the club. Bank of America was awarded the Be Great Mission award by the members and staff of the club to show their appreciation for their generous financial contributions towards their mission. Bank of America has been a contributor for quite some time by offering financial support for college tours and career exploration, and has donated over a quarter million to support the cause. Last year, the Boys and Girls Club was awarded the Neighbor’s Builders award by Bank of America and received a $200,000 grant to support the club’s mission. Starbucks was awarded the Be Great Impact award. Starbucks has also been a proud supporter towards the club and contributes with the hopes of “nurturing and inspiring the human spirit one cup at a time,” as stated by District Manager, Torey Grey. Starbucks has provided resources such as volunteered staff and drinks to support club events. All of the Youth of the Year Ambassador recipients appreciate their staff and mentors at the Boys and Girls Club and recognize the love and support they receive from them, as well as their peers. Teen Coordinator, Erin Harvey, is very pleased to see the kids she works with evolve into motivated and driven individuals. All she wants for any member of the club is, “for them to stay encouraged in school and to want and have a great future.” She takes pride in mentoring them and wants nothing but the best for each and every one of them. Joy Juedes, the Development Director for Grants and Campaigns, strives to promote, “good character and healthy lifestyles,” for all the kids who are involved in the club. She knows they all have much potential and pushes them to be all that they can be. The club would also like to thank the Redlands Police Officers Foundation, Waste Management, and Majestic Realty Foundation for their continuous support. Other contributors towards the 2016 Be Great Awards event were All Star Engraving, Christine French, Inland Empire Community News, Olive Garden, Party Plus Rentals, Raquel's Linens, Redlands Blueprint & Commercial Printing Co., Redlands Daily Facts, The Art Institute, and Sugars ‘E’ Sweets. Community participation is always greatly appreciated by any non-profit organization with a goal of bettering the community and the lives of its residents. Community participation is the key to building up the community. For more information or for ways to donate to the cause, please visit the club website: www.bgca.org The Boys and Girls club serves more than 3,600 kids in two counties and 11 communities with over 36 different locations. The program assists with tutoring and scholarships, and offers a variety of activities in the center as well as community service activities to give the kids a sense of leadership and community outreach, and keep them off the streets. Public speaking and leadership skills are necessary skills to have in life and are promoted within the club by encouraging kids to write and present their own speeches. Thanks to the dedicated staff and the motivation of the kids, this club is standing strong and will be for years to come. They have hopes of expanding in order to reach and have an impact on as many kids as possible.