Program aims to help youth find success in life, college

YMCA Black Hispanic Achievers Presentation

In an attempt to meet the needs of the changing local community, the YMCA of Metropolitan Chattanooga is looking for partners to start a local Achievers Program.

"We are having to change our culture as a YMCA because we never had to deal with so much diversity in our community, with everybody having financial issues," said Randy Brown, president and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Chattanooga. "It's a new time, and we have to start thinking differently, outside the box."

The national YMCA Black/Hispanic Achievers program is an academic achievement and career development initiative for middle and high school youth and teens of color.

The name represents the program's historical origin and mission, according to a presentation put together by Gayle Brock, YMCA National Black/Hispanic Achievers director. However, today it is multiracial and gender balanced, exactly how local organizers want the program to be here.

"It is for people of any group, any ethnicity," said Vencent Bell, branch executive of the J.A. Henry Family YMCA. "We want to help them set and pursue a higher education degree and career goals."

They are still in the planning stages of the program, but Mr. Brown said he would like to start in the fall.

"We are in the research stage, trying to find mentors, people who can help us move on with the program," Mr. Bell said.

So far, the YMCA has partnered with the St. Andrews Center, which already has the Opportunity Club, a program for East Ridge High School students learning English as their second language.

"(In the Opportunity Club) we've got roughly about five, six different languages represented, and I'm really proud of what it has been doing," said the Rev. Mike Feely, executive director of the St. Andrews Center.

"The Achievers Program is a long-term, sustainable version of the Opportunity Club, a place where all kids can come together, be part of something and find a way to give back to the community," he said.

Mr. Brown said the YMCA sees the program as an opportunity to serve a part of the community that doesn't have the resources to participate in many of the YMCA's programs.

Mentors are an important aspect of the model they want to develop locally, Mr. Bell said.

"We want mentors to be able to coach these young people, help them through their experiences of life and use those assets to help them move through their education," he said.

Organizers want the program to start with middle schoolers and expand to youth from all ages and levels, said Mr. Brown.

"These young people have something to give back," said Mr. Feely. "We are just providing them a chance to have an organized place to do it."