YMCA Rock River Valley Black & Latino Achievers

The Black and Latino Achievers was created on the basis of youth expanding their education and career goals past their high school. Their goals were, and are still maintained, to help develop and expose young people to a wide range of educational and career opportunities and goals. Not only does the program touch on education and career goals but it also develops each youth’s self-esteem, self-respect, and social moral character that will help with leadership and life skills, as well as, time management, and volunteerism. The program also, provides young people with role models from various backgrounds, to help unite youth, on top of introducing cultural diversity because it is important to understand since we live in a cultural diverse community. In order to help continue this program many volunteer hours are needed as well as leaders. After graduation, I came back to the program as alumni and devoted myself to the youth in the community since I had seen the impact the program had made in me. I have become a leader by attending recruitment days for the program, mentoring the participants, and informing the youth to not only attend but continue to be an active contributor and partaker in the volunteer opportunities available. Most importantly I have shared to the participants what this program has done personally, and how it has impacted my education and career goals.