How One Painful Experience Brought Inspiration

Guest Post By: Dajah Spence
2010 Youth of the Year, BGCC Alumna

October 23, 2006 was a rainy, windy, and cold day. Normally around the time of Halloween, the weather is warm, people are buying candy and kids are choosing costumes to wear to go trick-or-treating. On that day, I stayed in the house watching television as opposed to going outside. There was a knock on the door and I jumped up to answer it, tripping over the shoes my family often placed at the front door because we didn’t want to carry them upstairs. 

I opened the door and there stood a familiar face. He was tall and dark with a black jacket and tissue in his left hand; I figured it was because his nose was running from the weather. He looked about the age of 16 and he had a short hair cut.  His facial expression looked as if he had had a long day and was exhausted. He asked to come in and speak with my mom. I led him in the house and nodded towards to couch for him to sit and wait. I yelled upstairs and told my mom she had a visitor. My mom got out of bed, put on her house shoes, and carefully walked down the steep steps that I frequently hurt myself on. As my mom went downstairs I passed her on the steps to give them some privacy. I went to my room, flopped on the bed and played music on my phone.   

Suddenly, a few minutes later I heard my mom come back upstairs and go into her room. She started shouting out profanity and hit the wall a couple of times. I turned off my music and put my ear to the wall. She called my name and I jumped. A million thoughts were going through my head as I walked down the hallway towards her room. I didn’t know what was going on and I started to think back to decide if I had done something wrong recently. I pushed opened her door and walked in, sitting on the end of her bed. She looked me in the eyes and told me a girl died from cancer today. That girl was my best friend.   

From that day on, my best friend inspired me to go above and beyond. She is the reason that I want to go into healthcare and make a difference in people’s lives. I want to contribute to helping to save lives. I began looking at all the different career opportunities in healthcare and the healthcare administrator position caught my eye. I took the initiative and conducted a phone interview with a healthcare administrator at Manor Care located in Akron. I learned about the responsibilities, the commitment, and hours an administrator put towards that position. Speaking with the administrator, I realized that this was a career I could see myself being passionate about and I will strive for excellence to accomplish my goal. 

My best friend was optimistic and made a difference in the community. I honestly feel that I am able to live the life she would have wanted and her legacy can carry on through me.

-Dajah is currently a freshman at Bowling Green State University studying Healthcare Administration. The friend referred to in the above story was also a Boys & Girls Club member prior to her death. 

Fun Photo Friday: Snow and Baseball?

Travis Hafner & Slider with Club Kids at Snow Days Holiday Party

On a snowy, blizzardy, day like today, why not look back on all the fun we had at our annual holiday party. Even though it was two months ago, there is still plenty of snow on the ground to remind us of that Winter Wonderland at Snow Days! For more Snow Days pictures, check out our Facebook page.

With spring training about to begin, we can also reflect upon the support we have received over the years from the Cleveland Indians, and especially Travis and Amy Hafner. Thanks to the Hafners, our Youth of the Year, Kinyatta, will have a $5,000 scholarship to get her started next fall. And as you can see from the picture above, Travis is never too busy to stop by and have some fun in the snow with our kids!

Fun Photo Friday: Cleveland's Youth of the Year

Kinyatta E.

At our Recognition Breakfast this morning, Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland named our 2011 Youth of the Year, Kinyatta, an honor roll student in her senior year at John Adams High School and a member of the Mt. Pleasant Club. Kinyatta told the audience the story of her struggles and the tremendous impact the Club has had on her life. Kinyatta has faced many challenges in her short life. At the age of 11, she and her family became homeless. For the two years her family had no place to call home, Kinyatta found a home of sorts in the Club. The building and the people inside of it became her lifeline as she endured with a child's resiliency during that time of uncertainty and fear. At the Club, she would eat what was usually her only meal of the day; she found a refuge from the outside world where she felt safe; she found caring adults and friends who were supportive and helpful; and, with our staff's help, she managed to do her homework every day, even though her mind was often occupied by worry. In the fall, Kinyatta will be heading to college where she plans to study to be a nurse. She is the perfect example that with determination and a guiding hand, dreams can come true!


Listen to Kinyatta's touching speech.

We also heard an inspiring speech from Tom Cook, Honorary BGCC Board Member and head of the Cleveland Association of Taco Bell Restaurants. He accepted the Corporate Citizen of the Year Award on behalf of his team, and shared with the crowd why he believes the work of Boys & Girls Clubs is so important and why he has been a long time investor in our youth. You can listen to his full speech here.


Listen to Tom Cook's moving speech. 

Dan Salamone, News Director of WOIO-19 Action News, was also on hand to accept the award for Media Partner of the Year. Dan was himself a former Club kid, and understands perhaps better than most, the important role it can play in the lives of Cleveland's youth.

While we know why the work we do is so critical to our communities, we also know that we could not do any of it without support of others. We are grateful to take this opportunity each year to recognize the success stories of our youth and at the same time, give a little something back to those that have given so much.