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Teen Achievers Program

Our YMCA Teen Achievers Program activities focus on study skills/time management, interviewing techniques, financial management, team-building, field trips, community service-learning projects, career assessment and more. It strongly incorporates the Abundant Assets – 40 critical factors for the successful growth and development of young people – and centers around the relationships of adult professional mentors and teens. Learn more about the 40 Abundant Assets here. Our 2011 to 2012 goal is to engage over 600 students in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky communities.  

At the YMCA we know that community and corporate involvement are critical to building networks and opportunities for youth. To that end, our program centers on the relationship established between volunteer mentors and youth with an emphasis on career clusters. Clusters are workshops dedicated to specific areas of professional interest. Youth participants and mentors, who are experts in their field, complete projects that are designed to provide students an opportunity to explore their career interests through real-life application of skills. Career clusters include: Arts and Humanities, Business, Communications, Computers, Education, Engineering, Health and Medical, Law and Government, as well as Vocational and Technical disciplines.
 

Class of 2011/2012 Scholarship Recipients
 

Breana Marie Nicholson
2011/2012 Teen Achiever Of The Year

A senior at Princeton High School, Breana has high aspirations of studying biology and dance in college; and ultimately becoming a doctor specializing in obstetrics. Her passion for the arts began over 13 years ago. Since then her talent has blossomed with extensive training at nationally respected programs across the U.S. And she has won many awards from her competitions. However, dancing is only one part of Breana’s story. She enjoys a wide variety of extra-curricular activities, including being a member of her school’s varsity tennis team, volunteering for many causes, and having interned at nonprofit U-Give. She also takes her academics very seriously. In the summer of 2011 she was selected into the intensive University of Cincinnati College of Medicine HCare Program. Her family motto is ‘whatever it takes’ and that she is ‘blessed to be a blessing.’

As our 2011 YMCA Teen Achiever of the Year, Breana received a $5000 YMCA scholarship to college and an iPAD donated by ProSource.


Imani Rugless
Recipient of a $3500 YMCA of Greater Cincinnati Scholarship

A senior at Winton Woods High School, Imani is driven by her desire to succeed and make an impact. She maintains a high GPA while holding down a job, doing community service, being a tutor, and serving as captain of her varsity soccer team. Her leadership skills earned her being selected as a school student ambassador to be a role model for underclassmen. She is determined and ambitious to be set as a pioneer in women healthcare after realizing her own health problems. Diagnosed with Lupus, an autoimmune disease, she is determined more than ever to eventually attend medical school and become an obstetrician/gynecologist….maybe even find a cure for Lupus. Imani has narrowed her choice of colleges to Howard University, Hampton University, Ohio State University, Tennessee State University, and Syracuse University.

Aquil A. Frost
Recipient of a $2000 YMCA of Greater Cincinnati Scholarship

Aquil is a senior at Wyoming High School who doesn’t take anything for granted. He appreciates the role his mother, family and many role models played in encouraging him to be her very best. Through participation in the Black Data Processing Associates, the YMCA Black & Latino Achievers Program, the Alpha Esquire Male Youth Development Organization and the American Red Cross Leadership Development Camp, Aquil has gained a renewed inner strength. However, he said, the best thing his mother could have done for him was sign him on a historically black college tour. Walking on campuses spurred him to become an honor roll student. Aquil wants to attend North Carolina Agriculture and Technology State University with a major in engineering, followed by a master’s degree in civil engineering.




Jada Calhoun
Recipient of a $500 YMCA of Greater Cincinnati Book Scholarship


Making and keeping friends come naturally for this Princetown High School senior. Her friends call her hilarious, smart, enthusiastic, dependable, and the peace maker of the bunch. Jada will tell you her teachers describe her as someone who stays out of trouble. Our volunteers and staff know Jada as someone who brings genuine caring with her where ever she goes. Her sense of responsibility has been very clear as she manages her academics, school activities and our Achievers Program. School work comes easily to her because she enjoys so many classes, however her favorites are honors anatomy and physiology, photography 2, and acting.

 




Ryan Darks
Recipient of a $500 YMCA of Greater Cincinnati Book Scholarship


From an early age Ryan knew he wanted to be somebody  when he grew up, and education, his parents taught him,  is the key to that success. His first year becoming an honor roll student was in the sixth grade and he has never faltered from his academic excellence. Introduced to basketball as a child, the sport has become one of his passions that he still practices as much as he can. It was last year that Ryan got involved with our program. “I met a group of young successful people like me who were determined to be successful in life. I felt like I belonged there,” he said.  Now a senior at Roger Bacon High School, Ryan is looking forward to attending a major university where he will continue to play basketball and grow in new ways.


 

Tamika Lawson
Recipient of a $500 YMCA of Greater Cincinnati Book Scholarship

Tamika is a dependable, focused and respectful student who has used her leadership skills in many ways. In the summer of 2009 she attended the College of Mt. St. Joseph Upward Bound Summer Academy and earned numerous accolades for her performance. For the last four years she has been a member of Phi Delta Kappa Inc, and currently is its vice president. Through the Cincinnati Super Choir she has mentored youth. Tamika also volunteers at The Rock Café and City Gospel Mission. A senior at Colerain High School, she is eager to move forward to even greater learning opportunities at a university.
 

Mallory Screws
Recipient of a $500 YMCA of Greater Cincinnati Book Scholarship


A senior at Walnut Hills High School, where she is enrolled in advanced classes of English, math, science and history; and has taken four years of Latin. Additionally Mallory is a six-year member of her school choir and a varsity basketball player. “I relate the game of basketball to life and commit to practice, being physically fit, always in attendance and on time, and now a leadership role to the younger players as team captain,” she said. Outside of school, Mallory is involved with the INTERalliance of Greater Cincinnati and Leadership Scholars; and serves on her ministries at her church. She wants to study math in college and is determined to graduate with honors.



 

Robert Stevenson
Recipient of a $500 YMCA of Greater Cincinnati Book Scholarship


Robert has a strong desire to make change happen. He has volunteered countless hours for important causes and has interned at Ugive. In fact, his dedication to community service earned him a $3,000 scholarship from the JCPenney Care, Share, Win essay contest. Robert is also a member of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Explorer Program. The YMCA Achievers, he said, has strengthened his skills and confidence. Being the son of a  police officer and behavioral detection officer has given Robert inspirations to follow his dreams of working in the criminal justice field. A senior at Butler Technical High School, he wants to pursue a criminology degree from either Morehead State University, University of Florida or Bowling Green.