At the end of summer Aspiring Youth students had the opportunity to participate in the 2008 Jeter’s Leaders Leadership Conference in Arlington, Texas, at The University of Texas at Arlington. Jeter’s Leaders are students of a youth leadership program run by the Turn 2 Foundation for at-risk youth, and the week long conference gave all students a true learning experience.

When our Aspiring Youth students first arrived, they were introduced to college student life, greeted and given keys to their dorm rooms. The conference focused on issues relating to teens such as drug and substance abuse, healthy relationships, financial literacy, global issues, media influences, and community service.

There were many conference workshops, and over the week the days were busy with many sport and other activities in addition to the workshops. Some conference workshops were student led by the Jeter’s Leaders and offered our students a different experience, an open conversation and presentation between peers. Derek Jeter himself made a guest appearance to share his story and inspire the students toward greatness!

At the end of the week the kids enjoyed a barbeque picnic and many groups got ready to leave. During this time our Aspiring Youth students had to stay an extra day because of oncoming hurricane. We are so thankful for the hospitality of Derek Jeter’s Turn 2 Foundation and are grateful for our invitation to this exciting event.

Like so many others in the Houston area, Ike caused some upheaval at the Aspiring Youth offices, rendering them uninhabitable. It was a stressful week, but our team pulled together to relocate us in a matter of days! Executive Director Karen Davis would like to personally thank all the staff and board members who assisted in this time of need. It is indeed a relief to be up and running. Our phone remains the same, and our new address is as follows:

Aspiring Youth of Houston
9950 Westpark Dr. Suite 280
Houston, TX 77063

Map to Aspiring Youth

Aspiring Youth students at Marshall Middle School worked with Mecca and the Willy Wonka Company to celebrate “Dia de los Muertos” (Day of the Dead) by creating their own works of art. The annual “Dia de los Muertos” is a traditional Mexican holiday that honors the past lives of family and friends, and it is frequently shown in music, dance, theatre and visual arts. Our Aspiring Youth students designed altars dedicated to their loved ones out of candy and candy boxes donated by the Willy Wonka Company.

Every year Aspiring Youth gets the students geared up and motivated for success in school by treating them to a sports game, and this year the Houston Dynamo generously donated tickets to our Aspiring Youth After-School Program. This event is often a first time experience for many, and the students had a fantastic time watching soccer, watching the Dynamo girls and cheering on the Houston team.

The students and staff express their many thanks to Dynamo for having the opportunity to attend the game.

Aspiring Youth of Houston is pleased to announce a new undertaking as part of our after-school programs at Jackson Middle School. Last year Crystal Arellano, a former student at Jackson Middle School and dance captain of her own high school dance team, volunteered to teach and mentor a girls’ dance team at Jackson. Due to Crystal’s great mentoring and hard work, it was a tremendous success.

This year, Aspiring Youth of Houston and Jackson Middle School would like to recruit more girls and make an overall better program though the support of our community and through fundraising to purchase pom-poms and uniforms. Crystal believes that she has “had a great experience working with the girls on the dance team” and that they “are more than just a team but have become a family that will be united and will stick together until the very end.”

This fall Lindsay Moody has joined Aspiring Youth as an intern through the American Humanics Program. Lindsay is in her senior year at the University of Houston where she majors in Psychology and minors in Sociology, and where she also serves as the Marketing Committee Chair for the American Humanics Student Association. Lindsay came to Aspiring Youth because she has a passion for helping at-risk youth, and on her own time, she volunteers as a mentor.

She plans to graduate from the University of Houston in May of 2009 with her Bachelor of Science and continue her education by pursuing a Master of Social Work.

Aspiring Youth of Houston would like to give a heartfelt thank you to our many volunteers during the school year of 2007-2008. We recognize that our volunteers allow more and more children to benefit from the Aspiring Youth After-School Program, and we believe that knowing that you are helping others brings joy into everyone’s life. This corner celebrates the contributions and dedications of many of you. Please visit the link at left and give yourself a congratulatory pat on the back.

Aspiring Youth of Houston would like to thank our many donors in 2007 for giving to our organization for the present so that we may prepare our youth for the future. We believe that a helping hand at the right time can make a lifetime of difference, and it is our many donors that make the Aspiring Youth After-School Program possible.