“It isn’t where you came from, it’s where you’re going that counts.” — Ella Fitzgerald ©iStock/XiXinXing Photo courtesy: YMCA of Central Florida Florida, serves on his local Y’s Achievers Board of Directors, contributing his time, talent and financial support to ensure youth in his community have the opportunity to succeed. To learn more about how the Y helps youth set and achieve their goals, visit ymca.net/education-leadership. Member News is an official publication of YMCA of the USA, produced monthly for the 22 million members of the nation’s 2,700 YMCAs. YMCA and the YMCA logo are registered trademarks of YMCA of the USA. Opinions expressed are not necessarily the views of any YMCA or YMCA of the USA, and the appearance of any advertisement for a product or service does not constitute an endorsement by YMCA of the USA. For questions about programs and events at your Y, please ask your front-desk staff. Questions or comments about Member News? E-mail [email protected], YMCA of the USA, 101 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60606. © Copyright National Council of Young Men’s Christian Association of the United States of America, 2015. MISSION IN ACTION INSPIRING SUCCESSFUL FUTURES At the Y, we believe all children and teens deserve the opportunity to discover their potential. Through more than 250 Achievers programs, the Y helps teens across the country explore, set and pursue educational and career goals; raise their academic standards; develop a positive sense of self; and connect with professionals who can offer guidance and encouragement. For youth from low-income households and first-generation college prospects, Achievers can open the door to a future they thought was out of reach. “Much has been given to me, and I have to give it back. I want to be an inspiration to the youth in the same way Achievers volunteers were an inspiration to me.” – Denaro Allen, YMCA of Central Florida Achievers graduate and board member For 25 years, the Achievers program at the YMCA of Central Florida has been helping youth of all backgrounds prepare for successful futures. More than 11,500 teens have completed the program, and 82 percent have gone on to graduate from college, earn a career certification or join the military. Meeting at the Y or their high schools at least once a week, teens are able to speak with community professionals who volunteer their time as mentors, and develop new life skills such as financial literacy and relationship building. These opportunities, paired with college prep sessions and in- and out-of-state college tours, provide inspiration and direction for teens to set and reach their goals. For Denaro Allen, the YMCA of Central Florida Achievers program became a refuge from the stress he felt as a teenager at school and in a single-parent family struggling with financial hardships. The care and encouragement of the Achievers staff and mentors helped him build confidence in his academic abilities, form positive relationships with peers and mentors, and develop resilience and self-discipline to succeed as a first-generation college student. “They believed in me when I didn't believe in myself and encouraged me to aim high in life,” he said. Denaro went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from Florida A&M University and a law degree from North Carolina Central University – two schools he visited through the Y’s college tour. He has come full circle as an Achiever, and today the 32-year-old civil and criminal trial attorney in Kissimmee, As the nation’s largest operator of swimming pools, the Y gives more than 1 million children a year the skills they need to be safe around water. Drowning is a serious threat to the health and well-being of people across the U.S., particularly children and minorities. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the second- leading cause of death for children ages 4 to 14, and the rate of drowning for African-American children is nearly three times the rate for white children. The Y is here to help. Through the recently launched Safety Around Water program, the Y aims to give children of all ages and backgrounds the opportunity to develop the invaluable water safety skills that can keep them safe in and around water. These skills not only save lives, but they also help children build confidence in their abilities. May is Water Safety Month and a good time to make sure children are prepared to be safe around the water. Speak with your YMCA’s staff about helping children develop this important life skill. In addition, caregivers can ensure everyone stays safe around the water with these tips: • Never leave children unattended, and stay vigilant when around any body of water. • Designate a “Water Watcher” to supervise children around water. This person should not read, use a cellphone or be otherwise distracted. • Inexperienced and non-swimmers should wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket around water. • Children should stay away from pool drains, pipes and other openings to avoid entrapments. • Children and adults should not engage in breath-holding activities. To learn more about the Y’s efforts to help all children stay safe around water, visit ymca.net/watersafety. Take time during Older Americans Month this May to consider how small lifestyle changes can help you and your loved ones maintain health and well-being with age. Here are a few tips for getting started: • Be social. Take a walk with a friend, join a book club or volunteer at the Y. Interactions with neighbors and friends are important ingredients for well-being. • Eat more potassium, less salt. Increase potassium by eating fruits, vegetables and low-fat milk and yogurt, and reduce your sodium intake. Both can lower the risk of high blood pressure. • Tweak your routine. Squeeze in 30 minutes of daily physical activity by breaking it into shorter sessions and incorporating it into daily activities. Take the stairs to get in some cardio. Increase balance by standing on one foot while washing the dishes. Break up long periods of sitting with light stretching. • Take a snooze. Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep a night. A lack of sleep has been associated with elevated cholesterol and blood pressure. • Fill up on fiber. Pack your plate with a variety of colorful fruits and veggies to achieve the fiber-rich diet that is important for healthy aging. At the Y, our cause of strengthening community includes improving the nation’s health and well-being by helping people of every age and background adopt healthy lifestyles and reduce their risk of chronic disease. The number of older adults in the U.S. is growing at a rapid pace. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, one in five Americans will be age 65 or older by 2030. At the same time, research shows that as adults age, their physical activity decreases and the rate of chronic disease increases. The Y works to reverse those trends by helping adults develop behaviors that are necessary for healthy, active lives: eating nutritious foods, increasing physical activity and making social connections. LIFELONG HEALTH HELPING YOUTH HOP THE GAP Every day young people face challenges related to hunger, health, learning, water safety and access to safe spaces, which prevent them from reaching their full potential. In response, the Y provides support and programs that help youth overcome barriers – or hop the gap – to achieve more. To learn how the Y helps kids reach their potential, visit hopthegap.org. To learn more about how the Y supports health and well-being at every age, speak with your YMCA’s staff or visit ymca.net/healthy-living. THEY BELONG TOGETHER Safety Around Water 71 % OF THE EARTH IS WATER 65 % OF YOUR CHILD IS WATER 451516 03/15 ©Leonello Calvetti/Stocktrek Images Rubberball/Erik Isakson Jose Luis Pelaez Inc MEMBER NEWS ymca.net MAY 2015 The Y. So Much More ™ Denaro Allen, a former Achiever participant at the YMCA of Central Florida, serves as an ambassador of the program that provided him with the encouragement and direction he needed as a teen to grow into a successful, engaged member of the community.
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“It isn’t where you came from,
it’s where you’re going that counts.”
— Ella Fitzgerald
©iStock/XiXinXing
Photo courtesy: YMCA of Central Florida
Florida, serves on his local Y’s Achievers Board of Directors, contributing his time, talent and financial support to ensure youth in his community have the opportunity to succeed.
To learn more about how the Y helps youth set and achieve their goals, visit ymca.net/education-leadership.
Member News is an official publication of YMCA of the USA, produced monthly for the 22 million members of the nation’s 2,700 YMCAs. YMCA and the YMCA logo are registered trademarks of YMCA of the USA. Opinions expressed are not necessarily the views of any YMCA or YMCA of the USA, and the appearance of any advertisement for a product or service does not constitute an endorsement by YMCA of the USA. For questions about programs and events at your Y, please ask your front-desk staff. Questions or comments about Member News? E-mail [email protected], YMCA of the USA, 101 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60606. © Copyright National Council of Young Men’s Christian Association of the United States of America, 2015.
MISSION IN ACTIONINSPIRING SUCCESSFUL FUTURESAt the Y, we believe all children and teens deserve the opportunity to discover their potential. Through more than 250 Achievers programs, the Y helps teens across the country explore, set and pursue educational and career goals; raise their academic standards; develop a positive sense of self; and connect with professionals who can offer guidance and encouragement. For youth from low-income households and first-generation college prospects, Achievers can open the door to a future they thought was out of reach.
“ Much has been given to me, and I have to give it back. I want to be an inspiration to the youth in the same way Achievers volunteers were an inspiration to me.”
– Denaro Allen, YMCA of Central Florida Achievers graduate and board member
For 25 years, the Achievers program at the YMCA of Central Florida has been helping youth of all backgrounds prepare for successful futures. More than 11,500 teens have completed the program, and 82 percent have gone on to graduate from college, earn a career certification or join the military. Meeting at the Y or their high schools at least once a week, teens are able to speak with community professionals who volunteer their time as mentors, and develop new life skills such as financial literacy and relationship building. These opportunities, paired with college prep sessions and in- and out-of-state college tours, provide inspiration and direction for teens to set and reach their goals.
For Denaro Allen, the YMCA of Central Florida Achievers program became a refuge from the stress he felt as a teenager at school and in a single-parent family struggling with financial hardships. The care and encouragement of the Achievers staff and mentors helped him build confidence in his academic abilities, form positive relationships with peers and mentors, and develop resilience and self-discipline to succeed as a first-generation college student. “They believed in me when I didn't believe in myself and encouraged me to aim high in life,” he said.
Denaro went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from Florida A&M University and a law degree from North Carolina Central University – two schools he visited through the Y’s college tour. He has come full circle as an Achiever, and today the 32-year-old civil and criminal trial attorney in Kissimmee,
As the nation’s largest operator of swimming pools, the Y gives more than 1 million children a year the skills they need to be safe around water.
Drowning is a serious threat to the health and well-being of people across the U.S., particularly children and minorities. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the second-leading cause of death for children ages 4 to 14, and the rate of drowning for African-American children is nearly three times the rate for white children.
The Y is here to help. Through the recently launched Safety Around Water program, the Y aims to give children of all ages and backgrounds the opportunity to develop the invaluable water safety skills that can keep them safe in and around water. These skills not only save lives, but they also help children build confidence in their abilities.
May is Water Safety Month and a good time to make sure children are prepared to be safe around the water. Speak with your YMCA’s staff about helping children develop this important life skill. In addition, caregivers can ensure everyone stays safe around the water with these tips:
• Never leave children unattended, and stay vigilant when around any body of water.
• Designate a “Water Watcher” to supervise children around water. This person should not read, use a cellphone or be otherwise distracted.
• Inexperienced and non-swimmers should wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket around water.
• Children should stay away from pool drains, pipes and other openings to avoid entrapments.
• Children and adults should not engage in breath-holding activities.
To learn more about the Y’s efforts to help all children stay safe around water, visit ymca.net/watersafety.
Take time during Older Americans Month this May to consider how small lifestyle changes can help you and your loved ones maintain health and well-being with age. Here are a few tips for getting started: • Be social. Take a walk with a friend, join a book club or volunteer
at the Y. Interactions with neighbors and friends are important ingredients for well-being.
• Eat more potassium, less salt. Increase potassium by eating fruits, vegetables and low-fat milk and yogurt, and reduce your sodium intake. Both can lower the risk of high blood pressure.
• Tweak your routine. Squeeze in 30 minutes of daily physical activity by breaking it into shorter sessions and incorporating it into daily activities. Take the stairs to get in some cardio. Increase balance by standing on one foot while washing the dishes. Break up long periods of sitting with light stretching.
• Take a snooze. Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep a night. A lack of sleep has been associated with elevated cholesterol and blood pressure.
• Fill up on fiber. Pack your plate with a variety of colorful fruits and veggies to achieve the fiber-rich diet that is important for healthy aging.
At the Y, our cause of strengthening community includes improving the nation’s health and well-being by helping people of every age and background adopt healthy lifestyles and reduce their risk of chronic disease.
The number of older adults in the U.S. is growing at a rapid pace. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, one in five Americans will be age 65 or older by 2030. At the same time, research shows that as adults age, their physical activity decreases and the rate of chronic disease increases. The Y works to reverse those trends by helping adults develop behaviors that are necessary for healthy, active lives: eating nutritious foods, increasing physical activity and making social connections.
LIFELONG HEALTH
HELPING YOUTH HOP THE GAPEvery day young people face challenges related to hunger, health, learning, water safety and access to safe spaces, which prevent them from reaching their full potential. In response, the Y provides support and programs that help youth overcome barriers – or hop the gap – to achieve more. To learn how the Y helps
kids reach their potential, visit hopthegap.org.
To learn more about how the Y supports health and well-being at every age, speak with your YMCA’s staff or visit ymca.net/healthy-living.
THEY BELONG TOGETHERSafety Around Water
71% OF THE EARTH IS WATER
65% OF YOUR CHILD IS WATER
451516 03/15©Leonello Calvetti/Stocktrek Images Rubberball/Erik Isakson Jose Luis Pelaez Inc
MEMBER NEWS ymca.net
MAY 2015 The Y. So Much More™
Denaro Allen, a former Achiever participant at the YMCA of Central Florida, serves as an ambassador of the program that provided him with the encouragement and direction he needed as a teen to grow into a successful, engaged member of the community.
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