Our eleven-year-old organization has drawn people in as it has grown over the past decade. Some have heard of us through partnerships and events, while to others through a student’s success story. New 2012 Board Chair, Lew Moore, however, has been with Youth Life Learning Centers from its start. He knew the individuals who initiated programming in Tennessee and was there to smell our first center’s paint dry when it was built in 2001. You can find Lew in pictures from YLLC’s beginning, helping students –some now high school graduates — with their homework. Although his favorite part of working with us is volunteering directly with children, he is now able to serve students in a different way as Board Chair. This on-going experience with our students will allow Lew to bring an exceptionally personable approach to his new position, one he describes as “an honor and a challenge.”
So why has Lew been around since the beginning? He sees the unique stance we take to serve not only the student through academic and character-building, but also his or her family and their community as a whole.
“I know that it works, as I have seen the fruits of their efforts. I’ve seen children soar to new academic heights and families uplifted. It is effective!” says Lew. One of his favorite stories on our effectiveness from over the years is about a family who was transplanted to Nashville as refugees from a civil war.
“The YLLC staff in their neighborhood really adopted this family, became friends with the parents and assisted their children in numerous ways. One of the youngest children, who was too young for the program, would, nonetheless, follow his siblings to the center each day. After taking notice, the staff created a special curriculum just for him. His speech was stilted, so they helped him with that and his English. By Christmas that year, he sang in the annual production. There were few dry eyes that day! Additionally, the staff helped one of the older siblings navigate through high school with tutoring. Youth Life helped bridge the cultural divide the parents were experiencing, as they were more accustomed to children working after a certain age. That student did graduate from high school and was the first in her family to attend college! The second eldest sibling is currently in college, too, and was a featured speaker at our Women and Girls Benefit Luncheon last summer! I firmly believe the life trajectory of this family would have taken a far different turn if not for the efforts of YLLC staff and volunteers.”
We’d like to thank Lew for his on-going dedication to our mission. We know we have great things ahead with Lew leading our board.
Youth Life Learning Centers 