Youth of the Year

Daniela Rivera was selected Youth of the Year for Boys & Girls Clubs of Edinburg RGV at the Annual “Steak” In Your Community event on January 12, 2019. Along with the title, Rivera will also receive a $2,000 scholarship, courtesy of the Tom & Jody Aderhold Endowed Youth of the Year Scholarship Program, the Ella de la Rosa Endowed Female Leadership Memorial Scholarship. Rivera is among hundreds of local youth across the country recognized by Boys & Girls Club of America (BGCA) for her sound character, leadership skills and willingness to give back to the community. Being named Youth of the Year is the highest honor a Boys & Girls Club member can receive. The title recognizes outstanding contributions to a member’s family, school, community and Boys & Girls Club, as well as personal challenges and obstacles overcome. This program was founded over 60 years ago through the generosity of the Reader’s Digest Foundation. The top three finalists were 2nd runner up Sarafaye De La Garza, 3rd runner up Katrina Medrano, and the Youth of the Year Daniela Rivera. Each will receive a scholarship in the amount of $1,500.00, $250.00 and $2,000.00 respectively. Sarafaye is the 1st reciepient of the Sabrina Walker Internander Salute to Excellence Scholarship.  

Empowering Boys Forum

Growing up, boys are at an impressionable stage, learning themselves how to become men. If they do not have a positive male role model to guide them, they will look to whoever else happens to be around. For many boys, those other options are not very positive. Recent statistics confirms that four out of every 10 families belong to a single-parent household. That leaves a lot of children, especially boys, without someone to look up to during those critical years when they are growing up to be men. Five male business owners and community leaders convened at the inaugural Empowering Boys Forum hosted by Boys & Girls Clubs of Edinburg RGV. Panelists were Marco Perez, First Community Bank; Dr. Luis Navarro, Edinburg Vision Center; Mike Sanchez, Pharmacist Walgreens; Lee Castro, Mortician, Legacy Chapel; and Nario Cantu, Cantu Pharmacy. The moderator was Rene Roman from PlainsCaptial Bank. The Empowering Boys Forum, provided a platform for these men to share their life lessons, decision making and challenges they have overcome to be successful. Thirty boys ages 10-15 got a head start on their future and were able to exchange views on viable life options; and explore various approaches and experiences for their life journey.  

Dollar General Literacy Foundation

Boys & Girls Clubs of Edinburg RGV Receives $12,000 Grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation to Support Family Literacy This week, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation awarded Boys & Girls Clubs of Edinburg RGV a $12,000.00 grant to support family literacy.  This local grant award is part of more than $7.5 million in grants awarded to nearly 900 schools, nonprofits and organizations across the 44 states that Dollar General serves. “The Dollar General Literacy Foundation grant is essential in preparing youth for academic and life success.  We are grateful to The Dollar General Literacy Foundation for the opportunity to create an environment that will encourage and allow our youth and their families to enjoy and develop an affinity for reading,” said Sabrina Walker Hernandez, Chief Executive Officer for Boys & Girls Clubs of Edinburg RGV. This grant will allow the Club to implement the Family Literacy Immersion Program Packs (FLIP Packs) which will provide access to age appropriate books for low-income children at the Sam Risica Unit located in the La Posada Housing Authority.  In addition, as part of the program, the Sam Risica Unit will host monthly Family Literacy Nights for families.  This grant will also allow for the Club to support the ESL classes currently being offered to parents at the housing authority. “Dollar General is excited to provide these organizations with funding to support literacy and education throughout the 44 states we serve,” said Todd Vasos, Dollar General’s CEO.  “Providing these grants and supporting the communities we call home reflects our mission of Serving Others and it’s rewarding to see the impact these funds have.” The Dollar General Literacy Foundation is proud to support initiatives that help others improve their lives through literacy and education. Since its inception in 1993, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has awarded more than $135 million in grants to nonprofit organizations, helping more than 8.6 million individuals take their first steps toward literacy or continued education.

National Robotics Week 2017

Hundreds of Club members and parents got an up close and personal look at how robotics is changing the world. At Boys & Girls Clubs of Edinburg RGV, it was a 3D printer hands on demonstration to kick off National Robotics Week. Daily at Boys & Girls Clubs of Edinburg RGV, Club members have the opportunity to work with robots, from programming to coding, there is a little bit of everything for them to experience. "Robotics is one of the most fast-paced and exciting fields that exists today," said Sabrina Walker Hernandez, CEO. "We must inspire Club members of all ages to pursue STEM careers and celebrate the exciting world of robotics and educate our families on how robots can positively impact society." National Robotics Week was established by Congress and iRobot in 2010 to raise awareness about the importance of STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), and the role these subjects play in shaping the future of education, industry and the U.S. economy. Last year, there were more than 300 registered events nationwide.