Success Stories
In addition to the perils of drugs and violence associated with growing up on the West Side, Yolandis overcame significant tragedy in 2009 after surviving a near fatal car crash from which she was thrown through the windshield. After taking a semester off to recover, she returned to school and activities with renewed focus, realizing that she was given a second chance at life. She has maintained a 3.9 GPA, has worked part-time to help pay the family’s bills, has volunteered at a local hospital and has assisted her grandmother who was struck by a heart attack last year. She has become an active teen role model at the Dr. Martin Luther King Club.
"Most of the students I have grown up with are either locked-up in prison or dead. My Club gives me hope that there is a brighter tomorrow for teenagers who got lost on the road to greatness. I know that when I walk through those doors, I am surrounded by staff who push us to believe that if we follow our dreams, anything is possible. I not only enjoy the fact that I have others to support and believe in me, but I can now say the most important quality that I have gained over the years is to believe in myself."
Zoraida Sambolin, NBC5 Chicago News Anchor and former Logan Square Club Member
"Being a member of the McCormick Boys & Girls Club has been a great experience for me. Since I started at the Club 11 years ago, I have been taught to be polite, caring and helpful. The staff has been a great substitute for my mom when she is not around. I have stumbled but the Club is always there to show me how important it is to make good choices. I feel empowered to reach my goals without the fear of failure."
"Living in the Little Village community is tough for a teenager. Almost every block has gang members that make me feel uncomfortable and not safe. The Club has offered me and other teenagers a safe place to enjoy our youth. The programs keep me busy and make me a better person. The workshops make me think twice about the decisions that I make. My freshman year was not my best academically, but a staff member noticed and opened my eyes to change the way I was or I would eventually regret it. The staff always offered me the best advice, and I know I can count on them if I need anything."
"Going to the Club everyday afterschool allowed me to see life with a different perspective. The staff members supported my goals in graduating from high school, planning for college, and creating amazing opportunities for myself. They taught me that it was okay to live my life following my own path and not someone else’s, leading me to become much more than just another teen statistic. For a majority of my life I have lived in a gang infested area and I saw many of my friends fall victim to their ways. The Club has been a safe haven for me: a home away from home."