"A home is a house or other place of residence where one feels a sense of comfort." A second home to many children and teens in the Uptown community where love and comfort are expressed and given through counseling and extra curricular activities is the Robert R. McCormick Boys & Girls Club. "The club" as we affectionately call it is a place to learn, laugh, build, and most importantly have fun. The Club has opened up so many doors and given me so much to look forward to in life including Academics, sports, dance, Art, computers, job training, Keystone, and the list goes on and on.
Being raised by a single parent and brought into a life of crime, insufficient funds and alcohol abuse, success, as far as, college or even tomorrow were never a priority. As an athlete, one learns how to think fast on the court. The staff at the Boys & Girls club has taught me to think fast in every aspect of my life. They have encouraged me to use my talents to over come any obstacle that comes my way. To never say I can't. Strive for excellence, the Sky is the limit, is the motto for our clubs staff.
Think fast - It's a hot summer day and you and your best friend have nothing to do.
This happened to me and my best friend Anita almost 7 years ago. It was a hot day and we were gulping down .25 juices. We were bored to death and had nothing to do. It was a good time to get into some trouble. Luckily, Anita suggested that we go to the boys & girls club. I was confused. I thought she meant Boy scouts, and I am not a boy. She thought that was funny. When she brought me to the club, I walked in the door and saw kids in the games room. There was a pool, a gym; I mean this place was sweet! I couldn't believe I had never come here before. When I returned with my application, I immediately began to make friends. I was having a ball. I slowly began to realize that no one really looked like me. Being the only the white girl in a mostly black club was never a problem for me. But some came to me with criticism, and stereotypes. Think Fast? What do you do? I was simply myself, the members learned about me and I learned about them. After we broke the ice, it didn't matter what I looked like. What mattered was my dazzling personality.
Is an individual born a leader or made into a leader? Does a leader sit back and allow others to lead?
A leader comes in many shapes, sizes and races. I can honestly say that the McCormick boys & Girls Club made me into the leader I am today. Think Fast- You have good ideas and the Torch club elections are just around the corner. Do you step up to the challenge or do you sit back and stay in your comfort zone? It would have been easy for me not to try. But I wanted to make a difference. The Torch club taught me the foundations of leading a group of my peers. Leadership plays a key role in my life. I have been successful both on and off the court. In addition to my success, I have taken what I have learned to encourage others to do their best as well. As a team captain in 3 different sports, and a Drill Team commander in Jr. ROTC, have been able help others strive for their best. This is not always easy. Being a leader comes with the responsibility of meeting, no exceeding the expectations of others. As a leader, you have to show that you are in it for the team. But at the same time, give directions that inspire others to do their best. Sometimes, you can inspire people to do better by just doing your best. I am proud to say, that I have earned the respect and support of my fellow team mates, JROTC cadets and especially Keystone Members. This is because I choose to work hard and try my best to make things better.
Decisions are hard to make when your success and education are fighting one on one with your family problems. My sister is stuck with little education and no money to support her three children. Think Fast - what do you do? Do you follow in her footsteps and have children at a young age? I see her struggles and choose to follow a different path. Ralph Waldo Emmerson Said "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." In my family, the path is set for little money, little education, and no future. I am paving the way for something different. My mother works double shifts almost every night to support my sister, my sister's boyfriend and their three children. My mother has very little time for a social life of her own. Being the first in my family to graduate from high school and aspire to go to college, I plan to set an example that will hopefully encourage my sister to stay strong and create a better future for herself and her children. With a college education, my sister could become independent and provide a better life for her children. Then, my mother would be free to retire, travel, and enjoy the rest of her life. I work hard to get good grades so that I can be accepted to a good college and secure a prosperous future for myself. With a college education, I can ensure that my future will be filled with open doors and opportunities.
When you are a part of something special, you can't say enough about it. The McCormick Boys & Girls club is an institution that has affected every aspect of my life. It has taught me many of the skills I have used to succeed in school. I have made life-long friends at the club. I have been accepted into a family where success is not only a possibility, but the expectation. Think Fast - when a place has touched your life in such a deep and penetrating way, what can you do to say thank you. I have decided to say thank you, by making my life, my actions and my words serve as an example of the skills, values, and experiences I have learned from my home at the McCormick Boys & Girls Club. If you have learned anything about me here today, I hope that you have learned that The Boys & Girls Club is a powerful place that means a lot to many young people around Chicago- especially to me, Gennie Mae Cook. Thank You.
