Summer programs rarely get high-profile visitors, but YouthConnect Worcester in Massachusetts recently received a visit from Governor Charlie Baker for an Olympic presentation on July 29th.
This year marks the first that Mission E4 is taking part in Youth Connect Worcester- local nonprofit United Way’s summer program held in conjunction with organizations such as YMCA of Central MA, YWCA Central Massachusetts, Boys & Girls Club of Worchester, Girls Inc, YOU, Inc, and Friendly House.
With YouthConnect Worcester’s summer program just about to end for the year, Mission E4 reflects on the goals of the program and the nonprofit’s experience hosting the governor for his visit.
What is YouthConnect Worcester?
YouthConnect Worcester is a program that is held by United Way in collaboration with other Massachusetts based organizations geared towards helping youth.
During the school year, YouthConnect holds several programs that give children fruitful activities to enjoy after school including access to sports and fitness activities, assistance with schoolwork, clubs, and college preparatory programs.
YouthConnect Worcester recognizes that youth from low-income families experience an opportunity gap that is especially glaring during summer months. Summer programs such as YouthConnect are, therefore, an effective way to improve school attachment, motivation, as well as relationships with peers and adults, reinforcing skills before the next school year.
July 6th to August 27th from 5:30-9 on weekdays, United Way shifts gears for its summer program to work towards its goal of engaging the youth of the Worcester area. Each location partnered with YouthConnect Worcester features different events throughout the week ensuring that children have a huge variety of activities over the course of the summer.
The program also has made it its mission to combat hunger in the Massachusetts area. Hunger is a common problem that impacts families year-round, and YouthConnect acknowledges that only 1 in 8 children eligible for free or reduced lunch during the school year can access can secure the same for meals in the summer.
To help reduce the negative impacts of hunger on our youth, YouthConnect Worcester provides free dinner in addition to its other services- a huge benefit to the 1 in 4 children in Worchester that go to bed hungry each night.
Information on YouthConnect Worcester Events
As part of YouthConnect’s mission to provide recreational, educational, and cultural activities for middle school aged youth, the program has many different sources of entertainment. Some of the types of events featured by the organization include social recreation, indoor and outdoor sports, dance, career prep, swimming, and cooking.
It is United Way’s goal that YouthConnect provides children with a wide range of different activities to explore their interests and connect with one another throughout the summer, often including relevant themes as the basis for events.
Governor Baker’s visit took place during an Olympics themed event held by Boys & Girls Club of Worcester with help from Mission E4 and its martial arts studio affiliate Maillet’s Martial Arts.
During the visit, the governor enjoyed a Rhee Taekwondo performance by Maillet’s Martial Arts featuring the Mission E4 Youth Group. Roger Maillet led a demonstration alongside, Taran Long, 2nd Dan Black Belt Dorian Moore, and 1st Dan Black Belt Lunabelle Moore.
Maillet’s Martial Arts held several other small performances for the governor during the Olympic event as well. This includes Might for Right/ Exodus, a Jhoon Rhee Taekwondo form performed by Dorian Moore and board breaking routines with Dorian and Lunabelle.
Governor Baker- who paid the event a visit to see the impact that YouthConnect Worcester has had on the greater Massachusetts community- was overjoyed by the night’s performances.
Staff was also overjoyed by the visit from the governor, seeing it proof that the program and ones like it have the support and interest of local politicians. Not only is the visit great for shedding light on the work the program does, but it also presents the possibility of the program expanding the scope of its impact.
Mission E4 followed up the visit with a FB post that reads “We were so honored to be a part of the YouthConnect Worcester #olympic presentation and Boys & Girls Club of Worcester last night”.
About Mission E4
Mission E4 is a Central Massachusetts based nonprofit founded by Scott and Tanya Long in 2005. The organization’s mission is to give kids hope by empowering them to be their best selves and reinforces this through its commitment to core values such as being courageous in action, honorable in relationships, and united in purpose.
Mission E4 is known for its commitment to communities both local and international. The nonprofit hosts multiple mission trips to assist with recovery and access to opportunity in Haiti in addition to the events that it hosts in Massachusetts to uplift the local community.
