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On January 27, 2010, Tennessee Titans radio
personality Mike Keith joined Bill Fry, President and CEO of Nashville based
Oreck Corporation, and Titan cheerleaders to award Deanna Miller from Pleasant
View, TN, winner of the Oreck Power Team MVP Titans program. Titans fan, Miller
was chosen at random from the 3500 fans who voted on the Oreck Power Team
weekly player throughout the 2009 season.
She took home an advanced new Oreck Platinum Pilot™ vacuum cleaner with
revolutionary 360 degree glide.
The Oreck contest benefited the Boys & Girls Clubs of
Middle Tennessee. Bob Jacobs, VP of Resource Development for the Boys &
Girls Clubs was also on hand to receive a contribution from Oreck as part of
the Titans Power Play program.
The award ceremony took place at the
Taco Bell College Tour
Since 2000, Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee have taken over 225 youth to tour campuses throughout the U.S. Areas visited include Washington D.C., Maryland, North Carolina, Central Ohio, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri. The 2009 tour included universities in Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama.
The purpose of the Taco Bell College Tour is to expose our youth to college campuses outside of Middle Tennessee. Most of the young people involved at BGCMT have extremely limited resources (70% of the kids we serve come from families that make less than $25,000/yr.) and without this program would not have the opportunity to be exposed to the idea of college.
Along with attending the tour, each youth must keep a journal and receive training on topics including standardized tests, researching colleges, completing university applications, resume writing, interviewing skills, financial aid, money management and short- and long-term goal setting.
Teens are asked to pay $50 each toward their trip. However, no young person will be refused the opportunity to participate due to the inability to pay. Staff, volunteers and youth work together to meet the annual $35,000 budget.
The College Readiness Program has kicked off another year in the fall of 2009 with its first session that allowed participants to elect their leadership. Several young people were recognized by their peers and elected to represent them on the 2009 College Readiness Student Executive Committee. These young people worked to establish roles and responsibilities for the committee members, set expectations for all Program participants, set the initial service project and discussed the Schools/Route of the Tour. (To date there have been 78 young people attending the training sessions described below.)
Over the past months there have been trainings on:
- Goal Setting
- Participants work toward establishing short & long term goals
- ACT & SAT prep with Princeton Review
- Study tips established
- How to register for test
- Locations for testing
- Goals for Graduation
- Academic goals established
- Short & long term goals
- Goals & strategies for academic improvement
- "How to Sell Yourself" (with potential employers, schools etc.)
- Guest speaker discussed how to make positive first impressions
- Careers Explorations
- Guest Speaker from YBuild program discuss career interests and exploration
- Resume & Cover letter writing
- Guest speaker from Robert Half International lead a discussion and exercises on resume & cover letter writing as well as interviewing do's & don'ts.
We still have a few more trainings to go.
We are working to finalize the rout and tour dates with several Colleges and Universities selected by the participants. A final list will not be available until Mid February, as many of the potential tour stops are requesting extensions on scheduling.
2010 College Tour Itinerary
Day 1 - March 15, 2010
12:00am DepartAndrew Jackson Club (
8:00am Breakfast(on road)
10:00am Arrivein
(214) 376-1000
Contact:Yolanda
12:30pm Lunch
2:00pm
(817) 272-0146
Contact: Brittney Joyce
4:00pm Tour
7:00pm Dinner
9:00pm HotelCheck-In
Day 2 - March 16, 2010
4:30am Meetin Lobby
Check-outof Hotel
5:00am Breakfast
5:45am DepartDallas (
9:00am Arrivein
Tour
1372TAMU
(979)845-1060
Contact:Aaron Trask
9:15-11:00 Campus Tour
11:15-12:15 Admissions/Scholarships & FinancialAid Session
12:30-1:30 Lunch
1:45-2:30 Tour Residence Hall
3:00pm PostOak Mall (shopping trip)
5:15pm Depart
7:00pm Dinner
8:45pm Arrivein
HotelCheck-in
Day 3 - March 17, 2010
8:00am Meetin Lobby
8:30am Breakfast
10:00am
6100
(713) 348-6124
Contact:Jennifer Adair
1:00pm Lunch
2:00pm Tour
(713)313-7011
4:45pm Arriveback at Hotel
6:00pm Dinner
BasketballGame (Gates open at 6:30)
HoustonRockets VS Memphis Grizzlies (Game starts at 7:30)
11:00pm Arriveback at Hotel
Day 4 - March 18, 2010
7:30am Meetin Lobby
Check-outof Hotel
8:00am Breakfast
9:00am
(281)649-3000
12:00pm Lunch
1:30pm
4:00pm Depart
7:00pm Dinner(on road)
11:30pm Arrivein
HotelCheck-in
Day 5 - March 19, 2010
8:00am Meetin Lobby
Check-outof Hotel
8:30am Breakfast
10:00am TourPhilander
900Daisy Bates
(501) 370-5221
Contact:
12:30pm Lunch
1:30pm Tour
(501)374-4242
4:00pm Depart
7:00pm Dinner
11:30pm Arrivein
Please click here to read an excerpt from a Club Member's College Tour Journal.
Please contact Jim Williamson, 615.425.7016, if you are interested in supporting this program.
Click here to learn more about the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens, direct supporters of this initiative.
Upcoming Events
April 9, 2010: Barn Bash
September 18, 2010: Great Nashville Duck Race
November 1, 2010: 20th Annual Ingram Cup Golf Challenge
November 5, 2010: Wine Down Main Street event to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Franklin/Williamson County
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©2008 Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee
