A Smart Investment
For proof of Boys & Girls Clubs' enduring impact, consider the devastating effect of the national high school dropout rate, which hovers between 30 and 50 percent:
- If the students who dropped out of the class of 2008 had graduated, the nation's economy would have benefited from an additional $319 billion in income over their lifetimes.
- America could save more than $17 billion in Medicaid and expenditures for health care for the uninsured by graduating all students.
By contrast, 90 percent of Club alumni report graduating from high school, and two-thirds say that Club staff contributed to their high school success.
Invest in America's future. Support Boys & Girls Clubs of America today.
Potential for Greatness.
They may be famous, but they haven't forgotten where they came from — or what put them on the right path.
They are Boys & Girls Clubs of America's 2009 Alumni Hall of Fame inductees. As young members, they were encouraged to be the best they could be, to BE GREAT.
This guidance has paid off. Each of the 2009 Alumni Hall of Fame inductees has returned to Boys & Girls Clubs to give back. As you'll read in their stories below, their efforts are helping Clubs continue to save and change lives. It's a testament to their Club's impact, and their strong character.
There's no doubt about it: Boys & Girls Clubs provide opportunities that enable Club alumni to change the world.
Boys & Girls Clubs of America Alumni Hall of Fame Class of 2009
Ashanti Douglas
Singer/Songwriter
Superstar Ashanti's budding talents were nurtured by the Glen Cove Boys & Girls Club in New York, where her mother, Tina, taught dance. Ashanti performed onstage for the very first time at the Club, and she began writing songs in high school. Her 2002 debut album became #1 on the Billboard Top 200 and R&B album charts, and earned her a Grammy Award. In 2008, she partnered with jeweler Cartier on a "Love" bracelet benefiting Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Recently, she joined the organization's BE GREAT campaign to inspire young people to pursue their dreams.
"I won my first talent show at the Boys & Girls Club," she says. "I love kids, and want to reach out and inspire them."
J. Barry Griswell
Former Chairman & CEO, Principal Financial Group
Barry Griswell was only 4 when his parents divorced, forcing his mother to work two jobs. He found support and structure at the Joseph B. Whitehead Boys Club in Atlanta. He joined the Club's 10-and-under basketball team, where his first award was for "most improved." Griswell later entered the financial services industry, becoming chairman and CEO of Principal Financial Group. Currently chair of the board of trustees for Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Iowa, he is also founder of a nonprofit that supports Native American Clubs.
"In life, there are institutions that make us who we are," says Griswell. "For many of us, that was the Boys & Girls Club."
The Hon. Tim Irwin
Juvenile Court Judge
In his youth, Tim Irwin thrived in the structured environment and excelled in sports at the Caswell Avenue Boys Club in Knoxville, Tenn. He went on to play 14 seasons in the NFL, 12 of them with the Minnesota Vikings. While still in the NFL, Irwin pursued a law degree; he was appointed Knox County Juvenile Court Judge in 2005. He continues to give back to his Club, including
through the annual Tim Irwin Bass Tournament.
As a juvenile court judge, Irwin believes that "half the problems" he sees could be solved by attending a Boys & Girls Club. "I'm not a judge who wants my court to get bigger or smaller," he says. "I want mine to close."
Usher Raymond IV
Singer/Actor
Five-time Grammy Award-winner Usher discovered music at an early age, performing in the church choir and at talent shows. The Highland Park Club in Chattanooga, Tenn., gave him the motivation to pursue his dreams and fostered a love of community service. At age 14, he released his self-titled debut album. In 1999, he founded Usher's New Look, a nonprofit organization that gives youth a firsthand look at the business side of sports and entertainment. Usher has joined Boys & Girls Clubs of America's BE GREAT campaign to raise awareness of the impact of Clubs.
"It takes a village to raise a child," says Usher. "My village was the Highland Park Boys Club."
Mike Tomlin
NFL Head Coach
Mike Tomlin credits the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Virginia Peninsula in Newport News with teaching him the "right way to compete." Raised by a single mother who needed a safe place for her sons to go after school, Tomlin developed his athletic prowess at the Club's sports tournaments. He went on to play football at the College of William & Mary. In 2007 he became head coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Last February, Tomlin made history as the youngest head coach to lead his team to a Super Bowl victory. Today, his sons belong to a Pittsburgh Club, where he volunteers for the baseball program.
"The Newport News Clubs were a lifeline for our area," says Tomlin. "They laid the foundation for my competitive spirit."
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