Imagine this: You're heading into your senior year of high school... in the middle of a pandemic. School is online, and you can't see your friends every day. All your favorite high school activities like homecoming or sporting events are canceled. College visits are virtual. Your entire school year is turned upside down.
The class of 2021 is unlike any other, and at Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago, despite these challenges, we have seen a record number of seniors flourish in a time of despair.
From dreams of becoming pediatricians, engineers, therapists, lawyers, nurses, pharmacists; this year's class didn't hold back. We had students trained to administer vaccines through pharmacy internship programs. We had Club members earning scholarships to secure financial support. We had seniors prove the resiliency of our young people to be truly inspiring.
During the month of June, BGCC celebrated these students and their achievements over the past four years. We discovered Club members were going to represent an array of universities from all around the country. Big Ten schools like Purdue University, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Michigan University. Historically Black Universities and Colleges like Howard University and Jackson State University. Private universities such as Xavier University and Drake University. Top in-state schools like University of Chicago, University of Illinois-Chicago, DePaul University, Loyola University, Northern Illinois University and Illinois State. Liberal arts schools like Denison University. And local 2-year community colleges to build their foundation, like Harold Washington College and Malcolm X College.
Some of our members have credited their Clubs for helping inspire their career paths. Some have fond memories of field trips exploring the city. Some have thanked Club staff who saw them as valued mentors. And we had Club members be the first in their family to go to college.
Join us in congratulating this extraordinary class, who have truly overcome unimaginable challenges to begin their next adventure!
Courtney S., Valentine Club, biology, Denison University
Kyle H., Jordan Club, biochemistry, University of Michigan
Blessing L., Jordan Club, pharmacy, Howard University
Yanelli C., Linda and Bill Gantz Club, biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Jacky L., Valentine Club, civil/mechanical engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago
Miguel R., CC's Little Village Club, Spanish, DePaul University
Naydelin F., Jordan Club, nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago
Ahmad E., Pedersen-McCormick Club, accounting, Illinois State
Corrie B., Jordan Club, computer science and mathemetics or molecular engineering, University of Chicago
Shania B., Pedersen-McCormick Club, biology, Xavier University
Nicholas B., Jordan Club, mechanical engineering, Jackson State University
Liana J., Valentine Club, African American studies and political science, Purdue University
Claudia D., Pedersen-McCormick Club, business or chemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Brooklyn D., Jordan Club, computer engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago
Krystelle F., Linda and Bill Gantz Club, engineering, University of Michigan
Antonia T., Jordan Club, marketing, Howard University
Jazmine D., Jordan Club, political science, Illinois State
Jakeyleon B., Jordan Club, undecided, Western Michigan
Estrella B., CC's Little Village Club, nursing, Malcolm X College
Samantha B., Valentine Club, psychology, Harold Washington Colleg
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