Jubrill Williams
From the Desk of Jubrill Williams
New York State Youth of the Year
The Club has played an important role in my upbringing as well as that of my cousins and younger siblings. It has always been a safe place for the youth in my community and I credit the Club for helping me evolve from a child to a positive young man.
I joined the Boys and Girls Club twelve years ago and I've been involved in every leadership, education, guidance, and empowerment program the Club has to offer.
Each has taught me the importance of having good character, leadership skills and discipline, all of which will help me in college and in the working world.
Through these programs, I have been able to obtain employment, apply and be accepted to the culinary school of my choice, and participate in activities that help promote positivity in my community.
I also volunteer at the Club teaching classes to younger members on nutritional food choices and healthy meal preparation. The Club recognized my desire to attend culinary school and saw leading a program on nutrition as an opportunity for me to gain experience cooking for large groups. That’s just one example of how the staff at the Boys and Girls Club is always looking out for me.
The Club has been an anchor of support at all times – good and bad. For example, after losing my father at a young age to street violence and watching my paternal grandmother suffer for many years with cancer until her passing, it would have been easy to be bitter and excuse myself from the world. The Club staff taught me to work through my sorrow and anger by helping me focus on my goals and the importance of helping others even less fortunate. The staff makes me feel like I can accomplish my wildest dreams and I know they will continue to be there to cheer me on.
When I was unable to obtain summer employment, the Club allowed me to open my own sandwich shop on the premises to earn money and help my mother in supporting my family.
Over the past twelve years, the Boys and Girls Club staff has become more like a family to me. If I wasn’t in the Club doing positive things with my life, I may have been in the streets, in a gang, committing crimes, or even worse, in jail or dead.
I recently lost a friend to street violence and I know that it could have easily been me if not for the Club staff always being there to guide me in the right direction. I'm now a junior staff member and I utilize the skills that were given to me to aid the next generation – patience, understanding, a positive attitude and always leading by example.
The young man I have become today can be directly attributed to the activities, programs, and dedicated people that make up the Madison Square Boys & Girls Club."