A group of teens from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Augusta (BGCGA) traveled to Washington, D.C., in July to participate in the Summit for America’s Youth, where they joined young leaders from across the country to strengthen their leadership skills and advocate for solutions to teen violence.
The summit concluded with a visit to Capitol Hill, where the Teens met with Georgia Senators Jon Ossoff & Raphael Warnock and U.S. Representative Rick Allen. During their meetings, they shared their experiences addressing teen violence in Augusta and advocated for continued support of programs that empower young people.
“Watching our Teens represent Augusta on Capitol Hill and advocate for safer communities was an incredible reminder of what young people can accomplish when they’re given opportunities to lead,” said President and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Augusta Kim Evans. “When you support Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Augusta, you are providing opportunities for our Youth to become leaders and advocates.”
The opportunity came after these same Teens organized a “Stop the Violence” Basketball Tournament earlier this year held at the Hagler Club location in the Harrisburg neighborhood. The event brought together local youth, law enforcement, members of the military, and community businesses to play basketball, promote unity, and encourage positive alternatives to violence. Building on that local effort, the Teens were invited to take their message to the national level at the Summit for Americas Youth in Washington, D.C.
There they participated in leadership workshops, collaborated with peers from Boys & Girls Clubs across the country, and shared strategies for reducing youth violence in their communities. During an advocacy fair, Club Members from across the nation, alongside Boys & Girls Clubs of America President & CEO Jim Clark, took the pledge to become leaders and work toward creating safer neighborhoods in their own hometowns.
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