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A Letter from Our Board President Happy New Year! I am proud to have served the Boys & Girls Clubs of Kern County as a board member since 2018 and I am looking forward to serving as President of the Club for the 2022 and 2023 terms. I love our local Club because it makes a positive difference in the lives of our kids! The world is a challenging place for many of our youth, with one in six children in the United States living in poverty. The Boys & Girls Club provides a safe and fun place where our children can be kids and they can thrive in the care and support they deserve. In addition, the Club provides our staff, donors, and supporters the opportunity to give back and have a significant positive impact on our children and community. Yes, 2021 was a very challenging year for everyone—especially our youth. However, it was our amazing staff who stepped up with boldness and agility and cared for our youth in incredible ways including, bringing food to the hungry, providing laptops and educational materials, mentoring students and organizing social activities in otherwise a very isolated world. They showed our kids care and the power of resiliency. In addition to our staff, our donors made all this possible with their generous gifts and support which allowed us to provide these programs for our kids. Thank you! We know that 2022 provides an opportunity for us to continue our momentum of supporting and providing a safe place for our Kern County youth—helping them discover the possibilities for a great future in an ever changing and challenging environment. I look forward to working with all of you to provide our children of Kern County a safe and fun place to grow and thrive so they can discover the possibilities ahead for a bright future. As a youth development non-profit, we have some very lofty goals to meet the needs of our children. In 2022 we will: • • • •

Create an endowment fund that will secure the future of our Club and services in perpetuity Expand our Board of Directors with new leadership, talent, and resources Create a formal plan that will serve as a roadmap for our team Cherish the children who are entrusted to our care each and every day

Wishing all of you a blessed 2022!

Board of Directors Theresa Bush, President of the Board Aera Energy LLC Rob Duchow, Vice-President Southern California Gas Company Amir Zabrani, Treasurer Mission Bank Matt Damian, Secretary Tri Counties Bank Alex Balfour Cushman and Wakefield/Pacific Commercial Realty Advisors MacKenzie Boone Ascend Real Estate Michael George Safe 1 Credit Union Rasmus Jensen Valley Republic Bank Chad Jones California Resources Corporation Larry Koman Koman Homes Ben LeBeau LeBeau Thelen, LLP Marivic Louey Kern Oil & Refining Co., Kristin Monsibais Immediate Past President Williams Adams & Company, CPAs Derek Robinson Kern County Fire Department Lisa Rollans Community Volunteer Zane Smith Executive Director

Legacy Board Jason Cohen UBS Financial Services, Inc.

Theresa Bush President of the Board

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Gloria Williams Aera Energy LLC

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2022 Youth of the Year - Mashayla Duckett Outstanding leadership and community service; academic excellence and achievements; healthy lifestyle; and strong moral character. These are the traits and values that are encouraged for all Boys & Girls Club members, but specifically, they are the very characteristics of which candidates for the prestigious Youth of the Year award are evaluated. What is Youth of the Year? Simply put, Youth of the Year (YOY) is a recognition program that celebrates extraordinary achievements by some amazing Boys & Girls Club members. But in reality, it is so much more than that. Every year, hundreds of youth from Boys & Girls Clubs around the country, as well as U.S. military bases worldwide participate in the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Youth of the Year program. The program honors and celebrates some of the nation’s most inspiring teens and their incredible journeys with each winner serving a one-year term as an ambassador and strong voice for Boys & Girls Club youth. In addition to inspiring young people to lead and succeed, the YOY program provides participants an opportunity to accumulate more than $70,000 in scholarship funds through the various local, state, regional and national levels of the program. At the local levels, scholarships are provided by the respective Clubs through local fundraising efforts, but at the state, regional and national levels, the scholarships are provided through the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Alumni & Friends Scholarship Fund that is funded by former Club kids and supporters nationwide. The top national award is an impressive $50,000 scholarship to help the selected youth with education costs, expand their leadership skills, and pursue their personal passions. The Youth of the Year program has existed for many years within the Boys & Girls Clubs of America organization, but only recently became part of the programming goals of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Kern County. In 2021, the Club awarded its first YOY title to Jesse Magdaleno who went on to compete and win the California Central Coast and Valley region YOY award. Jesse had been performing as part of the elite Boys & Girls Club talent team since he was eight years old. He

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accumulated thousands of community service hours by using his vocal and dance talent to entertain at local, regional, and national Boys & Girls Club events. The Bakersfield Symphony, American Red Cross, Bakersfield North Rotary Club, and other local groups have also benefitted from Jesse’s talents. Jesse even interned at the Club helping to serve over 4,000 meals per day to children through the Club’s meal program. For 2022, the Club selected Mashayla Duckett to represent Kern County in the YOY Program and soon she will have the opportunity to compete with young people from other clubs within the region for a chance to move forward in the program. Mashayla has been a member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Kern County for eight years and has made a significant impact on the Club and her community as she is a great peer mentor and sets a great example for other youth. For several years, she has been a peer mentor for the Club’s STEM Mentoring program and she was selected as the UPS Road Code Ambassador for 2022. Mashayla is also part of the Club’s Art program and Sewing Club. Last year, the Sewing Club created and donated two quilts that raised $10,000 for Club programming at the 2021 Farm-to-Table(aux) event. She also created many paintings that have been part of the event’s silent auctions over the years which raised funds for the art program.

2021 Youth of the Year - Jesse Magdaleno

In 2021, Mashalyla participated in the Club’s Workforce development program and was selected as one of 20 Summer Jobs Program Interns that were placed with local employers. She interned at Logic Film Company where she helped create a social media marketing campaign and a micro-short film. Mashayla served as Art Director on set and oversaw hair, makeup, background design, and more. For the past five years, Mashayla has been a part of the Keystone Club—the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s ultimate teen program providing leadership development opportunities in areas of academic success, career preparation and community service. She has been elected as an officer each year and is currently serving as the Kern County’s Keystone President.

Olympic Gold Medal Winning Gymnast Dominque Dawes, 2022 Youth of the Year Mashayla Duckett, Maddie Janssen, Zane Smith, Jesse Magdaleno

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Kern County is thrilled to participate in the Youth of the Year programming and couldn’t be more proud of our first two local Youths of the Year. We offer a truly heartfelt thank you for a job well done to Jesse as his term comes to an end and a huge congratulations goes to Mashayla for grabbing the reins and representing the Club this year. We’re honored to be a part of her journey forward.

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to all of our Club 66 Members for giving life-changing opportunities for GREAT FUTURES!

Active 20-30 Club of Bakersfield Justin and April Ahart Timothy & Caitlin Ashlock Ariel and Abby Auffant Laura Avila Alex M. Balfour John Barahona Larry and Kay Bardin Adam Belter Cathy Bennett Aimee Blaine John and Jean Browning Charles and Theresa Bush Juan and Sabrina Cazares Gary and Donna Cross Mickey Cushine Mike and Maggie Cushine Matt Damian Chelsea Dow Ken & Marjorie Dow Karla Espinoza Mark and Becky Evans Bruce Beretta and Melissa Fortune Christine Frazier Fanny Gama Cathleen Gandara Renee Goodwin Robert and Jerry Haner Matthew and Shelly Hewett Barry and Eashell Hill

Cynthia Huggins Edgar Jacobs Larry Koman Allan Krauter and Anna Agenjo Bernie and Lynn LeBeau Ryan & Frances Lewis Andrew Lopez Christopher Lowe Zachary Martindale Erlinda Martinez Karinna Mendoza Ruth Miranda Chris and Jovan Molina Alex and Kristin Monsibais Jonathan and Mary Anne Mueller Kurt and Luisa Neher Shannan Ogilvie Erika Olgin Dale Oprandy Randy and Mary Richardson Jose Romo Saber Insurance Agency Darin Schwicker John and Christina Sistrunk Paul Skarphol Zane and Amy Smith Linda Sullenger Dan and Rhesa Tate Josh and Susan Wall Deborah Wood

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Margie Madera Mentor and Community Advocate Kern County native, Margie Madera, a talented youth development professional and graduate of BC and CSUB, has been with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Kern County for the past six years serving as the Teen Coordinator at the Lamont Clubhouse. Through her experience in education working with youth, as well as her training in community advocacy, she has been a strong mentor helping teen leaders develop the skills and knowledge to invest in community-based projects that bring amazing amenities to the Lamont and Arvin communities.

Margie and the Lamont Club teen members at the Affordable Housing Project in Lamont.

inspiration and endless contributions to the community of Lamont. The award was presented by Aera Energy. Margie says that the true inspiration for the work she does is her mother, Janie. “She taught me to remain kind and humble. She encouraged a philosophy of never giving up and recognizing that although things may not appear to be fair sometimes, there is always an opportunity to focus on the positive.”

Prior to joining our Club Team, Margie worked in education for over 20 years, but ultimately felt that her Margie’s team of high school and college students teaching role limited her overall impact in that she only got have worked to bring community partners to a to work with her respective students for a single school central table to collaborate on projects such as the term. Margie says that the Club has allowed her to expand development of a skatepark in Arvin which opened her reach and see young people, over multiple years, in 2017, as well as advocating for a Bakersfield College Extension Campus leading to the new Arvin grow into confident adults with new skills and a greater understanding of their local and global communities. Educational Center. In addition, their advocacy “It has been such a pleasure to see our kids advocate work in Lamont has contributed to establishing for their community with a strong voice, a well-defined an affordable housing unit for 41 families, the full renovation to the Lamont Park, plus campaigning for perspective, and doing so on their own behalf and as a voice for others.” more stringent code enforcement in public places frequented by families. Margie commented that the work she does with the Boys & Girls Club has actually changed her purpose in life. It Not only is Margie, herself a huge asset to the has taught her to be more open minded about the youth Club and the teens, but she is also treasured by she works with recognizing that everyone has a story and her community. During the Pandemic in 2020, the Lamont Chamber of Commerce named Margie their that every idea and perspective has value. “Working with my teens has improved my listening skills, observation “Woman of the Year” recognizing her for providing skills, as well as my agility in changing course to help realize better outcomes.” What does the future hold for Margie? “My dream for the future is to continue working with young people on leadership development and helping them to cultivate new skills and knowledge that will serve them and their community.” And outside of career aspirations? “Well, I have a bucket list of travel destinations, new hobby ideas and fun adventures that will complete my healthy work-life balance.” Thanks for all that you do Margie, the Club is lucky to have you on the team. Margie celebrating with the Lamont Seniors Class of 2020.

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