Frazier Mountain A Small Community with Big Hearts

Stephanie Bishop was born and raised in the small mountain community of Frazier Park in southern Kern County where she still resides and serves as a Program Specialist at the Frazier Mountain

Boys & Girls Club. The younger of two siblings with a nine-year age difference, Stephanie grew up in a very rural setting with lots of acreage where she enjoyed riding dirt bikes and horseback riding as favorite pastimes. She initially attended Maricopa High School for two years then finished at Frazier Mountain High after it opened in Lebec in the mid-1990s. She then went on to College of the Canyons in Valencia where she majored in Recreation Studies and minored in Photography.

After college, Stephanie returned to the Frazier Mountain community that she loves. She commented that not much has changed over the years that she has lived in Frazier Park with the exception of the addition of the new high school, a Dollar General, and a much-welcomed expansion of the Boys & Girls Club. Unfortunately, Stephanie was not a Club Kid herself because there was no Club in the area while she was a youth, but she is making up for that now having been part of the team for the last 14 years. Prior to joining the BGCKC team, Stephanie was working part-time with the local school district. She says that she knew at an early age that she had a passion for working with children. Since joining the Club, she has worked as an Activity Leader, Team Leader, Site Coordinator, and now she serves as a Program Specialist overseeing two after-school Boys & Girls Club programs on Tejon Unified School District campuses and the Gorman Boys & Girls Club at Gorman School.

Stephanie says that her favorite part of working at the Club is developing relationships with the students and being able to tap into her creative side with program planning. She also enjoys being a part of a like-minded team of individuals who have a passion for youth development. She really likes the mission of the Club and the purpose it serves in her community. Stephanie mentioned that she is really inspired by the positive attitudes of her teammates and the creative ways they handle tough situations. Of course, she is also inspired by art and nature beckoning back to her college minor in photography.

In her off hours, Stephanie spends time with her family, friends, and stays active in the Frazier Mountain community. She does hope to do more traveling with Europe being on the top of her list to see all of the historical sites and learn more about one of her favorite subjects—art history. Stephanie offers some advice to anyone considering joining the BGCKC team—embrace new challenges with open arms and be openminded about learning new things. And for youth considering attending the Club—be open-minded about trying new things and put in the effort to make new friends.

The Boys & Girls Club programs originated at a small Frazier Park church in 2006 through the efforts of Kern County Supervisor – David Couch, then moved to another church closer to Frazier Park School so children could walk to their Club. In 2013, the Tejon Unified School District collaborated with BGCKC on sustainable funding through the State of California to establish an on-campus program at Frazier Park School. The program was expanded to Tejon School and then added the Gorman Club in 2021.

Way to go, Stephanie!