ASIZZLINGstarttoSummer
Summer is the busiest time of the year at Ralph Wilson Youth Club. With the onset of summer, the youth club is the host to over 350 kids on a daily basis. The doors open at 7:00 a.m. and don’t close until 6:00 p.m. Whether it is ping pong, pool, air hockey, lego constructions or simply shooting hoops, area youth can engage in a variety of activities in the summer program The summer program launched on June 2 and concludes August 18. The program is designed to accommodate the various start dates for all of our area school districts. Whether it is Temple, Belton, Academy or Troy, the summer schedule is catered to meet all the needs of our local families.
Opening day saw 392 youth make their way through the doors of Ralph Wilson Youth Club. This year a new group of kids joined the festivities. The youth club launched a new program designed specifically for five-year-olds that have yet to attend elementary school The new cohort of youth is designed to give these kids an introduction to not only the youth club, but to prepare them for the new year of kindergarten that lies ahead for them.
The summer program represents a reunion for many of our youth. It allows them to get reacquainted with friends that they often don’t get to interact with during the academic year. Summer is an opportunity for many youth that are either new to our community or simply visiting for the summer to have a place to participate in various activities.
RWYCcrownsvolleyballchampions
Ralph Wilson Youth Club wrapped up yet another successful girl’s volleyball season by crowning champions in the 8 & Under, 10 & Under and 12 & Under divisions of play. The program continues to experience growth However, more important than the growth in participation is the growth in the skill set of the players. Games are more competitive, and players’ skills are increasingly impressive. Over the duration of the season, 337 games were played. The league included 752 players across all divisions. The league was supported by 132 volunteer coaches and 83 team sponsors The communities of Temple, Belton, Academy, Rogers, Rosebud, Lorena, Salado, Troy, and Cameron support making the program great with their participation. As a result, the athletic program continues to be a shining star in our community.
iZone Imaging - 8U Champion
Power Puffs - 8U Runner Up
Planet Volleywood- 10U Runner Up
Garcia Architects - 12U Champion
Altrusa recognizes Altrusan of the Year
In what has become a tradition for RWYC staff, the cook team at the youth club prepared and served the local Altrusa International Club of Temple with a fajita luncheon. The tradition of the fajita luncheon coincides with Altrusa’s annual meeting in which they recognize the Altrusan of the Year. This year’s Altrusan of the Year was Taryn Cox.
In addition to recognizing the Altrusan of the Year, the group also made a contribution to Ralph Wilson Youth Club in the amount of $3,640. Altrusa continues to be a faithful supporter of all things Ralph Wilson Youth Club. The youth club is proud to be the host site for such a distinguished group of women that do tremendous deeds in our community.
A search for Eggs
Over 200 youth participated in the RWYC annual Easter Egg Hunt in advance of Easter. Over 1,300 eggs were sprawled across the back lawn to allow the youth to search and scoop up eggs. Youth were able to get eggs that included candy and small toys. In addition, special eggs had prizes that were able to be redeemed. In addition, youth were able to partake in busting open various piñatas that were filled with additional candy and prizes.
A non stop Journey!
A big part of the summer program is the daily field trips that our youth embark upon. Over the course of the summer, over 2,300 youth will venture out to 39 destinations. The field trip program is a key aspect of the value added to the summer program. The average field trip fee is $18. The field trip program serves as an affordable option for youth to have a variety of experiences. Trips range from Cameron Park Zoo, Top Golf, Sweet Eats Fruit Farm, Xtreme Jump and Inner Space Caverns to name a few.
S t a f f t r a i n i n g
c o n t i n u e s t o b e a f o c u s
In an effort to ensure that our staff is well trained and prepared to provide high quality service to our youth, all staff members at Ralph Wilson Youth Club attended a 3 hour training session prior to the start of summer. The purpose of the training was to educate and refresh our staff on policies and procedures related to working in all areas of the youth club. Staff were trained on how youth are allowed to rotate through the club during designated transition periods. In addition, key staff members received their certification in the Stop the Bleed program. When you provide service to over 500 youth over the duration of the summer, policies and procedures are a key component of a stable and successful program.
E n d o f t h e y e a r
c e l e b r a t i o n s
Ralph Wilson Youth Club serves several local districts in meeting their needs for a destination location for end of the year celebrations. The youth club works closely with local districts to cater to their needs to provide an experience that ensures youth feel celebrated for their accomplishments for the academic year. All in all, there were 10 end of year celebrations hosted at the youth club to close out the 24-25 school year. Ralph Wilson Youth Club appreciates the opportunity to meet and exceed the needs of our local school districts in celebrating their youth.
Wildcat Mentors partnership continues to thrive
Ralph Wilson Youth Club is extremely proud of the partnership that has been established with Temple ISD and the Wildcat Mentors program. As a part of the partnership, the youth club allows the Wildcat Mentor program access to the youth club to host the group’s annual kick off event and end of year event. The kick off event allows mentors and mentees to be introduced to one another. The end of year event allows mentors and mentees to celebrate the experiences that they have had over the course of the school year.
The Wildcat Mentors program is important for the community as it connects at risk youth with responsible adult mentors that provide guidance on character, education, resilience and personal development. This year’s program impacted the lives of over 100 youth. Each youth in the program was paired with a mentor that dedicated time at least twice per month to meet with their mentee for lunch. For more information on the Wildcat Mentors program, visit their website HERE.
Temple ISD School Nutrition Partnership benefits community
Temple ISD has been an amazing partner with Ralph Wilson Youth Club for the past ten years since the club opened on 25 Street. During this time, TISD has designated Ralph Wilson Youth Club as one of the district’s Summer Feeding locations. Designated locations provide free breakfast and lunch to the community. Thanks to the partnership with TISD, the youth club has served 7,058 meals in the month of June. The program also ensures that no kid will go hungry that attends the summer program at Ralph Wilson Youth Club.
Athletic Camps add value to RWYC
Ralph Wilson Youth Club kicked off the month of June with three athletic camps that were offered to registered participants at the youth club as well as the public at large. Camps were offered for football, basketball and volleyball.
As is the case so often at the youth club, partnerships create extreme value for our community. Sam Jones and his athletic staff work effectively in creating partnerships with area coaches in our community to offer quality camps at an affordable price for the youth. Temple head football coach Chad President, Academy head basketball coach James Holt, and Temple College head volleyball coach Rachel Melancon hosted camps in partnership with the youth club. There were over 200 registrations associated with these camps. The football camp was hosted at Wildcat Stadium and concluded with a play day for all kids. The basketball and volleyball camps were hosted at the youth club. These camps provide access and experiences for our youth. None of these camps would be possible without community partnerships between the youth club and Temple ISD, Academy ISD and Temple College.
Staff Spotlight
Kiron Williams
High School: Temple High School
Hobbies: Playing basketball & volleyball
RWYC Tenure: 2 years
Why he enjoys working at RWYC: “I enjoy working at RWYC because it allows me to interact with and have an impact on kids.”
Did you attend RWYC as a kid?: Yes
Interesting fact about you that most people don’t know?: “I enjoy learning about history.”
April
Boy
May
Boy
June
Evah McDuffie
& Girl of the Month
& Girl of the Month
Nathan Lockett
Taylin Alexander Avery Stevens
Boy & Girl of the Month
Kaydence Gibson J’Ceon Chiles-Taplin