Recently granted 501c3 status, CYI graduates three from ServiceCorp program
By Kyle Carrozza, Staff Writer, The Times
DOWNINGTOWN – Developing a city means more than just roads, businesses, infrastructure, and a tax base. For the Coatesville Youth Initiative, who held their ServiceCorps graduation on Monday at Downingtown Country Club, developing a city means developing young people to become tomorrow’s leaders.
In an evening to celebrate the accomplishments of graduates Aja Thompson, Austin Hampton, and Noah Willett, CYI members and staff shared stories of their time together working to support local businesses and perhaps more importantly, to help young people grow so that they will be the business owners of tomorrow.
“It was a great opportunity for me to get involved with things that I didn’t even know were going on and learn more about the city that I’ve lived in all my life and educate myself and others,” said Jared Elters.
CYI Youth Program Coordinator Mena Badros said that the program aims to inspire change on personal level and on a larger scale.
“Above all, we encourage them to foster change within themselves and their communities,” he said.
Noah Willett addresses the audience. The first spirit and excellence award was named after Willett for his dedication to the program.
Graduate Austin Hampton said that change has allowed him to mature.
“It taught me time management, money management, it builds character—it builds a lot of character. It’s going to teach you a lot of things about the real world,” he said.
The CYI itself also went through a change recently, being granted 501c3 nonprofit status last week.
In addition to speaking about the organization’s impact on the community, which include over $350,000 of wages going to participants and over 1,000lbs of food harvested over the last five years, members led attendees in various CYI traditions including chants and recognitions, where the speaker selects a person to recognize for an achievement or positive character quality.
Members recognized each, program sponsors—including PECO, who promised to contribute $15,000 a year for the next for years—and one member even recognized her parents, who were celebrating their 13th wedding anniversary at the event.
Recognition also came in the form of awards, including an award for service, which went to Diona Boykins, courage, which went to Shania Guzman, best sense of humor to Nabi Miller, and Noah Willett, who had the inaugural award for excellence named after him.
During one portion of the evening, members shared quotes. “You have the power to choose, and that choice has meaning,” Willett shared.
“Everything you say to yourself and everything you do to yourself, it has power,” he explained.
Fellow graduate Aja Thompson also earned recognition, receiving the Harry Lewis, Jr. Scholarship Award.
Thompson, whose favorite ServiceCorp event was last week’s Living Green Festival, said that CYI facilitates that power, allowing members to reach their potential.
“It has helped me improve a lot with my social skills. It gave me the confidence I needed so that I can speak directly to people and for them to take me seriously and also just allowing me to open up more,” she said.
Thompson plans on attending culinary school and would like to open an Italian restaurant in Coatesville one day. She said that ServiceCorp made a difference in her life, and in turn, she wants to change her community.
“It does make a difference,” she said. “In one way or another, we always change, and it’s something that we gain.
