Alumni Spotlight

From the Clem & Ann Buenger Club to Cincinnati’s Airwaves Long before he became the voice that thousands of Cincinnatians tune in to on Kiss 107.1’s JonJon and Friends, Jon Curl was just a kid from Newport looking for a place to belong after school. For Jon, that place was the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Cincinnati's Buenger Club. Growing up in Newport, Jon lived only a few blocks from the Club. During his middle school years, the Club became a regular part of his routi

For David Whitehead, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Cincinnati wasn’t just a place to go after school. It was a foundation that helped shape the course of his life. Born and raised in Cincinnati as the youngest of six, David grew up in a home filled with love and support. Both of his parents were present and deeply committed to their family. But like many working parents, they were often busy. The Club became the place where David and his siblings could go, not only to s

A Safe Place That Shaped a Life of Service For Jeremy Head, the Boys & Girls Club wasn’t just somewhere to go after school. It was a place that changed the course of his life. Growing up just a few blocks from the former Espy Club on Glenway Avenue in Cincinnati, Jeremy became a member in 1991 and stayed connected to the Club through 2004. During those years, he was there almost every day. “It was a safe place for me,” Jeremy said. “The Club gave me somewhere to go, somet

From Club Member to Catalyst of Creativity and Connection When you walk into a Boys & Girls Club in Cincinnati, you might not expect that one of the young faces you see today will one day circle back as a leader, a creator and an inspiration. But that’s exactly the journey of Armani Yett- someone whose path has taken him across cities, through triumphs and trials, and back to the community that gave him his first sense of belonging. A Place That Felt Like Home Armani’s stor

Finding Safety, Purpose and a Calling to Give Back To Egyptian Banks, known to most as Gyp, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Cincinnati was never just an afterschool program. It was a safe place, a support system and at critical moments, a lifeline. Gyp grew up in Cincinnati and moved around a lot with his family. His connection to BGCGC began when they lived in English Woods, and his mother landed a job at the Clem and Ann Buenger Club, so she brought Gyp and his sisters

For Jaden Maple, the doors of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Cincinnati opened a world of possibility. What started in middle school as a safe place to hang out and get help with her homework became a foundation for purpose, community and real growth. A Club Kid Finds a Home Jaden grew up in Cincinnati and attended school in the West Clermont district. She first discovered BGCGC while she was in middle school at Glen Este. The Club was brand new at her school at the time

Breaking Cycles, Building Connections A Club That Opened New Worlds For Tammy Riddle, the Chase & Cole Fischer Club was more than a place to spend afternoons. It was a door to new experiences she never would have had otherwise. Raised in City Heights in Covington, Kentucky, Tammy grew up in a single-parent household where opportunities were limited. The Club made sure she and other kids had a safe space and access to resources that broadened their world. From computer lab

Michael Chapman didn’t realize the Boys & Girls Club had changed his life until decades after he first walked through its doors. Like many alumni, he thought of the Club as a space to hang out, shoot hoops, play soccer or explore woodshop after school. It wasn’t until a conversation with his mother years later that the full weight of what the Club meant to his life hit him. Today, Michael is a father, a lawyer, a volunteer and a community leader in Greater Cincinnati. But the

For Trayonna Barnes, resilience isn't just a character trait. It's a way of life. Growing up in a single-parent household in Cincinnati, Trayonna experienced firsthand the weight of poverty and trauma. Despite it all, she held fast to a dream she couldn't yet define but always believed was possible. “I was motivated but had no idea how to get there,” she says. “Then Ms. Crystal at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Cincinnati told me to come once a week. She said I wouldn’t

Building Dreams from the Roots Up For Ricardo “Rico” Grant, growing up in Cincinnati’s Avondale neighborhood wasn’t just about learning the rhythms of his community, it was about discovering the foundation that would shape his future. Today, Rico is a successful entrepreneur, educator and community builder, but the roots of his journey stretch back to the days he spent at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Cincinnati. His story is one of passion, purpose and the power of expos