Discovering Talents
Jay was a shy, quiet, and insecure youth. He had very little confidence in his own abilities and didn’t want to participate in activities. He needed help to see he had talents, and could use those talents in his educational and personal life. Thanks to you, he gained confidence, found some of his talents, and has hope and drive for the future.
When Jay first came to The 196 (Mission Services’ After School Youth Program), he wasn’t that interested in engaging in the activities. He would say “I don’t think I can do this” or “I’m really going to mess this up.”
Over time, he grew in confidence. After a visit to the planetarium, Jay walked out exclaiming, “I could be an astronomer!” While he is still unsure of himself at times, he seems to have a new appreciation for different learning styles and, best of all, a new-found understanding of his own strengths and abilities.
Jay graduated The 196 program this June, and is signed up for Pathways to Education (P2E). P2E is a high-school after school homework help program that runs out of our Wentworth location, and will help Jay as he continues reaching his educational goals.
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Thank you for supporting Kat in her IRONMAN where she used her unique talents to raise over $1,000 to support The 196!
Kat’s childhood experiences, and stories like Jay’s, inspire Kat to help youth find confidence, and their God-given talents. Kat had a challenging childhood at times during school until she discovered her unique learning style.
As she discovered how she learned, she began to thrive. “As a child, I identified my athletic abilities and played every sport possible. Turns out I’m gifted with fundamental movement skills, hand eye coordination, physical endurance and teamwork.”
Discovering those talents led her to want to help youth like her discover their abilities. “I identified I had an ability to help kids figure out their God-given talents. We all want to feel valued in this world, to have a purpose and use our talents to make this world a better place.
“I know that it takes a community to help a person. It also takes a person to help a community. We are better together!”
Many youth in our community still don’t believe in themselves, and lack the confidence to succeed in life.
They need you. You can help youth discover their abilities through your gift to Mission Services.
