Supportin g the Next Generation of L E A D E R S

By Maggie Peters |

Developing social and emotional competencies is always easier when you have the support of a strong community around you, especially when you ’ re young This is the foundation of Wyman, an organization built on teen outreach and advocacy

Started in 1898 as a summer camp for St Louis youth to improve their health and well-being during the industrial revolution, Wyman has since become a national youth developme nt organization that has reached over a million people and trains other organizations to use its programs in their communities.

“We are committed to helping young people build and create a great life for themselves and then lead in the community,” says Wyman CEO Claire Wyneken. “We support teens from difficult circumstances to build successful lives.”

Wyman began expanding during the 1980s by creating “Wyman Leaders,” a nine-year leadership program helping teens learn li fe skills and prepare for their futures with support and mentorship starting in middle school and continuing into post-secondary education. Wyman also has two programs embedded in schools – the Teen Outreach Program® offering social and emotional learning and the new Teen Connection Project® helping young people build foundational skills for their work, school and family relationships

“First and foremost, growing up takes time – part of the reason our programs stay wi th young people is that we ’ re really developing their life and leadership skills,” Wyneken explains “They are understanding who they are and how they want to contribute and they’re getting deeply connected to their community and how they want to lead and support the community.”

Wyneken adds that Wyman’s programs have shown strong results in education, including 100-percent of teens in the Wyman Leaders program going on to graduate high school.

“Our young people attend po st-secondary education –be that college, trade school or another form of continued education – at rates that exceed their peers and most other groups, ” she says. “They contribute tens of thousands of hours of service to the community each year. We’re so proud of these young people because they’re not waiting until they’re adults to lead – they are leading and contributing and innovating right now. ”

Wyman has been supporting youth locally and nationally for 125 years. To cele brate this milestone, the organization is collecting stories from participants, staff members and volunteers at wyman125 org Wyman will also host its annual Gala at the Ritz-Carlton on April 1

You can find information on how to support Wyman on its website, including everything from volunteer and employment opportunities to donation opportunities and a wish list of items needed to serve students

Wyman, 600 Kiwanis Drive, Eureka, 636-938-5245, wymancenter.org