TIME WELL SPENT Making sure learning and development doesn’t start and stop with the sound of the school bell, p. 6 Also inside this issue:
INNOVATING HEALTHY SOLUTIONS, p. 4 A NEW Y FOR SOUTH NASHVILLE, p.10
YMCA FOUNDATION
Help Future Generations Thrive
HELP FUTURE GENERATIONS THRIVE Your planned gift to the YMCA Foundation of Middle Tennessee can help the Y ensure it is meeting our community’s needs for generations to come.
To learn more about ways you can leave a legacy for your community, visit ymcafoundation.org or contact Suzanne Iler at 615-259-9622 or siler@ymcamidtn.org.
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YMCA OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE
IN FOCUS TIME WELL SPENT
From suburban ball fields and summer day camps to youth development centers near downtown Nashville, the YMCA of Middle Tennessee provides out-of-school programming that directly impacts the lives of thousands of kids in our region. Learn how the Y is working to make sure children and teens’ learning and development doesn’t start and stop with the sound of the school bell. P. 6
PICTURE THIS: PASSING THE TEST When it comes to our kids’ academic achievement, schools can’t do it alone. Find out the biggest ways families and communities can help boost students’ achievement in the classroom. P. 9
FEATURES INNOVATING HEALTHY SOLUTIONS
It may not have a single piece of exercise equipment, but the YMCA of Middle Tennessee’s new Center for Health Innovation will play a critical role in the Y’s efforts to tackle some of our biggest health challenges. P. 4
A NEW Y FOR SOUTH NASHVILLE
Thanks to a partnership with TriStar Health System, the new Southern Hills YMCA will give south Nashville residents access to the vital wellness and specialized health services they need to improve and maintain their health. P. 10
DISPATCHES
DEAR FRIENDS, It is a special time of year at the YMCA. As we prepare to embark on another year filled with promise and opportunity for our Y, I want to take a moment to thank you for your support. I hope you know what a joy it is to link arms with you every day to fulfill our Christian mission by helping our neighbors grow in spirit, mind and body. As you also know, one of the Y’s greatest blessings is the chance to nurture the potential of youth—our community’s greatest gift. Since our Y opened its doors in 1875 to help young men foster strong Christian characters, we have believed that a child’s early learning and development is vital to their future success. And as our cover story on the Y’s outof-school programs shows, it’s work that’s never been more important to our community. I hope you will be as inspired as I was to read the stories of how children like Davison Bethea or Kayla Crockett are coming to the Y to gain the essential skills, values and life lessons they’ll need to become confident, secure and connected adults.
“Journey” Johnson YMCA of Middle Tennessee President and CEO
News and notes about your Y’s impact in the community, including:
Once again, thank you for support of the Y ministry. I wish you and your family a Happy New Year!
YMCA RACES SERIES OFF TO FAST START P. 12
With thanks,
WALMART SUPPORTS YOUTH DEVELOPMENT P. 14 GOING PINK FOR PREVENTION P. 15
John Mark “Journey” Johnson
© 2012 YMCA OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE Written by Jessica Fain & Keith Russell, Design by David Read
IMPACT / WINTER 2012
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FEATURES
Innovating Healthy Solutions
The YMCA of Middle Tennessee’s new Center for Health Innovation doesn’t have a swimming pool or, for that matter, a single piece of fitness equipment. What it does possess is a critical role to play in the Y’s efforts to tackle some of our region’s biggest health challenges.
INNOVATING WAYS TO IMPROVE HEALTH By Keith Russell
Established earlier this year, the new non-facility center was created to help the Y discover new strategies for achieving some of the ambitious health and wellness goals included in the organization’s Hope for Life vision. The new center also oversees a collection of YMCA programs already focused on assisting several targeted health populations. “Our Hope for Life strategic vision challenges us to address and try to reverse alarming health and obesity trends in our community, especially among our youth,” said Peter Oldham, the YMCA of Middle Tennessee’s executive vice president and chief administrative officer. “They’re tall orders, and we know that accomplishing those goals will require a very intentional approach. “By creating the Center for Health Innovation,” Oldham added, “it’s our hope that we can begin to tackle these health challenges in a focused, sustainable way that has a lasting, positive impact in the communities we serve.”
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YMCA OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE
The new center is led by YMCA Vice President Ted Cornelius, who has spent his first few months focusing on developing a cohesive and integrated growth strategy for CHI’s existing programs. These include:
Over the long-term, Cornelius believes the Y’s health innovation efforts will be less focused on creating new programs than on expanding the organization’s overall capacity to improve an individual’s health and wellbeing, regardless of their life circumstances. He notes that the distinction between programs such as ABC, Diabetes Prevention or even Full Circle can quickly get blurred when presented with the real-life situations of people seeking help from the Y.
• After Breast Cancer (ABC), which provides health and wellness support to breast cancer patients and survivors • Full Circle, a program that offers services to children and young adults with special needs • Hope for Health, a health intervention program that seeks to eliminate chronic disease, injury, violence and other health disparities among women in socially disadvantaged areas • The YMCA Diabetes Prevention program, which works with individuals and families with or at-risk of type II diabetes • A new obesity intervention initiative that is partnering with the state and area pediatricians to provide free Y memberships and other wellness services to obese children in five local counties Rather than seek to grow these programs in an ad hoc way, Cornelius said the goal will be to expand them where there is an identifiable community need; where there is the potential to join hands with other community partners; and where the program can be financially sustainable and produce measurable outcomes.
FEATURES
FOCUSING ON PEOPLE FIRST
Innovating Healthy Solutions
TAKING ‘THOUGHTFUL RISKS’
“Even though a person may participate in ABC, or is a mom in Hope for Health, or is a child with a disability, they might also be insulin-dependent. So what program do they belong in?” Cornelius asks. “Every part of the Center for Health Innovation accepts responsibility for all aspects of someone’s health.” It’s an approach that’s already paying dividends. Recently, the YMCA Diabetes Prevention and Full Circle programs successfully applied for a $90,000 grant that will allow them to jointly to improve the health of children and young adults with special needs, whom studies show are much more likely to be obese and at risk for diabetes and other chronic illnesses. “We want to create the systems that can help people get on the path to a healthier lifestyle, and to a place where they can sustain what they started, no matter what season of life they may be in or where they began their journey,” Cornelius said. “It’s really about giving individuals the opportunities they need to improve their health, and improve the health of their community.”
“Innovation always has a level of risk, but we want to make sure we’re taking thoughtful risks,” Cornelius explained.
‘We want to create the systems that can help people get on the path to a healthier lifestyle, and to a place where they can sustain what they started, no matter what season of life they may be in or where they began their journey.’
After Breast Cancer
—Ted Cornelius, VP of Health Innovation
Full Circle
LEARN MORE If you’d like to learn more about the new Center for Health Innovation, email Ted Cornelius at tcornelius@ymcamidtn.org or call (615) 259-9622. Hope for Health
IMPACT / WINTER 2012
5
INFOCUS
Time Well Spent
TIME WELL SPENT The YMCA’s out-of-school programs make sure kids’ learning and development doesn’t start and end at the school door. By Keith Russell
This past December, Davison Bethea’s reading skills were so poor that it was becoming clear he would have to repeat kindergarten if things didn’t change quickly. The next month, his mother enrolled him in the YMCA Literacy program at the Northwest Family Y. The difference was dramatic. In just a few months, Tim, Davison’s tutor, was able to help him boost his reading level from zero to 3. By May, he was scoring a 4--exactly where he needed to be to move on to the first grade. “As a parent of a struggling child, it was very reassuring to have the support of this program,” says Jennifer Bethea, Davison’s mom. “It is amazing to see the differences in him and we could not be more grateful!”
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YMCA OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE
IN FOCUS
Time Well Spent
HIGH STAKES FOR YOUTH For many children and teens, the sound of the afternoon school bell may signify the end of their day. For the Y and children like Davison, it means that some of the most important work in our community is about to begin. From suburban ball fields and summer day camps to youth development centers near downtown Nashville, the YMCA of Middle Tennessee provides out-ofschool programming that directly impacts the lives of thousands of kids in our region. Last year alone, our Y helped more than 103,000 kids learn the essential skills, values and healthy habits they’ll need to reach their God-given potential. The urgency of our work is even greater in a day and age where kids’ early learning and development is vital to their future success. Consider that at the end of 2011, the unemployment rate for adults 25 and older who had a college degree was 3.4% in the Nashville metropolitan area. The same rate for adults who had never attended college was 9.4%—more than double. Nearly 18% of adults without a high school diplomas were without work. College graduates in Nashville also earn incomes nearly double those of high school graduates (see chart below). Given such high stakes, schools have a vital role in preparing our kids to succeed. But for many kids, how they develop academically, socially and emotionally outside the classroom can be just as critical to what happens inside. In particular, youth development experts point to four key ways out-of-school programs like those the Y offers help kids succeed. (continued on page 8) = 5,000 CHILDREN
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE MEDIAN INCOME Less than high school
17.9%
$17,682
High school diploma
9.4%
$26,193
Some college
7.2%
$32,751
Bachelor’s degree or higher
3.4%
$43,755
15%
10%
5%
$15K
$25K
INCOME AND UNEMPLOYMENT BY EDUCATION ATTAINMENT
$35K
(Adults 25 and older) IMPACT / WINTER 2012
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INFOCUS
Time Well Spent
TEACHING ESSENTIAL SKILLS More than 50 studies of after school programs similar to the Y’s Fun Company program have been shown to boost students’ school attendance, grades, test scores and interest in learning. Other programs, such as summer day camp, can provide informal settings where youth can learn real-world and hands-on applications of science, math, technology and other subjects that are increasingly important to 21st century employers. As parents like Jennifer Bethea can attest, the impact can be felt well beyond the classroom. “We are noticing other changes at home,” she says of Davison. “His confidence is noticeably higher. He will read out loud to us—something we could not get him to do before. We often find him reading on his own, and he is more willing to sound out words he does not know.”
LEARNING LIFE LESSONS The Y’s confidence-boosting efforts aren’t just confined to academics. Activities such as youth sports, swim lessons and summer camp can provide kids with a powerful sense of achievement. The values and lessons gained from these small victories can create positive ripples in other parts of a child’s life. The experiences of children like Morgan and Tucker Yarbrough are a testament to the difference youth sports can make both on and off the field. Thanks to scholarships made possible by the Y’s Annual Giving Campaign, Morgan and Tucker were able to enroll in their local Y’s soccer program. According to their mom, Misty, getting the kids involved in the league was “the best move I could have made as a mother.”
“As a family, we look forward to not only the games, but to practices as well. The coaches are encouraging, supportive and dedicated to the children,” Misty explains. “And my children aren’t just learning how to play a game. I believe soccer has provided them with a positive outlet while allowing them to maintain a healthy lifestyle and become more active.” “There is no better way to introduce young children to the ideas and concepts of teamwork, sharing, discipline, hard work, and the joy of rewards than by taking part in YMCA Youth Sports.” And the benefits of such lessons appear to be long-lasting. According to a recent survey of key female executives at Fortune 500 companies, an estimated 80% played youth sports during their childhood.
LIGHTING THE SPARK No matter if it’s the arts, science or a favorite outdoor activity, out-of-school programs give kids the chance to discover what they are passionate about, fostering a sense of meaning and purpose every child needs to stay inspired and motivated. As this sense of purpose is sparked and ignited, youth in turn become less likely to engage in violence, drug use and other unhealthy behaviors. Inspiration came quickly to Nashville’s Kayla Crockett. A participant in Step Up, a Y program that helps middle school students make healthy decisions, Kayla was given the opportunity to explore her creative side through a summer screenwriting camp. At the end of the camp, her screenplay, about the friendship between a young boy and an elderly woman dying of cancer, was selected by a group of judges to be turned into a short film. (You can watch the film on YouTube under the title “A Time to Pass.”)
More than 50 studies of after school programs similar to the Y’s Fun Company program have been shown to boost students’ school attendance, grades, test scores and interest in learning. 8
YMCA OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE
Passing The Test
INFOCUS
IMPACT / WINTER 2012
9
PASSING THE TEST VIOLENT JUVENILE CRIMES ARE
500% MORE LIKELY
to be committed between 3-7 p.m. on a school day compared to any other time.
At the Y, we believe both families and the community at-large have a vital role to play when it comes to helping our kids succeed in school. According to researchers at the University of Florida, here are some of the family and community factors most associated with students’ academic performance. POSITIVE FACTORS
IMPACT ON MATH AND READING SCORES (%)
High voter participation in community
+ 4.9
Parent discusses school activities with child
+ 3.5
At least one parent attended college
+ 2.4
Child involved in a religious group
+ 2.1
Parent expects child to attend college
+ 1.7
Parent limits child’s TV time
+ 0.8
Parent is involved in school organizations
+ 0.7
Involvement in non-religious organizations + 0.5 per org*
A PLACE TO BELONG For some families, simply giving their child a safe place where they can feel welcomed and belong can make a dramatic difference. This can be particularly true for at-risk youth, who studies show may have the most to gain from an out-of-school experience. Justin found his place to belong at Y-CAP, the Y’s youth development center in East Nashville. As a teenager, Justin was referred to Y-CAP by the juvenile court system, where he founded the mentor, Mr. Corey, he needed to change his life. “My Y-CAP family helped me realize that opportunities are always open in so many ways that I never knew before,” said Justin, who is now attending college with the goal of becoming a high school teacher. “I really am thankful and happy to say there are people in this world who care and who have the abilities to change a person’s life, like mine has been changed.”
NEGATIVE FACTORS
IMPACT ON MATH AND READING SCORES (%)
Percentage of workers commuting outside county No. of hours child is alone after school
- 0.4 per hour
Child has sibling who dropped out of school Number of siblings Number of times family moves
- 0.9 - 0.4
- 0.3 per sibling -0.2 per move
* The positive benefits of participation in non-religious organizations decreases with each additional organization a child is involved with; the effect is negative once a child participates in three or more organizations.
Source: “The Influence of Social Capital on Test Scores: How Much Do Families, Schools and Communities Matter?” by Glenn Israel, University of Florida, and Lionel j. Beaulieu, Southern Rural Development Center.
FEATURES
A New Y For South Nashville
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A NEW Y FOR SOUTH NASHVILLE
YMCA OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE
Housed in more than 4,900 square feet on the TriStar Southern Hills Medical Center campus, the new facility offers the holistic health and wellness services traditionally offered through a Y membership. In addition, TriStar Southern Hills staff will provide on-site cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation services, for which a YMCA membership will not be required. For the Y, the partnership is a key step in our efforts to bridge the gap in access to health and wellness support in south Nashville.
PARTNERING TO IMPROVE HEALTH The partnership between the Y and TriStar Southern Hills is the result of two years of planning. TriStar Southern Hills CEO Tom Ozburn says he’s glad to see all of the pieces finally come together. “My hope for the Southern Hills YMCA is to reach residents, community members,
FEATURES
A New Y For South Nashville
The doors are now open at Middle Tennessee’s newest Y on the campus of TriStar Southern Hills Medical Center.
employees and patients that typically haven’t had the opportunity to involve wellness in their everyday life,” Ozburn said. “At TriStar Southern Hills Medical Center, we want to be proactive with our patients and employees, and we think wellness is the answer.” For the Y, the partnership is a key step in our efforts to bridge the gap in access to health and wellness support in south Nashville. “When Tom Ozburn approached us about a possible partnership, we saw it as a perfect fit—a way to achieve our shared goal of increasing access to wellness support in our community,” said David Shipman, YMCA Group Vice President for Program Services. “Opportunities like this one are a great way to maximize the resources and expertise of multiple organizations working toward similar goals, and we’re grateful for the chance to link arms with TriStar Southern Hills.”
IMPACT / FALL 2012
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DISPATCHES
YMCA Race Series Off To Fast Start
RACING TO CHANGE LIVES The brand-new YMCA Race Series presented by Healthways is off to a fast start in its inaugural year, furthering the Y’s philanthropic mission while giving local residents a great way to stay active and give back to their community. While local Ys have long held running races, this is the first year they’ve been joined together in an official race series. This year’s series included six 5K or 10K races starting with the Mule Day Kick 5K in Maury County and ending Jan. 1 with the Frost Bite 5K/10K in Sumner County. The Y was also blessed to partner with Franklinbased Healthways Inc., which has agreed to sign on as the series’ presenting sponsor.
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YMCA OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE
“We are proud to partner with the YMCA of Middle Tennessee on the Race Series and to encourage community well-being,” said Debbie James, Healthways’ market president. “As the leader in well-being improvement, we are committed to promoting better health through physical activity and look forward to motivating the communities throughout Middle Tennessee by offering social support and an opportunity to work together to achieve a health goal.” All proceeds from YMCA Race Series events support the Y’s Annual Giving Campaign and our efforts to give everyone in our community, regardless of age, income or background, the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive.
DISPATCHES
YMCA Race Series Off To Fast Start
EAST NASHVILLE TOMATO 5K
MAFIAoZA'S RUN FOR THE HILLS
FARM BUREAU HOLIDAY RUN
NEWTON NISSAN FROSTBITE
GET INVOLVED To register for any of the YMCA Race Series events or get more information, visit www.ymcamidtn.org/races.
IMPACT / WINTER 2012-13
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DISPATCHES
Walmart Supports Youth Development
WALMART GRANTS BOOST YOUTH DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS The YMCA of Middle Tennessee has received $40,000 in grants from Walmart to further efforts to nurture the potential of youth in our community. A $25,000 grant was awarded by the Walmart Foundation to Y-CAP, a youth development center that operates programs designed to serve at-risk youth in the East Nashville area. In addition, YMCA Fun Company, the Nashville area’s leading provider of school-based child care and academic enrichment services, has received grants from Walmart totaling $15,000 that enabled it provide healthy meals and snacks at eight Summer Adventure program sites in the Nashville area. “We are so thankful to Walmart for making these generous contributions in support of our youth development efforts,” said Lisa Beck, Senior Vice President of Youth Development. “These grants will further our cause to give Nashville’s youth the opportunities they need to learn, grow and thrive.” “Walmart is very pleased to be supporting the YMCA of Middle Tennessee, and is committed to helping those in need in the communities where we serve,” said Walmart Regional Manager Jacob Frias. “Through these grants, we are hopeful that more kids in Middle Tennessee will have the chance to grow up to be confident, secure and connected adults.”
‘These grants will further our cause to give Nashville’s youth the opportunities they need to learn, grow and thrive.’ —Lisa Beck, Sr. VP of Youth Development
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YMCA OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE
The Y this year purchased a record-setting 57 pink treadmills from Cybex as part of the equipment maker’s annual Pink Ribbon Run. A key goal of the treadmills is to highlight the preventive role physical activity and other healthy lifestyle choices can play in the fight against breast cancer.
Many of the treadmills will be used by participants in the Y’s After Breast Cancer (ABC) program, which provides comprehensive nutrition, exercise and wellness services free of charge to breast cancer patients and survivors.
DISPATCHES
The YMCA of Middle Tennessee is looking “pretty in pink” to raise awareness of the important role physical activity plays in preventing and/or reducing the rate of breast cancer.
Going Pink For Prevention
GOING PINK FOR PREVENTION
Each year, more than 200,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with breast cancer. Of these, medical studies estimate that nearly 40% could have been prevented through exercise and other healthy habits.
“Pink Cybex treadmills are a great symbol for raising awareness about the importance of exercise in the day-to-day lives of everyone, not just breast cancer patients and survivors,” said Stephanie Kennedy, director of the YMCA of Middle Tennessee’s After Breast Cancer program. “These treadmills can play a crucial role in empowering men and women alike to take steps to reduce their risk of cancer or cancer recurrence. And for the women in our ABC program, they’re a valuable tool during recovery as the women work to make regular exercise a part of their daily routines.” As an added benefit, for every mile a Y member walked, skipped, jogged or ran on the pink treadmills during the month of October, Cybex pledged to donate to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
FIND YOUR PINK TREADMILL The 57 pink Cybex treadmills are currently located at Y locations across Middle Tennessee, including: Bellevue Family YMCA Clarksville Area YMCA Cool Springs YMCA Maryland Farms YMCA Maury County Family YMCA Putnam County Family YMCA Rutherford County Family YMCA
IMPACT / WINTER 2012
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Board of Directors Marty Dickens, Chair Bill Lee, Chair-elect Joyce Cook, Secretary Randy Laszewski, Treasurer DeCosta Jenkins, Asst. Treasurer Lawson Allen Carter Andrews H. Lee Barfield II Kelley Beaman Lee Beaman David Bohan Leilani Boulware Stewart Bronough Dr. Elbert Brooks Trudy Carpenter Fred Cassetty George H. Cate Ramon Cisneros Jonathan Cole Florence Davis Bill DeLoache Frank Drowota, III John Eakin Jack Elisar Farsheed Fardowsi Rich Ford Sandra Fulton Homer B. Gibbs, Jr. James W. Granbery Roupen M. Gulbenk Bill Henderson Sen. Douglas Henry Bill Hudson Walter Knestrick Ronald F. Knox Jr. David Locke Don MacLeod Walker Mathews Pat McGuigan Clayton McWhorter John Ed Miller Tom Ozburn Phil Pfeffer Doyle Rippee Joseph Saoud
Mike Schatzlein Rev. Bob Spain Brett Sweet Carter Todd Cal Turner William E. Turner Jr. Louis Upkins William B. Wadlington, M.D. James A. Webb III Olin West III Lari White David Wilds W. Ridley Wills II David Wilson Liz Wilson William M. Wilson George Yowell Center Chairs: Jenny Adcox, Maury County (Co-chair) Terry Akin, Sumner County Colin Barrett, Center for Civic Engagement Jody Barrett, Dickson County Mary Lee Bartlett, Maryland Farms Yancy Belcher, Mt. Juliet (Co-Chair) Jerry Brase, Franklin Jim Burnett, Y-CAP Tarri Bye, Maury County (Co-Chair) Janie Chaffin, Bellevue Sandy Cornelius, Green Hills Scott Cornwell, Restore Ministries Jerod Delozier, Margaret Maddox Teresa Galey, Putnam County Katie Gambill, Clarksville Amanda Garber, Cool Springs Bill Hagenbuch, Scottsville & Allen County William Hastings, Joe C. Davis Nick Leonardo, Downtown Randy Mills, Robertson County John Mires, Mt. Juliet (Co-Chair) Luis Moya, Christ Church Guice Smith, Donelson-Hermitage Linas Sudzuis, Brentwood Jason Surratt, North Rutherford Barbara Sutton, Rutherford County Pam Thomas, Northwest Ed Zavala, Latino Achievers
YMCA OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE
1000 Church Street, Nashville, TN 3720 ymcamidtn.org • 615-259-9622
OUR MISSION: A worldwide charitable fellowship united by a common loyalty to Jesus Christ for the purpose of helping people grow in spirit, mind and body.