Local Youth and Teen Director Receives Outstanding Nonprofit Leadership Award
Local Youth and Teen Director Receives Outstanding Nonprofit Leadership Award
For Immediate Release
Dayton, OH, 06/12/12 – For over 15 years, Jennifer Mueller has worked with local youth and teens at the YMCA of Greater Dayton. She recently received the NLA Outstanding Nonprofit Leader Award from Wright State University. The Nonprofit Leadership Alliance (NLA) exists to strengthen the social sector with a talented, prepared workforce. NLA is a certificate program offered at Wright State University that students can add to their education to prepare them for careers in nonprofit management.
“Nominees for the outstanding nonprofit or public sector leader demonstrate significant contributions to the overall vitality of our community.”
Jennifer has developed two critical teen programs in the Miami Valley community. Junior Leadership Dayton was designed to develop the next generation of leaders in our community, has graduated over 560 students from over 40 high schools, to prepare them for constructive and responsible participation in community activities. The summer Teens in Action program serves Dayton area teens, many come from at-risk neighborhoods without family support. The learning summer camp program gives the teens an opportunity to work with community mentors, volunteer for community projects and teaches them valuable skills while giving them constructive summer activities and fun.
In 2011, Jennifer convened a group of 35+ area agencies that all serve the teen population to network and explore collaboration. Due to her relationship building skills and her reputation in the community, this informal network has now turned into the “Teen Asset Network” which has a steering community, meets regularly to network and share best practices, and that encourages partnership and collaboration among agencies to better serve youth and teens in the Dayton area.
Not only has Jennifer led these teen programs for over 15 years, she has also taken an active interest in so many of her program participants. She gets to know them, their interests, their goals, their families, even their dreams. Many of her students continue to touch base with Jennifer and to seek her encouragement, even after they graduate. Jennifer has developed many of her teen alumni into volunteers who work with her current year’s programs, fundraise, plan and execute special events. Several have even gone on to work for the YMCA of Greater Dayton and other area non-profits in their professional lives.
Our congratulations to Jennifer on her award and continued success in working with our area youth and teens. Wright State University is one of approximately 90 universities across the country belonging to this national organization striving to grow and strengthen nonprofit organizational leadership.
To learn more about the YMCA of Greater Dayton’s teen programs, please call 937-223-5201.
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About the Y
The Y is one of the nation’s leading nonprofits strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Across the U.S., 2,687 Ys engage 21 million men, women and children – regardless of age, income or background – to nurture the potential of children and teens, improve the nation’s health and well-being, and provide opportunities to give back and support neighbors. Anchored in more than 10,000 communities, the Y has the long-standing relationships and physical presence not just to promise, but to deliver, lasting personal and social change. The YMCA of Greater Dayton was established in 1870 and now offers twelve locations throughout the Miami Valley. www.ymcaonline.org