Getting Down to "Biz Ba$ics"

It’s been more than a year of dreaming, praying, and planning, but on October 7 it all became reality when 16 Hayward Middle School students arrived at Southgate Baptist Church ready to learn how to start and run a business. 

It all started with a desire to give academic and life skill support to the many middle school students attending Southgate and SCYM’s Monday night Young Life club (now Club 517). Living on Springfield’s south side, economic opportunity can seem distant, yet many teens have the ideas and drive to make a better life for themselves.

With funding and support from the Nehemiah Foundation and Southgate, and a partnership with Cedarville University’s business department and student entrepreneurship club, Biz Ba$ics was born! Each Monday after school, students from ENACTUS, Cedarville's entrepreneurship club, help Biz Ba$ics kids learn about business in preparation to start and run their own business.

Thirty-one Hayward 7th graders applied to be part of the program. 

Our young entrepreneurs have contracted with a local baker, Susan's Country Cupboard, to develop and sell unique treats for Thanksgiving. Stay tuned for a post with all the details (they are officially pricing everything today)! They'll be selling from October 28 to November 11, with product pick-up November 22-24.

Through your support of SCYM you are helping to ignite dreams and put young people on a path to fulfill them!

Celebrating!

Did you come out to the Celebrate Kids! Carnival on October 12? If so, we hope you had as much fun as we did!

We’re so grateful to God for the organizations that sponsored this year’s Celebrate Kids! Carnival:

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans

Springfield Smiles Family Dentistry

High Street Church of the Nazarene

Clark Radiation Oncology

STE Safety through Engineering

Security National Bank

Express Employment Professionals

Bill Marine Auto Center

Also, a big shout out to all of the awesome food vendors and donors for making the evening extra delicious!

Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken

Bada Bing! Pizzeria

Rudy's Smokehouse Bar-B-Q

Young's Jersey Dairy

Meijer

Kroger

A big thanks also goes to Maiden Lane Church of God for hosting the carnival; to Kids Helping Kids for the great music (and percussion session!); to all the wonderful folks who came and helped out; to the many, many organizations that donated items to the silent auction.

With the help of all of these great folks who care about kids, the Celebrate Kids! Carnival raised almost $8,000 to help Springfield kids "crush the odds with the love of God!"

Bid for Kids: Celebrate Kids! Silent Auction now open

We hope we'll see you at the Celebrate Kids! Carnival this Saturday, October 12, from 5:00-7:00 pm at Maiden Lane Church of God. It's going to be a great evening with ALL kinds of fun for kids, food from local restaurants available a la carte, and a great cause - helping Springfield kids year-round!

Here is a sneak peek at all the great silent auction items up for bid! The auction ends at 6:55 this Saturday evening, but if you can't attend Celebrate Kids!, you can still email us with your maximum bid and the item you're bidding on, and we will bid for you. Take a look, and we hope to see you Saturday!

FAMILY FUN AND ENTERTAINMENT

DISNEY VACATION: Four (4) One-Day Park Hopper Passes good at any Disney World park in Orlando, Florida. Expires August 31, 2015 Value: $496. Starting bid: $150

Donated by Walt Disney World

SPLASH ZONE FAMILY SEASON PASS: One season pass to Springfield’s Splash Zone, good for a family of four. Value: $240. Starting bid: $100.

Donated by NTPRD.

PUTT-PUTT GOLF AND BOWLING: Four (4) games at Putt-Putt Golf; one family party package good for 2 ½ hours of bowling for 6 at Shamrock Lanes. Value: $80. Starting bid: $30.

Donated by Putt-Putt Golf and Shamrock Lanes

MOVIE NIGHT: Take the family to the movies! Six (6) movie passes to Chakeres Theatres. Value: $48. Starting bid: $25.

Donated by Chakeres Theatres.

FUN AT YOUNG’S JERSEY DAIRY: Enjoy Young's with a Family Fun Passport, good for Kid’s Meal, Miniature Golf, Batting Cages, Driving Range, Ice Cream, and BOGO Cheese. Value: $28. Starting bid: $10

Donated by Young’s Jersey Dairy

(4) FAMILY BOWLING NIGHT: Beat the winter blahs with bowling! This family party package includes two and a half hours for up to 6 bowlers at Shamrock Lanes – shoe rental included. Four packages available. Value: $60. Starting bid: $20 (one package)

Donated by Shamrock Lanes

TAKE 6 CONCERT: Celebrate the holidays with two Center Orchestra-level tickets to see Take 6 “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” concert at Kuss Auditorium, Saturday, December 7. Value: $90. Starting bid: $45

Donated by the Springfield Arts Council

NEWPORT AQUARIUM: Enjoy the sharks, turtles, penguins, and more at Newport Aquarium with these two (2) one-day passes. Value: $46. Starting bid: $20

Donated by Newport Aquarium

CINCINNATI REDS: Take a trip to Great American Ballpark in 2014! Good for four (4) View Level seats, or two (2) Terrace Line tickets in 2014. Value: $60. Starting bid: $25

Donated by the Cincinnati Reds

FOOD AND DINING

GOURMET CUPCAKES – “THE BUCKEYE”: Six gourmet Buckeye Cupcakes from Cake, Hope & Love in Beavercreek. Chocolate cupcake filled with chocolate ganache, topped with peanut butter buttercream, and finished with chocolate ganache drizzle. Value: $18. Starting bid: $10

Donated by: Cake, Hope, & Love

GOURMET CUPCAKES – PUMPKIN: Six gourmet Pumpkin Cupcakes from Cake, Hope & Love in Beavercreek. Pumpkin cake topped with Signature Vanilla buttercream. Value: $18. Starting bid: $10

Donated by: Cake, Hope, & Love

COFFEE LOVER’S BASKET: Includes two beautifully embellished mugs handmade by local potter Bruce Grimes, and two pounds of fair-trade coffee from Un Mundo Cafe. Value: $66. Starting bid: $35

Donated by Bruce Grimes and Un Mundo Cafe

OLIVE GARDEN: Take a friend to lunch with a $20 gift card to Olive Garden, plus enjoy a 17-ounce bottle of Olive Garden’s Signature Italian dressing to take home. Value: $25. Starting bid: $12

Donated by Olive Garden

PENN STATION EAST COAST SUBS: Five (5) coupons good for 50% off any size sub, drink, and fries at Penn Station. Value: Up to $35. Starting bid: $15

Donated by Penn Station East Coast Subs

STARBUCKS AND PANERA BREAD: Enjoy your fill of pumpkin lattes, peppermint mochas, and Panera bagels (or whatever your guilty pleasure is!) with a $25 gift card from Starbucks and a $10 card from Panera.

Value: $35. Starting bid: $20

(2) CHUCK E. CHEESE’S: Good for one large pizza, four soft drinks, and 20 tokens at Upper Valley Pike Chuck E. Cheese location. Two packages available. Value: $25. Starting bid: $12

Donated by Chuck E. Cheese’s, Valley Loop Road

DINE OUT PACKAGE I: $20 in gift certificates to O’Charley’s Restaurants; $25 gift card to Frisch’s Restaurants. Value: $45. Starting bid: $20

Donated by O’Charley’s and Frisch’s Restaurants

DINE OUT PACKAGE II: Certificate for two dinners at Cracker Barrel; $25 gift card to Frisch’s Restaurants. Value: Approximately $45. Starting bid: $20

Donated by Cracker Barrel and Frisch’s Restaurants

SERVICES

AUTOMOTIVE TUTORIAL: Learn to repair your own vehicle in a 2-hour session with ASE-certified mechanic Keith Bosland. Bring your vehicle and learn a DIY repair of your choice, such as oil change, brakes, tune-up, radiator, or other repairs as agreed upon. You provide parts (he’ll tell you what to get). Value: A lifetime of repair savings! Starting bid: $40

Donated by Keith Bosland

SPORTCLIPS MVP EXPERIENCE: Perfect for the hard-to-buy-for man on your list! Even dad would love three MVP haircuts at the North Bechtle SportClips location. Each visit includes haircut, scalp shampoo massage, steamed towel treatment, and relaxing neck and shoulder massage. Value: $66. Starting bid: $30

Donated by SportClips (Bechtle Square)

GREAT GIFT IDEAS

 

CHAMPION CITY GIFT BASKET: Two signature Champion City t-shirts, a Champion City hat, two Champion City glasses, and an assortment of locally made treats. Value: $70. Starting bid: $35

Donated by the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce

PARENTS BOOK/DVD PACKAGE: Includes parenting book How We Love Our Kids by Milan & Kay Yerkovich; The Toddler’s Bible by V. Gilbert Beers, and Veggie Tales: The Penniless Princess DVD. Value: $47. Starting bid: $20

AUTOGRAPHED BENGALS PHOTOS: Cincinnati Bengals fans will love this package of three 8x10 autographed photos: one each of Andy Dalton, A.J. Green, and Marvin Lewis. Value: ?? Starting bid: $50

Donated by Cincinnati Bengals

SPRINGFIELD HISTORY: Discover Springfield’s rich history through photos in these two books by Harry C. Laybourne, Images of America: Springfield, and Images of America: Springfield, Ohio, Revisited. Value: $40. Starting bid: $15

Donated by the Turner Foundation

RIDGEWOOD HISTORY: Learn the fascinating history of Springfield’s Ridgewood neighborhood and its developer Harry Kissell through this beautiful coffee table book, Ridgewood in the Country Club District by Tamara K. Dallenbach. Value: $30. Starting bid: $15

Donated by the Turner Foundation

SPRINGFIELD ARCHITECTURE: We pass Springfield’s beautiful architecture every day; why not learn the history of these familiar buildings? No Place Like Home: A History of Domestic Architecture in Springfield & Clark County, Ohio by George Berkhofer is a beautiful volume sure to engage you. Value: $25. Starting bid: $12

Donated by the Turner Foundation

FERNCLIFF HISTORY: Another elegant, coffee table-worthy book that describes the rich history of Springfield’s tranquil oasis, Ferncliff Cemetery & Arboretum. Beautiful Ferncliff by Paul W. Schanher and Anne Benston is a beautiful read. Value: $30. Starting bid: $15

Donated by the Turner Foundation

ART PHOTOGRAPHY I: Bring the beauty of the Great Smokies into your home with an 11x14 framed photo captured by Paul Buckles. Value: ??. Starting bid: $35

Donated by Paul Buckles

ART PHOTOGRAPHY II: 11x14 framed photo features a Clark County winter, with a snowy forest and lake captured by Paul Buckles. Value: ??. Starting bid: $35

Donated by Paul Buckles

BACKYARD BARBECUE BASKET: Includes sausage basket and corn basket for grilling, picnic table condiment set, picnic table trivets, sets of 4 paper plate baskets and platters, 5 picnic condiments, and a handy white tote. Value: $40. Starting bid: $15

SCRATCH THE CAT SCENTSY BUDDY: Curious and cuddly, Scratch the Cat is 5.5” wide, 9.5” tall when seated, and 15.5” tall from head to toe. She comes alive with fragrance when you place a Scent Pak in the zippered pocket in her back. Value: $25. Starting bid: $10

Let the bidding begin, and THANK YOU for helping kids crush the odds with the love of God!

Hayward Young Life is now Club 517

The short version: The same great Monday night program for middle schoolers has a new name!

Now, the long version! Let's start with a little bit of SCYM's history with Young Life:

Since as far back as 1999, SCYM has run a middle school Young Life club in Springfield city, independent of (but in friendship with) the area Young Life organization. Jeff Pinkleton came to SCYM with a background in Young Life, and it was a great model for weekly, relational outreach to middle school kids at Clark Middle School.

When Clark closed in 2009, SCYM continued holding a club on the west side, but started reaching out to Hayward Middle School students. As it turned out, the west side location was just too far away for Hayward kids, and in the fall of 2010 the south-side Southgate Baptist Church agreed to host SCYM's club.

In the three years since then, the club has grown tremendously, and Southgate has moved from just a host to an integral partner. There is a solid core of leaders from the church and from Cedarville University who show up weekly to love kids from the south side, get to know them, and share with them about Jesus. It is one of the best things going on for middle school kids on the south side!

Last spring, this group of leaders voted to change the club name from Young Life to Club 517. Here are the facts behind the name change:

1. Using the Young Life name was confusing for everyone! We can't tell you how many times we had to explain why the club was called Young Life, but did not strictly follow the Young Life model, or was not under the umbrella of Area Young Life. It was confusing to Southgate members. It was confusing to the rest of the community. It was confusing to other Young Life clubs and their leaders.

2. SCYM is still friends with Area Young Life! Ben Bonham, Ryan Irwin, and their company of leaders are fantastic people who are doing fantastic things to reach out to kids in Clark County. They generously support what we do at SCYM with their time and talent. In fact, the main reason we held onto the name "Young Life" for so long in spite of the confusion was because we think so much of those guys. 

3. "Club 517" is based on the verse 2 Corinthians 5:17, which says, "Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!" (NLT) We pray for many "new lives" to begin for south side kids!

4. Club 517 is still based on the relational, "earn the right to be heard" philosophy of ministry that Young Life has pioneered. The environment is a place where leaders show up consistently, attend kids' games and events, and are there to listen to what's going on in kids' lives. 

We're grateful to the people of Young Life in Clark County for all their support over the past 14 years, and for how God has used them to bless many kids in our area. Continue to hold them and our Club 517 leaders in your prayers, that many kids will find "new lives" this school year!

GirlPower now at all three city middle schools

We kicked off our first ever GirlPower at Roosevelt Middle School this past Monday! There are a total of 26 awesome 7th and 8th grade girls signed up to participate at Roosevelt’s GP.

Our first meeting was a hit! We did a series of icebreakers and get-to-know-each-other games to start off our time together. It's a great mixture of 7th and 8th grade girls, which means many of them have never met before. The leaders and I gave each girl their own personal bags, put together by Maiden Lane Church of God. Each bag contains a journal, handmade pencil pouch, stickers, pocket mirrors and pens. At our first session, the girls personalized their journals and wrote their first entry about themselves and why they are doing GirlPower. The leaders then write a response to each girl for the following week.

Each week we make a healthy snack together. This week the girls got to make yogurt parfaits with fresh strawberries, blueberries, granola and honey. We ended up using the extra fruit as prizes for the games at the end due to the high demand. We wrapped up the afternoon with a very popular GirlPower handclap game and of course laughter (and even a couple snorts)!

It was an amazing experience to see such a large and new group of middle school girls encourage and support one another throughout the activities and discussions. I’m excited and blessed to get to know each of them, and to lead with some amazing Wittenberg volunteers! GirlPower continues for Schaefer and Hayward Middle School girls on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and kicks off for Perrin Woods 5th and 6th graders this Thursday.

Jessica Konczak
GirlPower Director

Celebrate Kids! Carnival -- Saturday, October 12

Fall is rolling around, and that means it's time to Celebrate Kids!

 Join SCYM and friends at Maiden Lane Church of God on Saturday, October 12, from 5:00-7:00 pm for all kinds of fun for kids and families. The fun includes:

• Live music from local kids
• Meet a princess or a firefighter
• Learn to make a balloon animal and other fun learning labs
• Food available to purchase a la carte from Bada Bing! Pizzeria, Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken, Rudy's Smokehouse Bar-B-Q, and more
• Game shows, Cakewalk, Puppets
• Silent auction full of family items, including four one-day passes to Walt Disney World and family pass to Splash Zone
• Preschool playplace
• Face painting
• Mission: Reading celebration

All kids' activities are free! Concessions and silent auction proceeds all help to fund year-round programs for kids like STARS, GirlPower, and Camp Boost.

Come, have fun, and help kids crush the odds with the love of God!

Celebrate Kids! Carnival -- sponsors needed

The annual Celebrate Kids! Carnival is coming on Saturday, October 12! We're inviting the whole community out to Maiden Lane Church of God for all kinds of fun, food, and activities for kids from 5:00-7:00 pm. 

Along with hosting all kinds of fun for the community, Celebrate Kids! raises funds to keep SCYM programs running for more than 300 Springfield kids all year round. The event raises money through a silent auction and food sales, as well as through business and individual sponsorships. This year for the first time, many Springfield kids are also "Reading on a Mission" to help other Springfield kids through SCYM.

A contribution of any amount helps SCYM reach the goal of $10,000 to support ongoing, excellent programs that help Springfield kids grow to become mature, responsible, Christian adults and engage in a local church. 

If you're a business, you can find more information about a sponsorship here. 

If you're an individual, you can give online at this page, or find information about where to send a contribution. 

It takes many, many people being involved to help kids crush the odds with the love of God! We thank God for the many who are already involved, and for those joining for the first time!