August  2001

A Troubled Boy Finds
Reasons To Be Good

Like many kids his age, Arsenio’s only direction in life was to play professional football when he grew up. Unfortunately, like many kids his age, his life was heading in the wrong direction.

"I used to be bad," says Arsenio. "I would fight and swear…I just didn’t think life really mattered."

At the time, Arsenio was only 8 years old, but he was finding trouble beyond his years. He was constantly a problem and becoming more uncontrollable whether at home, school or around his neighborhood.

Making Life Matter

That was before his mom brought him to the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Central Kansas, a United Way-funded agency. Today, at age 12, Arsenio has made the slow transition to becoming a positive person.

"They taught me to look on the positive, rather than the negative," says Arsenio. "To stop saying I can’t do something and made me believe that I can do anything."

Connie Franklin, program director/case manager Boys & Girls Clubs of South Central Kansas, affirms Arsenio’s drastic change for the better.

"The change in Arsenio’s behavior has been tremendous," says Franklin. "From his good sound decision making and willingness to learn to his new outlook on life. Overall, it’s just been a positive turnaround."

The Boys & Girls Clubs offer children a positive environment, after school and during the summer, where they are taught and shown character traits and principles that help them realize their fullest potential and become responsible adults. Boys and girls, many from disadvantaged circumstances, are involved in instructional, social and recreational activities that provide guidance and build healthy relationships.

"Our goal is to give children a sense of belonging," says Franklin. "A sense of competence, usefulness, influence and power."

Arsenio says the lessons he’s learned and the attention he’s received is helping him reach his goals and outline his future. This sixth-grader’s first goal is to graduate from high school and then go on to college and receive his Masters, just in case his football career doesn’t work out.

From Bad to Good

Arsenio has gone from a troublesome child with failing grades at school to a respectful young man who now receives A’s and B’s as a student. He has become a spokesperson for Boys & Girls Clubs, hoping to get as many kids as he possibly can involved at an early age so they won’t have to come around the hard way like he did.

You hear the word positive a lot when you talk to Arsenio, but it’s not just a word he throws around. It’s an experience, an attitude and today, thanks to you, it’s him.

"They brought me to the top," says Arsenio. "From being very bad to very, very good."

Call United Way of the Plains at 267-1321 to find out more about how your money is helping our community.

United Way-Funded Programs That Care

United Way of the Plains is committed to focusing on the issues that the community cares about most.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of South Central Kansas provides solutions that nurture our children. Through recreational and instructional activities, at-risk youth are able to receive the nurturing and guidance they so desperately need in order to realize their full potential and become positive people.

Boys & Girls Clubs is one of the many United Way-funded programs that meet multiple needs in our community.