WE ARE HERE

In the classroom, around the kitchen table, in the workplace and on the playing field - Wyman makes a difference in the everyday lives of the teens we serve. Here are a few of the hundreds of reasons why Wyman is here in our community

I AM MALIK.

Malik is a young man with big ideas. At the age of eight he turned his love of animals into his own “pet-sitting” business, and as he enters eighth grade he is combining his love of science as he follows his dream of becoming a veterinarian. Having just started the Wyman Teen Leadership Program, Malik is most looking forward to graduating and becoming a staff member at Wyman – so that he, too, may give other young people the opportunity to open up and thrive.

I AM TRISHA.

Meet Trisha. Trisha is a community servant at heart. For years she has dedicated time to volunteer opportunities from working at church fish frys to wrapping presents during the holiday season – and through Wyman TLP, Trisha has had the opportunity to expand her volunteer opportunities and become more confident in herself. She has recently discovered that by combining her love of helping others and of studying the sciences she will study to be a pediatrician.

I AM BRIAN.

Meet Brian. As a player of the baritone, tuba and trombone, you could say that music is Brian’s life. In Wyman TLP, Brian has gained the ability not only to be a leader, but to be a leader among peers in all walks of life. As he begins his junior year, he is excited to put those skills to the test as he faces his newest opportunity as Head Drum Major of his high school's marching band. In the coming years, Brian is looking forward to traveling to Europe with the Missouri Ambassadors of Music and hopefully attending Indiana University to study Music Education.

I AM ARIEL.

Meet Ariel. She’s a leader in student government, an athlete and a budding philanthropist, performing community service with the Wyman Teen Outreach Program. Ariel is also about to become the first member of her family to graduate high school--and she won’t be happy stopping there. She has her sights set on a chemistry degree from Missouri State University so she can become a crime scene investigator.

I AM TAMARA.

Meet Tamara. As an incoming eighth grader and first year Wyman TLP teen, Tamara is no stranger to Wyman programs – she has also been a member of Wyman’s Near South Side Teen Outreach Program for the past two years. By the time she graduates, Tamara is confident she will earn a scholarship and go to college, where she plans to study law.

I AM JAKE.

Meet Jake. Jake’s interests range from playing baseball and singing in the men’s choir to working out math problems. In Wyman TLP, he has broadened his horizons a bit more – meeting and working with different people who quickly went from strangers to close friends. This year, he is excited to “get a feel” for some colleges to figure out his next steps in life and see what awaits him just around the corner.

I AM DAVEION.

Daveion is a performer. Both kinds. He’s either on stage acting, dancing, singing, and telling jokes, or in the classroom making high marks in his freshman year in high school. The other place you’ll find him is in the Wyman Teen Outreach Program where he’s learned to thrive saying, “It teaches you to focus on your dreams, and that if you work hard you can achieve.” It seems logical then, we will find Daveion in New York soon realizing his dream of attending a performing arts college.

I AM TERESA.

This is Teresa. Teresa is a junior in high school and passionate about English and literature. She knows she wants to study creative writing after high school, and after the college tour with Wyman TLP, Teresa is considering Mizzou or Missouri State University. Her favorite part of the program is the opportunities to work and learn with peers from all different backgrounds – which has helped her develop an open mind.

I AM THEA.

You could say Thea is a exceptional teen. She works hard, keeps her grades up, wins awards and is a good leader. Thea is also in her third year of the Wyman Teen Leadership Program. And at sixteen, it’s already easy for her to see what her future looks like -- it looks like a lawyer, a photographer or even a chef.

 

I AM DEMARCO.

This is Demarco. He’s been a part of the Wyman Teen Outreach Program for the last seven years. He has fond memories of it, including a service project where Demarco got to cook for an American Cancer Society event. What’s extraordinary to Demarco is that those seven years helped him reach what he sees as his biggest accomplishment-- graduating from high school. But more than that, it allowed him to realize he had a passion for cooking, which is driving his decision to attend culinary school in the fall.

I AM JAWN.

This is Jawn. Jawn loves meeting new people and is especially excited to do just that as she begins her freshman year of high school. In Wyman TLP, Jawn loves doing team building and leadership exercises because she says it helps her to learn something new about her peers. And although she’s only a freshman, Jawn has her sights set on attending Drury or Princeton to study to become a neurologist.

I AM ALEXIS.

This is Alexis. After her first summer in Wyman TLP, Alexis said she most enjoys the support and joy she gets from the program staff. “There is always someone there for you, and they will always make you smile,” Alexis said. She has experienced only a short time in the Wyman Teen Leadership Program but has a lot to look forward to in her next five years in the program. But of all the adventures and opportunities headed her way she is most excited to see herself grow, to become a more positive person and – to go to college.

I AM JARRID.

Jarrid is an active young man – active in football, wrestling and track but also active in his community. Among other things, Jarrid enjoys volunteering for charity 5K runs to fulfill his community service hours for the Wyman Teen Leadership Program. As he begins his third year in the program, Jarrid looks forward to the Wyman TLP college tour to help him decide where he would like to study personal finance and accounting.