Weekly Media Roundup: June 24, 2026

Opinion: Recognizing National Boys and Girls Club Week, Warwick Advertiser (New York)

In a recent guest column for the Warwick Advertiser, New York State Assemblyman Karl Brabenec celebrates National Boys and Girls Club Week and highlights the organization’s role in helping millions of students across the country reach their full potential. Brabenec praises the out-of-school time professionals who make the Club’s work possible, creating safe, engaging spaces for students and reliable support systems for families. “Every day, these individuals invest their time and energy into helping young people succeed. They serve as coaches, mentors, teachers and trusted role models, often making a lasting impact that extends far beyond a child’s years in the program,” Assemblyman Brabenec writes. “The future of our communities depends on the opportunities we provide young people today.”

East St. Louis Connects Youth with Food Through Jackie Joyner-Kersee’s New Project, St. Louis Public Radio (Illinois)

Olympic gold medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee, a decorated track and field athlete, is investing in her hometown of East St. Louis, Illinois through her new Food, Agriculture, and Nutrition Innovation Center. The center provides hands-on learning in agriculture, plant science and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) through afterschool and summer programs, labs and a greenhouse that is expected to produce 30,000 pounds of food annually. “I had never seen people who look like me doing plant science, and so I think doing it at this scale, doing it at this rate and doing it with crops that our students understand and have an intimate relationship with, or historical relationship with, culturally is really important,” plant scientist Antonio Brazelton told St. Louis Public Radio. “It allows students to see people who look like them and see these types of careers as viable.” The center aims to improve community health, offer affordable fresh food and provide an engaging place for students to learn.

YMCA Gets $20,000 Donation for Summer Camp, Venice Gondolier (Florida)

Thanks to a $20,000 matching gift from FourThought Private Wealth, the YMCA hopes to raise $40,000 to help children in Venice, Florida attend summer camp. The gift campaign will match community donations dollar-for-dollar, providing as many as 400 summer camp scholarships to local children, enabling them to enjoy swimming, sports, arts and literacy programs. “Summer camp is an important experience for young kids, but it can be expensive for families,” Scott Pinkerton, managing partner at FourThought Private Wealth and former YMCA camp counselor, told the Venice Gondolier. “We want to encourage families to enroll their children, as they will benefit from a variety of activities, summer reading, good nutrition, and limited screen time.”

Children's Beach House Celebrates Afterschool Program, Cape Gazette (Delaware)

To celebrate the first year of the Children’s Beach House afterschool program in Milton, Delaware, students and families gathered for a fifth-grade promotion ceremony, ice cream social and student showcase. Students from two elementary schools highlighted what they have learned in the program through presentations, group activities and creative projects. “The showcase is a great way for students to feel proud of their hard work and growth,” coordinator Terri Whitacre told the Cape Gazette “It’s exciting to see their confidence build and to celebrate everything they’ve accomplished this year.”