YOUTH AGENCY CELEBRATES THE GRADUATION OF ITS FIRST DOCTORA child's potential ends . . . just beyond infinity.
Dr. Norman McLean with his West Broadway Youth Outreach Supporters!
Former WBYO participant wants to give back to the community that helped raise him
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 7, 2012
On Thursday, May 10 West Broadway Youth Outreach (WBYO) staff, volunteers and kids will descend on the University of Manitoba’s graduation festivities to celebrate one of their own. Norm McLean will soon add the title MD to his name after receiving his degree from the Faculty of Medicine. McLean first started attending WBYO when he was just nine years old to participate in the after-school sports programs. He soon learned there were great rewards for attending Homework Club and with the support of the organization’s director, Ken Opaleke, McLean strived for and eventually got straight A’s.
“I’ve never been more excited to share a school accomplishment with my community,” says McLean. “Just as members of the WBYO family have been coming together in support of my educational, volunteer and family endeavors over the last 20 years, I can’t wait to come together to celebrate this joint accomplishment.”
The entire WBYO community has excitedly followed Norm’s path to success and will watch him graduate from medical school with great pride. Norm will officially become WBYO’s Doctor #1 as Opaleke has affectionately nicknamed him.
WHAT: WBYO former participant graduates from medical school
WHEN: Thursday, May 10 - 10:30 am
WHERE: University of Manitoba, Downtown Campus Brodie Centre Atrium, 727 McDermot Avenue
WHO: Norm McLean, WBYO Doctor #1 Ken Opaleke, WBYO Director WBYO Kids
For more information please contact:
Norm McLean, former WBYO participant and current volunteer Phone: 979-4112 Email: normanjmclean@yahoo.com
Ken Opaleke, Director, West Broadway Youth Outreach Phone: 688-8899 Email: wbyo@mts.net
BACKGROUNDER
West Broadway Youth Outreach (WBYO) gives core-area children the opportunity to reach their potential through free after-school and summer programming. WBYO works to create a safe, positive and fun environment that keeps kids off the street during peak after-school and evening hours. At WBYO, all programming is free and children have access to nutritious snacks and a variety of educational, athletic and creative activities. The program is always evolving with new opportunities for kids to develop their leadership skills, learn from positive role models and fulfill their potential.
Following his graduation, Norm McLean will specialize in Pediatrics and says he’d love to open a clinic for kids in West Broadway some day. McLean still volunteers regularly at WBYO as a board member and role model. He also attends WBYO Run Club to train with the kids for WBYO’s major fundraiser, the 5ish Fun Run hitting the streets of West Broadway on Sunday, June 3.
"The undiminishable fire that has burned in Norm since that first straight A report card is something we see in a great number of the children who attend our program,” says Ken Opaleke, WBYO Director. “Our continued hope is that they too will see their potential is infinite."
Opaleke has been leading WBYO for 20 years and one of his goals is to see ten kids become doctors before he retires. Doctor #2 is not far behind, in her third year of medical school. The youngest WBYO participant showing an interest is just ten years old. But Fathi Oladeji says he’ll become a doctor “after he retires from the Jets.”
WBYO works with hundreds of children from the West Broadway neighbourhood and surrounding area. The children participate in dozens of programs including homework club, swimming lessons, music jam sessions, team sports night, bookworms club, piano lessons, cooking, computers and the new Dreams program that matches children with mentors in their dream careers. The 5ish Fun Run helps expand these programs and meet the needs of local-area children.
Cameras are welcome at WBYO 5ish Run Club TODAY, Monday May 7 from 5:45 pm to 6:30 pm at Mulvey School at the corner of Maryland Street and Wolseley Avenue. Norm will be running laps with the kids as they train for the 5ish!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 2, 2012
With spring underway, West Broadway Youth Outreach (WBYO) is kicking off its annual Kicks for Kids shoe drive. WBYO is asking all Winnipeggers to hunt through their closets for gently worn children’s running shoes that no longer fit, but can still be worn by another child.
Please visit our 5ish Fun Run website for all the details and full press release.
Games Time at West Broadway Youth Outreach!
One of our first Janet Sprout Memorial Scholarship recipients: Seeba Wahabi with the Selection Committee
At the Winnipeg Jets Game - Fathi, the recipient of DREAM SEATS award with Rob Lopez from West Broadway Youth Outreach.
January 2012 -
West Broadway Youth Outreach Dream Seats story on Shaw TV!
View on Shaw News
Reporter Daniella Ponticelli from Shaw TV has a story about the recipients of the DREAM SEATS program, Fathi from WBYO is profiled, his part comes on around 1:15 in, and then Emma is included too! Great story, thanks Daniella and crew!
January 2, 2012 -
West Broadway Youth Outreach profiled on CTV Winnipeg's Community Connections!
In this week's Community Connections, Eleanor Coopsammy takes a look at West Broadway Outreach.
Volunteers Emily Kesselman and her mom, Jane Kesselman are featured in this story! View TV Report
Check out our Our News for more media stories.
December 5, 2011
"With the help of Canadian-born TV star Will Arnett, the United Way has launched a new initiative called Dream Seats, which will put pro sports tickets into the hands of Winnipeg youngsters who might otherwise never have the chance to experience a Jets, Blue Bombers or Goldeyes game live."
Read full story in the Winnipeg Free Press.
Thank you Will!
WBYO Directors Ken Opaleke and Emma Fineblit with Will Arnett - Photo Courtesy of United Way
Will Arnett donated Jets tickets to WBYO and other United Way youth-serving agencies so our kids could experience a Jets game... the happy recipient this time was Fathi who has been at every Homework Club but one since the beginning of the year and read 19 books since September!
Find out more about the
Dream Seats United Way Project and how you can help.
The Edward Carriere November 11th Fund Raiser
was a huge success- lots of fun, and raised over $21,000 for WBYO programs - thanks to all who contributed their time, energy, money, food, and other services to making the venet such a huge success.
Our good neighbor, the Edward Carriere Salon holds a yearly fund raiser and this year WBYO is the recipient!
All money from services at the salon on November 11th was donated. .
September 28, 2011
Ken accepts the Great Friend to Kids - Organization Award at The Children's Museum in Winnipeg for West Broadway Youth Outreach!
Photo courtesy of The Children's Museum (Winnipeg)
This inspiring event honours individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to enriching the lives of children. Awards like these have been presented to individuals, organizations and youth on behalf of Children’s Museums all over North America for years. Additionally, the Association of Children’s Museums annually presents their own International Great Friend to Kids Award.
From Left to Right:
* Abdikheir Ahmed - Individual Representing a Not-For-Profit Organization
* Ken Opaleke - Organization Category: West Broadway Youth Outreach
* Carly Welham - Youth Category
* Wanda Koop - Individual Category - (Artist and Founder of Art City)
-Congrats to our top 10 Homework Heroes of 2011: Rofiat, Danny, Sciera, Dallas, Osani, Peter, Evadina, Samad, Brandon, and El Shaddai
- This school year our staff is:
- Ken Opaleke, Director
- Emma Fineblit, Assistant Director
- Val Heide, Bookkeeper
- Rowan Gray, Dreams Program Coordinator
- Alex Tait, Youth Worker
- Emilie Anderson-Gregoire, Youth Worker
