A local nonprofit organization is doing its part to keep Starke County students from becoming statistics. Starke County Youth Club Executive Director Irene Szakonyi says nationwide 11.3 million school-aged children are unsupervised after school. In Indiana, only 11 percent are enrolled in an after-school program. Continue reading
WKVI will once again be hosting a Radiothon to help the Starke County Youth Club raise money for its enrichment programs for local children. Continue reading
The Starke County Youth Club has been selected by a local farmer to receive a $2,500 donation. Continue reading
The Starke County Youth Club can continue its efforts to provide quality after school programs to local students thanks to a local business. The nonprofit recently received a $1,000 award from the Golden Living Center Community Support Initiative. SCYC Executive Director Irene Szakonyi says the organization has been delighted to perform service learning projects in partnership with Golden Living Center. She says their gift means quality activities like learning to invest in community can continue at Club. Continue reading
Yellowstone Trail Fest Kicks off today at 9 am with a swap meet, the car show set up and a biscuits and gravy breakfast to benefit the Knox Band Boosters. Continue reading
Take a colorful walk through history for a good cause Sunday morning during the Yellowstone Trail Festival in Hamlet. Proceeds from the Rainbow Splash 2015 will benefit the Starke County Youth Club. Executive Director Irene Szakonyi says volunteer Hanna Clark organized the fun-filled 5K walk and run. Continue reading
The 1st Source Corporation, the parent company of 1st Source Bank is the largest locally controlled financial institution headquartered in the northern Indiana-southwestern Michigan area and has assets of $5.01 billion. For more than a century, 1st Source has been committed to the success of the communities it serves. Continue reading
Several Starke County charities are benefiting from grant money from the Starke United Fund. These type of grants are made possible through a partnership with Starke United and the Starke County Community Foundation. There was $20,000 available that was split up among the various local organizations. Continue reading
IU Health Starke Hospital’s investment in the youth of the community has earned them recognition from the Starke County Youth Club. Executive Director Irene Szakonyi presented IU Health Starke Hospital President Craig Felty the Aim High Award in recognition of the hospital’s top pledge of $5,000 during the recent radiothon. The daylong fundraiser on WKVI raised $41,000 for the club. It provides after school and summer enrichment programs for students from Knox, North Judson-San Pierre and Oregon-Davis schools at sites throughout the county. Continue reading
Youngsters who take part in this year’s Starke County Youth Club summer enrichment programs will get to put lessons in science, technology, engineering and math skills to use. Executive Director Irene Szakonyi says they provide critical thinking skills.
“They need to be able to problem solve in order to be successful, healthy adults. They need to be able to attack a problem, design a solution and not get intimidated if the solution doesn’t work. They need to have some grit to them that enables you to keep going. When at first you don’t succeed, they try and try again and finally succeed. That’s amazing,” Szakonyi said. Continue reading
The Starke County Youth Club’s after-school programs help bridge the achievement gap for students. Executive director Irene Szakonyi says that’s disparity in performance levels among groups of youngsters. Research indicates children who come from low-income homes don’t perform as well on standardized tests as their more affluent classmates, nor do they get as good of grades. Szakonyi says 60 percent of children served come from low-income homes and start kindergarten behind their peers as a result. Continue reading
The Starke County Youth Club’s after-school programs offered at sites around the county benefit more than just the students who take part in them. Executive Director Irene Szakonyi says they serve as a bridge between school and home for youngsters, for whom the most critical hours of the day are between 3 and 6 p.m. School is out, but parents aren’t home from work yet. Szakonyi says that’s the most common time for a child to be the victim of or the perpetrator of a violent crime. Continue reading
Mark your calendars, and get your checkbooks ready. The 8th Annual Starke County Youth Club Radiothon on WKVI will take place this Friday. Executive Director Irene Szakonyi says the organization has been serving youngsters with after-school, summer and recreational programs since 2001.
“It really is a wide variety of activities and projects to meet kids where they are, keep them learning, support working families and build community,” Szakonyi said. Continue reading
A nonproift organization dedicated to serving youngsters in Starke County is the recipient of funds from the Indiana First Lady’s Charitable Foundation. Starke County Youth Club Executive Director Irene Szakonyi and Melissa Smith accepted the honor during a Tuesday reception at the Governor’s residence.
“The Starke County Youth Club is one of those organizations that is doing great work for our Hoosier children and families, and it is an honor to recognize them today,” First Lady Karen Pence said. Continue reading
Get into the spirit of the holiday season tomorrow with Giving Tuesday. Starke County Youth Club Executive Director Irene Szakonyi says the local nonprofit has joined the movement.
“It really does inspire people to take action for their local community to give, whether it’s giving a gift of money, of time, of making a donation of another sort,”Szarconyi said. “We really want to encourage and join what is now actually a global movement to give on Giving Tuesday, which is Dec. 2nd.” Continue reading
The Starke County Chamber of Commerce recently recognized community contributors with their inaugural “Above and Beyond Business Awards.” They will be given annually to businesses or organizations that do something special, like add a new program or go out of their way to support Starke County.
The SCILL Center was recognized for their high school auto tech and welding programs and adult welding program, all of which give Starke County residents training for lifelong employment opportunities.
The Starke County Youth Club was also honored with a plaque. Their after school, summer and basketball programs serve more than 600 Starke County youngsters annually and provide social and leadership skills as well as help with academics and test scores. Recently the SCYC added middle school programs at Knox and North Judson-San Pierre. Continue reading
Donors to the Starke County Community Foundation can double their support to the community funds. Lilly Endowment, Inc. has agreed to match donations dollar-for-dollar up to $250,000 for the next 18 months. Starke County Community Foundation Development Director Sarah Origer said no gift is too small.
“Our community funds are the funds that allow us to make our community grants every fall. These are the grants that go to support organizations like the Starke County Youth club and our library systems and the SCILL Center.” Continue reading
The Starke County Youth Club is the recipient of a $5,000 Sustainability Fund grant from the Northern Indiana Community Foundation. SCYC Executive Director Irene Szakonyi says the money will be used to establish an endowment to support the youth club’s work and mission. Funds in the endowment are invested, and a portion of the interest comes back to the organization each year to help offset operating expenses. Continue reading
The Starke County Youth Club is benefiting from Kankakee Valley REMC members who choose to round their monthly bills up to the nearest dollar. The organization received a $3,000 Operation Round Up grant from the electrical cooperative. SCYC Executive Director Irene Szakonyi says the money will provide supplies for the many science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) projects the club offers at sites across Starke County. She says the activities the club offers in an after-school setting help youngsters develop critical thinking, collaboration and problem-solving skills and build confidence. Visit www.thescyc.org for more information. Kankakee Valley REMC is a member-owned rural electric cooperative serving approximately 18,000 members throughout portions of Starke, Pulaski, Porter, Lake, Marshall, St. Joseph and LaPorte Counties. Members who take part in Operation Round Up donate an average of $6 per year, which is then distributed to local nonprofit organizations throughout the service territory.
The Starke County Youth Club held the 7th annual Radiothon yesterday on WKVI.
Executive Director Irene Szakonyi said it was a great event.
“We had an absolutely fantastic day,” beamed Szakonyi. “This community comes through every year for our kids and so we can chalk this up to another really great day.”
Several testimonials were given by students and leaders of the club. Organizations, residents and businesses donated just over $42,000 during the six-hour event, which was the fundraising goal.
