News

'Growing up isn't as bad as it seems,' RISE grad says

Blessing Adair

By Bill Moss, Published: May 4, 2026

“Before I came to the Club, I was scared to grow up,” says Blessing Adair. “But here, I realized that maybe growing up isn’t as bad as it seems, because I have people around me who actually care.”

Blessing, 16, has grown up at the Boys & Girls Club. Now, because of the Club’s RISE workforce readiness program, she’s discovering a future career in early childhood development and counseling.

“I was volunteering with the little kids before I even knew what RISE was,” Blessing said. “When I made connections with them, I realized I could help kids feel better, even when they wanted to shut everyone else out. Just realizing that I could help made me want to do more.”

The RISE program equips teens with the soft skills, financial literacy and career awareness that traditional education often overlooks.

“Teens get a lot of experiences in high school, but what they don’t always get are the soft skill experiences employers really look for,” RISE Program Director Abi Gamble says. “RISE gives them a safe place to practice those skills, where the margin of error is wide. That way, when they get to their first job, they’re ready.”

Blessing’s gift for working with children led Abi to connect her with Kylee Rose Frye, one of the club’s resiliency coordinators. Kylee invited Blessing to shadow her at work. “It’s been such a joy to see her around the other kids,” she said. “Blessing offers something I can’t; she grew up as a Club kid. Kids open up to her because they can relate to her. She’s slow to judge others, and she has patience even when others don’t. Those are skills that are hard to teach.”

Blessing says her time at the Club has given her lifelong tools.

“The Club has pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me learn how to connect with anyone,” she says.