CLUB NEWS

BENTON HARBOR — Carlton Burrel has been named 2025 Youth of the Year by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Southwest Michigan.

Burrel, the son of Tameka and Carlton Burrel, talked about the impact youth violence has had on him during an event at the Secret Garden at the Harbor in Benton Harbor, according to a news release from the club.

“The way that youth violence plays out across this nation makes places dedicated to learning feel like places designated for losing pieces of our humanity,” said Burrel, who is a 16-year-old junior at Benton Harbor High School. “Facing this reality daily reminds me to be thankful for the space and opportunities that the club provides for me to reclaim a safe haven for learning of my own. The violence among youth in my school tried to rob me of my safe space to learn.”

Carlton Burrel was named the Youth of the Year for Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Southwest Michigan at an event held at the Secret Garden at the Harbor on Thursday, February 20, 2025.

Every year, Boys & Girls Clubs of America reaffirms its mission to inspire and empower today’s youth by celebrating exemplary youth in Clubs across the nation through the Youth of the Year and Junior Youth of the Year programs. The Youth of the Year journey begins locally when youth, nominated by Club staff and peers, accept the challenge to rise above and make positive changes in their lives, Club and community. The Youth of the Year program in Greater Southwest Michigan is supported by the American Electric Power Foundation.

Carlton is a 16-year-old junior at Benton Harbor High School. He is the son of Tameka and Carlton Burrel. Hisfavorite Club program is Passport to Manhood, a program designed to empower and educate young men, because it taught him the importance of education and becoming a responsible man.

Coming up this Friday, around 500 young people from all over Southwest Michigan will descend on the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Southwest Michigan Fettig Youth Campus in Benton Harbor for the club’s fourth annual Unity Day.

Boys and Girls Club spokesperson Sherri Ulleg tells us the kids will be taking part in a field day.

“We have eSports, we have outdoor competitions, we have water slides, we have a no-bake contest,” Ulleg said. “So the events are really diverse to really try and engage our kids and keep them interested regardless of what their interest is.”

After nearly four years of planning and development, the Board of Directors and leadership team of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Southwest Michigan (headquartered in Benton Harbor) have announced ‘Level Up at The Club’, an initiative to bring new life and workforce readiness skills programming to the Joel E. Smilow Teen Center in Benton Harbor.

Level Up at The Club will feature a Best Buy Teen Tech Center® in the Club’s lower level. This is a $1.29 million capital improvement project that will feature new, state-of-the-art technology, as well as refreshed spaces throughout the Club for programs that will help teens get ready for life’s next big steps, including the world of work.

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. (WSBT) — The Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Southwest Michigan announced a $1.2 million capital improvement project.

Level Up at the Club is a new life and workforce readiness program for teens. The program will be based out of the Teen Center in Benton Harbor.

The teen tech centers will help teens develop critical skills with hands-on experience.

Held on August 6 and 7th, the Whirlpool Community Charity Golf Event raised $3 million for Berrien County youth. The event included rounds of golf on six courses in and around Berrien County with 864 participants. In addition to golf, attendees were able to participate in a Fireside Chat with Hall of Famers Hale Irwin (PGA) and Jerome Bettis (NFL), a silent auction and live auction.

From the Herald Palladium

BENTON HARBOR — Hundreds of children from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Southwest Michigan gathered Friday in Benton Harbor for the third annual Unity Day.

“Basically, it’s about bringing all of our sites together in one place so that they can be together – so they know they are all part of one club,” said Alloyd Blackmon, chief executive officer of the clubs.

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. (Benton-Michiana Spirit News) In addition to its legacy sites in Benton Harbor, the Fettig Youth Campus and the Joel E. Smilow Teen Center, and current operations in Benton Heights, Bridgman, South Haven, St. Joseph and Sturgis, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Southwest Michigan will add new summer sites in Buchanan, Lawrence, St. Joseph’s John and Dede Howard Ice Arena, Three Oaks and White Pigeon.

From the Herald Palladium 

BENTON HARBOR, Mich — No matter what you are going through, find someone to talk with, said Shamiya Williams, who was named the 2023 Greater Southwest Michigan Youth of the Year this week.

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. (Moody on the Market) - Two local Boys & Girls Club locations have named their Junior Youth of the Year. The two will represent their communities in the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Southwest Michigan Junior Youth of the Year competition on Feb. 16.

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. (WNDU) - The “First Responders Children’s Foundation” worked with the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office to host this Christmas celebration! They also partnered with the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Southwest Michigan

BENTON HARBOR — Donovan Frazier of Benton Harbor may not have won the national title for Youth of the Year on Thursday, but he said the experience of competing in Los Angeles was life-changing. “When I found out I didn’t win and that Asha from Washington (D.C.) won, I was actually really happy for her because she has a bright future, like all of us do,” said Frazier, who was named in July the 2022 Midwest Youth of the Year by the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. He said he took several tours in Los Angeles with the other five contestants during his week in the city and formed close bonds with them.  “It was a really good experience for me. A lot of networking took place,” he said. “We’re still regional youths of the year and we will be moving together as a team to contribute to the development of the youth.”

BENTON HARBOR — “24K Magic” by Bruno Mars will never sound quite the same for dozens of Benton Harbor youth after listening to the version performed by DPB Music on Tuesday. This was one of several songs DPB Music performed at the Benton Harbor Youth Campus of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Southwest Michigan. “I’m a dangerous man with my Bible in my pocket,” sang David Paul Brooks, who founded the group more than 30 years ago.  The original lyrics are: “I’m a dangerous man with some money in my pocket.”

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. (WNDU) - Benton Harbor teens opened up about their experiences with gun violence. People gathered at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Southwest Michigan for a teen summit Monday night. Pastor Taurus Montgomery was the keynote speaker, followed by a discussion panel with city leaders, like Benton Harbor Mayor Marcus Muhammad. City leaders said they want to make sure youth feel heard.

August 29, 2022 (BENTON HARBOR, MI) – Boys & Girls Clubs of Benton Harbor announces today that going forward the organization will now be known as Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Southwest Michigan.