1. Describe the impact that Boys Town had on you.
Of course, Boys Town had a huge impact on me! I lived at Boys Town for four years when I was a teen having trouble at home and in school. During my stay, I started building a new life from the ground up, and every day I continue building that life. Boys Town helped mold me into the person I am today and encouraged me to move past my less-than-perfect history. My history is part of who I am, but with Boys Town's help, I learned to not let it define me or hold me back.
2. Describe what Boys Town means to you.
In short, it means the world to me. It gave me so much in the years I spent there. I found a home and family and friends that will last the rest of my life. I have experiences and memories that I'll never forget. In the five-and-a-half years since I left Boys Town, I've maintained and strengthened those relationships, and now I'm working to give back to the place I call home.
3. How would you explain what Boys Town is to someone who knows nothing about Boys Town?
Boys Town is where fractured youth can learn, grow, and heal with the help and support of people who know how to help young people grow into happy, independent adults. I think of Boys Town like a cast for a broken bone: Casts provide support and protection while a fracture heals. When that healing is complete, the cast is removed and the bone is stronger than before. Boys Town made me stronger.
4. Donors have kept Father Flanagan's dream alive for 100 years, but, they specifically made a big impact on your life. What would you say to them?
Thank you! Without help from donors and supporters, Boys Town would not be able to continue fulfilling Father Flanagan's dream, and so many youth wouldn't get the healing they desperately need and deserve. As a youth working through the Boys Town program, I didn't truly understand the magnitude of the Boys Town mission. As an adult, I am so appreciative of the second chance I was given. Without the support from donors, I would not have had the love and support from Boys Town, nor the success I've found since leaving.