Rockford's long-standing Young Eagles Success Club ready to soar in Freeport
FREEPORT — Carl Cole's mission is to help young people succeed, and on Saturday, he returned to his hometown to give Freeport area children a program they can rely on.
The Young Eagles Success (YES) Club was founded by Cole, and he uses it as a way to help students find success both in and outside of the classroom.
The non-profit organization held its inaugural Character Excellence Program and Workshop Saturday for students in fourth through 12th grades.
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Children participated in workshops on the importance of developing good character traits and discussions about current events and academic achievement.
"Our program helps them with good choices and to still move forward on their journey of being successful in life," Cole said.
The club has visited the area before to host similar events, but Saturday marked the beginning of a more regular presence for the organization in Freeport.
It will host YES Club meetings every second and fourth Saturday of the month at Holy Temple Church, 520 W. Ringold St.
Consistent, positive influence
Cole is hoping a consistent presence of positive influence will have a lasting impact on the students who attend.
"The YES Club is something that they can be in at no cost and helps them with those issues on a regular basis," Cole said. "Because the issues that happen, happen all the time."
Dee Sander-Moore, of Freeport, is a member of the local church Faith For Miracle Deliverance and Worship. She brought four students to join in Saturday's program including her two sons.
For Moore, it was an opportunity to bring youth community members together to make a positive impact.
"I know the YES Club is going to gear them in a direction and prepare them for any hard course of life that may end up going through," Moore said.
Being able to help the community he grew up in makes hosting this event especially special for Cole.
"Freeport is my hometown. So it's kind of sentimental for me," Cole said. "I've done a few workshops in Freeport, but we haven't actually established a YES Club there. And that's what today is."
'I want to be there'
Carl Seward, 18, is a senior at Freeport High School. He left the Saturday event inspired.
"It was an experience really, a lot of the stuff they talked about really is really impacting our community, a lot of stuff that we need to come together as a community to talk more about," Seward said.
Derverz Collins, 17, lost his father two years ago. He said Cole has been there to support him with programs like the one held on Saturday. Collins hopes more kids join the YES Club for the betterment of the community.
"I hope that one day when we have our YES Club all over that kids will actually tell their parents, 'I want to be there. I want to go there. I want to do what they're doing. I want to help the world,'" Collins said.
For Cole seeing students reap the benefits of what he has to offer is the most rewarding aspect of his organization.
"I think doing this fulfills my life's mission," Cole said. "It's important to give back to the community where you were born and raised."
Shaquil Manigault: smanigault@gannett.com; @RRstarShaquil
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Rockford's Young Eagles Success Club ready to soar in Freeport
