When Alana joined the Club at the age of 7, she admits she was not a very friendly person. She avoided the girls in her class and didn’t know how to communicate with the boys. She had a hard time finding her place, but the staff at the Warren Club would not let Alana sit on the sidelines. They already knew Alana was special and that she’d one day be a beacon of hope for younger and older kids who “were trying to find their place.”
Alana said the staff at Warren encouraged her to interact with her peers, resulting in her later leading a program for teenage girls, joining JROTC, volunteering at school, and becoming captain of her junior varsity cheer team.
“Alana has always set high goals for herself and has worked diligently to achieve them,” said Gail Johnson, executive director of the Warren Club. “Quitting is not an option for her. Over the years, there have been times when Alana was the only one standing in the end. I admire her tenacity and determination.”
Being a member of Keystone, a character and leadership program, is one of her favorite activities. Alana is also proud to have been a junior staff member at her Club.
In Alana’s words, “the Club taught me that it’s OK to be pretty and smart at the same time, and it’s OK to turn to others in times of crisis. My club has made a positive influence on my life and my community.”
The exposure to new ideas, and the staff’s insistence that Alana engage with other youth, has shaped Alana into a leader who is college bound. Alana wants to study law and psychology.
Learn more about the programs that have helped Alana transform into a leader.