As we return to work from the holiday break, I am excited about what’s ahead in the new year. For example, 2020 marks the 10th anniversary of YouthQuest, and the Education & Training team at the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce is planning ways to celebrate a decade of youth programming in Flint. Our YQ Biz partnerships with local… Read More 

Build it Up Elementary students at the International Academy of Flint learned how to work with their hands in the We Build It Club. Students participated in a variety of DIY projects such as making their own puppets. The skills reinforced in this club—including following directions and seeing a project through from beginning to end—are transferrable to all aspects of… Read More 

Kicking off the new year, students in YouthQuest are focusing on health and wellness as they participate in their own version of “American Ninja Warrior.” “Over the course of the month, students will learn about physical fitness and healthy behaviors– a core element in YouthQuest” says Nefertari Jones, Program Director of YouthQuest. “To test what they learned, students will then… Read More 

When Swartz Creek High School Alum Jeremiah White graduated from Fisk University in Nashville, he had a tough decision to make: Stay in Nashville or return to Flint? “There was a huge need in my community,” says White. “When I left for college, I intended on leaving to gain the knowledge I could use to help my community.” When he… Read More 

As of 2017, just over 10,000 Genesee County residents between the ages of 16 and 24 were neither working nor attending school. However, there is a resource that can help put these disengaged young adults on the right path. R.I.S.E.—which stands for reset, inspire, stand up and energize—is a young-adult led group for disengaged youth ages 16-24. Each month, the… Read More