The YMCA of Metro North and 14 local organizations partnering with Education Comes First received a grant of $175,000. The Real Program Jan Plourde, Boys & Girls Club Grace Duran, Girls Inc. Deb Ansourlian, Building Bridges Through Music Doreen Murray, Boys & Girls Club Jodi Furlong, Lynn YMCA Kathleen Walsh, ECF Board Member Cherry Tree Law Firm and State Rep. Daniel Cahill, Private Jewel Fitness Alex Sepulveda, ECF Board Members Nick Mennino and Tim Demakes, and Exec. Director of Boys & Girls Club of Lynn Brian Theirrien.
Executive Director of Boys & Girls Club Brian Thierrien and Mike Conway set up this initiative to supply grants throughout the state, New England region, and beyond. Brian said, “We have three sites in Long Island, New York, and twelve in Massachusetts, including six located in Lynn.” Education Comes First inspires the youth to further their educational endeavors outside of a classroom in Math, Reading, and Social Development. During the summer of 2023 impressive performance occurred at the Lynn Boys & Girls Club as 1,098 ECF students read 4,078 books and had 90 collective hours in the Khan-Math program.
Kathleen Walsh, President and CEO of the YMCA of Metro North, said, “After school is such an important time for our kids in Lynn and all around the region. We want our students to be able to practice their math and reading, do homework, and play in a safe space with the encouragement and guidance of our Out-of-School Time teachers. It’s partners like Education Comes First that helps us to accomplish those goals.” Lynn program partnerships include Private Jewels Fitness, Girls Inc. of Lynn, The Real Program, Boys & Girls Club of Lynn, Demakes YMCA of Lynn, and Building Bridges Through Music.