Isn’t it Lovely to Mentor Youth? Special Guest: Bradyn Medrano
This episode is brought to you by Ignite Fitness Studio! Ignite is passionate about creating a space where everyone feels safe to bring their authentic selves, celebrating the beauty of diversity and believing that positive change must start from within! Check out Ignite at ignitefitness.studio or the MindBody App!
“These kids…we need to give them a voice…if we’re talking about empowering them, we’ve got to let them have a say so in it.”
In a first for the podcast, Isn’t it Lovely? literally races after Boys and Girls Clubs of the Sioux Empire’s Bradyn Medrano (in a restaurant, wearing Kentucky Derby hats) to book him on the show to discuss his amazing work with area youth! Serving as the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Sioux Empire’s Teen and Outreach Director (as well as partnering with the Minnehaha County Regional Juvenile Detention Center), Bradyn shares the importance of building trust with youth through consistency, attention, and positive reinforcement. Drawing on his own experiences as a kid growing up in a group home who didn’t fit a specific mold, as well as a lack of invested role models, Bradyn explores his calling to devote his life to staying consistent in the lives of children and giving them a voice. Celebrating local partners such as GreatLIFE, Vanguard Hospitality, and local sports teams, this episode is a call to action to view all youth with a heart of compassion no matter what behaviors or context we may find them.
Episode Mentions:
Boys and Girls Clubs of the Sioux Empire Website: https://www.bgcsiouxempire.org/
Boys and Girls Clubs of the Sioux Empire Instagram: @bcgsiouxempire
Boys and Girls Clubs of the Sioux Empire Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BGCSiouxEmpire
Bradyn Medrano Afterschool Professional Appreciation Week Spotlight
What Are You Loving:
Bradyn: Father’s Day with his daughter and seeing her smile; working out with his nephew and watching his confidence soar; seeing kids experiencing genuine joy and fun
Tracy: Electric Scooter for Kids
Rachel: YMCA Camp Leif Ericson
Bradyn Medrano of Omaha, Nebraska has served as the Teen & Outreach Director for the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Sioux Empire since 2022. While in this role, he has enhanced the program's volunteer and mentorship opportunities that impact at-risk youth in grades 6-12. Bradyn has built new partnerships, growing the community outreach that allows him and his team to better serve the youth and strengthen community ties to the Boys & Girls Clubs mission, which is to nurture, educate, and enrich children and youth for lifelong success.
Bradyn has over ten years of experience working with children and families in an urban and rural reservation setting. Growing up in Boystown, Bradyn saw firsthand the power of positive role models and best practices in working with those who deserve an alternative approach to their education. As a father, mentor, and community member, he intends to utilize his skillset to make a positive, lasting impact on all those he serves.