By Jamie Lu
School may be out for the summer, but the local Impact Program is still working hard to ensure students are educated and active within their communities. Educators at Impact believe that kids are the future.
“It’s the next generation,” said Angie Kagey, executive director of the Impact Program. “The more we pour into the next generation, the more equipped they’ll be when it comes their time to take the batons from the older generation and expand into the community.”
The Impact Program has been educating students and parents about high-risk activities for the past 14 years. The program provides many opportunities for the local youth to develop life skills such as leadership and public speaking. It employs three different approaches to connect with and educate the youth: classroom education at private and public schools, a summer teen program to help students gain over 100 service hours toward Bright Futures and a parent program to give parents the tools they need to navigate the teenage years.
For its efforts, Impact was recently selected to be a recipient of a donation from the Nam Knights of America Westside Chapter. The Nam Knights club is an organization dedicated to supporting local military and law enforcement, as well as community charities, by raising awareness and funding.
Gary Olson, vice president of the chapter, said that “the Impact Program has done tremendous things over the past few years, and for them to continue doing that they need the support of the local community.”
Angie formally received the check from Olson and the Nam Knights at the HiTech Automotive in Brandon, which is owned by Olson and is a corporate sponsor of the Impact Program. Angie said that the funds will go toward the operating costs of Impact’s summer program, such as transportation and activities. Afterward, the Knights, decked out in biker gear; Angie; her husband, Bill Kagey (who also works with Impact); and their summer program students posed for pictures in front of the shop. Together, they created an image of communal support and cooperation, united in their efforts to improve the community for the future generation.
To get involved with the Nam Knights of America Westside Chapter or the Impact Program, check out their respective Facebook pages. The Nam Knights chapter also has a website at www.namknightswestside.com and encourages community members to support it by attending its events or participating in fundraisers.
