The iBELIEVE Newsletter - 4th Edition

Welcome back to the first ever fourth edition of the iBELIEVE Newsletter. We’re fresh off another successful summer of workshops, so stay tuned for a recap of the summer and a preview of what’s ahead for iB.

2023 Youth Leadership Workshop Recap

Long live all the magic we made this summer ✨

Our 2023 Youth Leadership Workshops were a huge success as we hosted 225 delegates across our 4 workshop weeks! Participants came from 62 different high schools across the Appalachian regions of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. The summer consisted of learning, growth, fun experiences, new friendships, and countless memories!

June 18 - 22 | Kenyon College | Gambier, OH

We started the summer off with a small, but mighty group at Kenyon College. It was our first time at Kenyon, but the campus and our delegates definitely left a last impression on us!

June 25 - 29 | Marietta College | Marietta, OH

Our week at Marietta alone almost matched the entire 2022 YLW participant total! Every week of workshop is special for their own reasons, but having our largest week since 2019 made this one extra special.

July 9 - 13 | Wheeling University | Wheeling, WV

After our 4th of July break, we returned for a week in West Virginia. Wheeling has been in our workshop rotation since 2019 and our weeks there never disappoint!

July 16 -20 | University of Mount Union | Alliance, OH

We ended the summer just like we started, with a small, but mighty group at another first time campus! Despite being a small group, the Mount Union delegates brought all the energy we needed to close out the summer on a high note.

We knew that the summer of 2022 would be a tough act to follow, but 2023 left a lasting impression on all of us at iBELIEVE. Thank you to everyone that was involved and helped make it possible!

iCONNECT Thank You!

iCONNECT is always such a special part of our YLW programming and our guests are a huge part of that. Thank you to everyone that took the time to visit us and interact with our delegates.

Claire Howard - iBELIEVE Delegate ‘21 - ‘23

My iBELIEVE story started in the summer of 2021, in front of a computer, in my bedroom. Even though I was stuck behind a computer screen, I made countless memories and friends and I just knew that the iBELIEVE program would have amazing impact on me and my life. When I got the email to register for the summer YLW in 2022, I signed up so quickly. I wouldn’t be surprised if I was the very first person registered! I couldn’t wait to experience an in person version of the program I fell in love with over Zoom. When it came time to arrive at OU I literally couldn’t wait. I dropped my bag off in my room, said bye to my mom, and I was off. The rest of the week was so amazing. That week changed my life for the better. It gave me so much confidence that I didn’t even know I had. My third summer as a delegate was the highlight of my entire summer. I spent my week with 3 girls and 2 staff members who will forever hold a place in my heart. I opened up more than I have in a long time with these people. I faced my fears. The things I learned through this program will stick with me through every step I take in life. To say I had an amazing week would be an understatement. The staff and delegates at each of the YLW I attended were talented, kind, encouraging, passionate, and just all around amazing. I am so grateful to be apart of this amazing organization. Thank you iBELIEVE.

Faith Smith - iBELIEVE Delegate ‘21 - ‘23

iBELIEVE definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone and taught me that it's not a bad thing. If I never pushed myself out of my comfort zone, I could never do my part in my community. Also if I never learned that it was ok to be pushed out of my comfort zone I would have never got myself involved in my school activities like how I am now.

Alumni Spotlight - Aidan Massie

Aidan was a delegate and volunteer staff for iBELIEVE, and after his recent graduation from NYU the southeastern Ohio native moved to Las Vegas to start a job in the WNBA.

“I recently graduated from New York University in May, earning my BFA in Interactive Media Arts. Looking back, I still have a hard time believing that I chose to make the jump from my small town in Southeastern Ohio to the largest city in the United States. That jump also led to a semester abroad in Europe and a summer spent in Dallas, Texas for an internship. Yet, as I think about how crazy those experiences seem, I have trouble envisioning myself doing any of them without the experience that iBELIEVE gave me in high school. 

My time with iBELIEVE not only gave me skills and confidence in communication, problem solving, and leading with others, but it taught me how to be fearless in taking advantage of any and all opportunities, no matter how crazy they may seem. iBELIEVE gave me the chance to get outside of my comfort zone in so many different areas of my life. All of these lessons have continued to help me in my life today, as I continue to chase after every opportunity presented.”

“Following my graduation, I decided to take a leap of faith and accept a job with the defending WNBA Champion Las Vegas Aces. Working in sports was something that I’d always wanted to do and the Aces provided me with the opportunity to chase that dream. While I was excited to begin this new part of my journey, I was incredibly scared to move to the West Coast. I knew I would be moving to a city where I didn’t know a single person, and I would be leaving my family in Ohio and my friends in New York. It was a difficult decision for me both personally and professionally, but I knew I would be able to figure everything out, find community, and be successful thanks to the skills and confidence iBELIEVE instilled in me. 

While I could go on and on about my experience with iBELIEVE, no words will ever be able to truly describe the impact this organization has made on me and no words will ever be enough to thank the organization and individuals that have shaped me into who I am today.”

As we wrap up our summer 2023 programming, it’s time to look ahead to fundraising for our 2024 programming. The stories above are just a few examples of the impact our programs have on our participants! That impact is not possible without the support of our community of donors. Unfortunately, we recently learned that we would not be receiving critical funding from a source we’ve relied on for many years. The iBELIEVE team is working diligently to discover and obtain alternate sources of funding to enable our mission of providing opportunity for Appalachian Youth to continue and thrive. However, grants and corporate donations take time, and our fall programming is just around the corner.

We’re already halfway through our 24 day Pay It ‘24-WARD Campaign, and we’ve made great progress, but we still have a long way to go before our September 6th deadline.

We are asking YOU, our amazing community, to donate and ask 3 others to do the same, to help us reach - or exceed - our goal by September 6th! 

That wraps up the past few months around iB and our fourth ever newsletter. If you’re interested in contributing to our next edition in November, please visit our website. In the meantime, watch our social media pages to stay up to date with everything else we’re doing.