Boys and Girls Club Brings Metro Detroit Youth Day to Belle Isle

The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Detroit held its yearly Metro Detroit Youth Day on Tuesday at Belle Isle. The free event gave kids and families a chance to explore careers, try out technology, play games, and watch live performances. Organizers say the goal is to help young people in the Detroit area learn about their futures while having a great time outdoors.

Students like Deniya Lewis said the event inspired her to think about what she wants to do when she grows up. She hopes to become a crime scene investigator one day. 'A lot of things inspired me, but I would say the main things is, like, figuring out and helping people, and seeing all the things happening in the world and on the news, it would be nice if I could be someone that helps,' Lewis said. For her, the event was more than just a fun day — it was a look at real possibilities for her future.

Attendee Sebastian Underwood said he enjoyed the outdoor, community-style setup of the event. He pointed out that events like this one are not always easy to find in Detroit. 'I like how we have our format of Detroit, because we didn't really have stuff where we just went outside, had events, had tents and stuff for other people, which this has been a great experience,' Underwood said. His excitement showed how much events like this can mean to young people in the city.

Parent Kendra Brown attended the event with her sons and said she was grateful for the free admission. She noted that it can be hard for families with more than one child to afford activities like this. 'I love it for the children, for the youth, because it's not a lot of free events. A lot of the events are not free. For people to have more than one child, it becomes hard sometimes to deal with these types of activities. Where it's free, so it's actually a blessing to have in the city, actually,' Brown said.

Jake Millner, the Chief Operating Officer of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Detroit, said the event is designed to open doors for young people. He wants kids to see the many opportunities that exist beyond their own neighborhoods. 'We're trying to drive economic mobility into our youth, into our clubs, and having that exposure point with the different college days where they can sign up and see the different opportunities, and show them what's out there,' Millner said. Economic mobility means having the chance to build a better financial future, and Millner believes events like this can help make that happen.

Throughout the day, families enjoyed free food, games, technology demonstrations, and career exploration booths. One of the biggest highlights was the MDYD IDOL Competition, where performers ages 6 to 17 competed in categories like singing, dancing, spoken word, and other talents. The competition gave young performers a stage to show off their skills in front of a live crowd. Organizers also offered scholarship information, giving older students a chance to learn about ways to pay for college.