KCUYC Staff Member Says Goodbye
by Nick Mucci (KCUYC Volunteer Coordinator)
It’s been 2.5 years since I first started at the Youth Center as
a Volunteer. There are a lot of new faces that have become a part of the
family since I started as a volunteer and became a staff member. There
are a few students that I’ve had the opportunity to watch mature
and grow…and there are sooo many that I’m going to miss terribly.
This June, I will be leaving to answer a call to plant a church in downtown
Portland, Oregon; but before I go, I’d like to share about just a
few of the students I’m going to miss.
I first met Ciarra on “Get to know your Volunteers Day” at
the Center. Each student was to ask a volunteer 3 questions. Most of the
questions were about favorite foods, sports, and movies…Ciarra asked
me my opinion of the Iraq War and my political views. *gulp* Ciarra is
one of those students that after you meet her; you KNOW she is going to
succeed, you KNOW she is something special. Ciarra is graduating from
High School this year, ONE YEAR EARLY! I can’t even begin to share
how proud of her I am.
All volunteers need to know that when they first come, the students aren’t
going to just welcome them with open arms…they’ve been burned
and you have to prove you are trustworthy. For a solid year and a half
I wondered if I would ever earn Stefon’s trust. Last summer in Chicago,
Stefon and I had a chance to connect and bond. I’ve watched Stefon
deal with different situations and challenges at the Center and watched
him handle them as a man. I’ve reached that level of friendship with
Stefon now that we are constantly able to joke and goof off…I am
going to miss his humor.
Lastly there’s Felix. Felix and I have been working together this
past semester on Volunteer, Field Trip, and Incentive tasks. Felix and
I have been able to connect over video games, basketball, work, and just
life in general. We share about life’s joys and struggles. Felix
is well on his way to becoming a man, he takes responsibility for his
actions and is beginning to look out for those around him. If there was
someone I was going to miss the most…and I love and will miss all
the students equally…it’s Felix.
I thank God for my time here, I have been blessed to be a part of the
work God is doing in Kansas City at the Kansas City Urban Youth Center.