Program coordinator for the High Achievers Program Kenneth Daniels, in Georgia College’s Office of Afterschool Achievement, was awarded the Outstanding OST Professional Award by the Georgia Afterschool and Youth Development Initiative. The award recognizes a youth development professional who demonstrates excellence in working with youth.
“It was a big deal to me to receive this award,” said Daniels. “It brought tears of joy to my eyes when it was announced.”
Daniels was nominated for his impact on the High Achievers Program, a grant-funded afterschool program for high school students that focuses on leadership and personal development through Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) and mental/physical health activities. He has been the program coordinator for four years but involved with the program for 12 years in various capacities.
“It was life’s plan for me to get involved,” said Daniels. “I lived through the rainy days feeling like there was more I needed to be doing, for the community and the world. When I was able to work with the High Achievers, it gave me that purpose.”
Director of Afterschool Achievement Sequena Stanton nominated Daniels for his “dependability” and personality, which continues to motivate staff, volunteers, and the youth daily.
“He has the pep and motivation that not all of us have. The kids engage with him and his work with us has been unmatched,” said Stanton. “This is a job you take with a goal to make an impact, not for the money. And through good and hard times, Kenneth has the heart to keep us and the youth going.”
Stanton states that Daniels provides stability for the High Achievers, engages with them on a personal level, and teaches them lessons that impact their lives for the better.
“I could tell many stories about Daniels’ impact but most recently I had a parent call the office to thank him for teaching her son how to change his oil. It’s a simple life lesson but it made a world of difference,” said Stanton.
Daniels’ goal as program director is to teach life lessons and leadership skills so that each student has the confidence and skill to “advocate as a leader.”
“Leadership goes beyond an elected position or title. You can be a leader in your family, within your friend group, in your community and so on,” said Daniels. “I want the students to be capable to step-up and lead wherever they are needed. Leaders are at the front.”
Daniels teaches students positive ways of living, positive ways of thinking, how to be honorable citizens, and other life lessons that can be applied outside of school and into their future. He also aims to offer them new experiences that may not be accessible in the classroom.
“I am depended on and dependent. Being needed and also continuously learning is what pushes me forward,” said Daniels. “The more I can add to their life experience, the better impact I make on not only them but myself. And they can take my knowledge, add to it, and apply it to someone else.”
To learn more about High Achievers or the Office of Afterschool Achievement, visit gcsu.edu/ afterschoolachievement.