Group's school of thought focuses on students

The club's purpose has evolved, but kids still benefit from members' efforts.
By GARRY L. CLARK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The mark of a healthy, vibrant organization is its ability to change with the times and, if need be, alter its direction. Youngstown's Junior Civic League is such an organization.
Founded in the spring of 1952 as a branch of the Civic League (no longer in existence), the Junior Civic League was started with a single purpose: To fulfill the need for younger women to continue operating the Rhoda Johnson Well Baby Clinic at the YMCA on West Federal Street. The clinic provided medical care to needy minority infants and young children free of charge.
The clinic served 50 to 100 babies per week, and doctors volunteered their time to provide immunizations and to keep health records on each child.
League members donated their time for many years, until the service was no longer needed with the advent of welfare and free medical clinics established in local hospitals.
Its original mission fulfilled, league members turned the attention of the organization, expanding its scope of volunteerism and community service. According to the league's president, Phyllis Cross, the group increased its community involvement by means of volunteerism and fund-raising for special projects, its largest being college scholarships to minority students.
Cinderella Ball
The JCL's main fund-raiser since 1955 has been the annual Cinderella Ball. Originally designed as a pageant, Betty Brown Robinson, a ballet instructor who owned and operated Youngstown's first black dance studio, is credited with having come up with the idea to present the JCL's debutantes in the current cotillion form, with one of them being crowned that evening as Miss Cinderella.
Cross is a former Miss Cinderella herself and lists that experience among the many reasons she participates today. "I came back to give back to the community."
Atty. Sherry Howard, another member, echoes those sentiments, adding, "From my standpoint, education is really important and certainly the key to stable families and upward mobility for minorities."
Proceeds from the ball are used for annual scholarships. Miss Cinderella receives a $1,500 scholarship, while the runners-up receive cash awards. The other scholarships are awarded at the league's annual scholarship luncheon held each June.
The scholarship committee goes through the process of accepting applications and choosing the recipients. This year, five scholarships of $1,500 each were presented at the luncheon. The selection process presents challenges as the committee strives to be fair, Howard said. "We had four times the number of applications as we had scholarships to give, and all of those kids were deserving. They're very positive young people."
The scholarships are given on the basis of a point system, with a maximum of 25 points.
Points are given for academic achievement, extracurricular activities, a personal essay and special circumstances (family hardship, disability, etc.). "This year," Howard said, "I'm pleased to say that we didn't know who our top point-getters were until the end of the process. Each committee member tabulated it up, and the point structure is so tight [that] one committee member can't unduly influence the process."
Other projects
Another project that the JCL conducts is its "Adopt-A-School" program. Each year, a committee chooses an area school and works with it on basic needs, whether they be school supplies, clothes for students or computers.
Members also volunteer their time by reading to the students. Many also continue working with the school after the year is over to continue helping out wherever needed.
Funds for that project are raised in a variety of ways along with money for the scholarships. The league has sponsored fashion shows in the past, currently has a cookbook available for sale and holds an annual Christmas party for children.
The JCL also works with other organizations to hold an annual political forum to hear candidates for various offices.
According to Howard, "Members put a lot of their own money in." They are responsible for at least two tickets to the Cinderella Ball and four tickets for the scholarship luncheon. Each member also contributes at least $20 to the children's Christmas party.
Cross says that the main requirement for membership is "a willing heart to want to work in the community, because it takes a lot of your time. You have to be willing to support the children. Our main focus is the children in our community, to make sure that we are reaching as many as we can."
Membership applications are taken each March during the membership drive.
Looking ahead
The JCL is seeking to expand its endeavors, according to Cross. "We're trying to do something different this year. We're going to bring it to the committee. We're looking for partnerships, because we do want to give out more scholarships, so we're looking at maybe partnering with some businesses that, for the next five years, will sponsor one student. There's so much need in the Valley," she said. "We need to look at how we can get more kids into college."
clark@vindy.com
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