YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – When Jeremiah Robinson was 5 years old, he and his 3-year-old sister lost their mother to sickle cell anemia.
Raised by his grandparents, Robinson found a second home and additional mentors through the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
Robinson is representing the Boys & Girls Clubs of Youngstown in Columbus on Thursday as a finalist for the organization’s Youth of the Year award in Ohio.
Robinson will give a speech in Columbus, which is part of the selection process. Through his speech, he’ll share his story of resilience, his experiences through the Boys & Girls Clubs and his goals for the future.
“Like many in my community, I’ve experienced a lot of trauma. Things that were meant to shape me. Things that made me stronger. Things that were meant to break me,” Robinson says in his speech. “But even with the love and support of God and my family, there were times when I felt lost, like something was missing, and that’s when I found the Boys & Girls Club.”
Robinson said he started going to the club at age 8 just as a place to go after school, but gradually it became his “second home.”
The club gave him a place to be himself, be accepted and be understood by others. And it allowed him to explore his passions.
A fan of R&B, Robinson found music therapeutic.
“Through our club’s program Lyricism, I was finally able to express my emotions that have been pent up for so long,” Robinson wrote in his speech. “The program allowed me to express my pain, my sadness and my joy through songwriting. It became my outlet, my way of processing the trauma that I faced.”
The club has given Robinson a chance to attend an aviation school program, become a published music producer and artist and meet former first lady Jill Biden and Ashley Biden, daughter of former President Joe Biden, at the White House. He considers getting to see the White House and having dinner with Ashley Biden one of the coolest experiences he has had. Robinson also got to meet JD Vance before the former Ohio senator became vice president.
Robinson, who plays football at Austintown Fitch High School, credits the club with helping him navigate the challenges of adolescence and giving him confidence to pursue his dreams.
He is one of 10 finalists for the Youth of the Year award from clubs across Ohio. The other nine finalists are from Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dayton, Fairborn, Hamilton, Massillon, Orville, Toledo and Westerville.
The award winner will receive a scholarship to put toward post-secondary education and workforce development, as well as an opportunity to compete nationally.
Robinson said he hopes to attend college and major in psychology so he can help people with mental health struggles.
Robinson has a role model in fellow Boys & Girls Clubs of Youngstown member Aleshia Tomlin, who was named Youth of the Year at the state level last year. Robinson was vice president of the local club, and Tomlin was president. He observed her leadership skills while doing projects and attending events with her.
Tomlin is now a freshman studying criminal justice at Youngstown State University but still comes back to the club to help and serve as a role model.
Edna Edmonds, director of operations for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Youngstown, said the club lets children know people care about them and that if they work hard and get good grades, there are many opportunities for them to pursue.
“That’s something we really love to do, is give our kids the exposure to careers,” Edmonds said, adding the club is always looking for donors, volunteers and opportunities to expose the children to possible paths.
Tomlin, who started attending the club in high school, said it helped her become a more confident leader and a much better public speaker.
“I would say I definitely got more friends here,” Tomlin said of the club. “I came out of my shell and got more experience within the community. I wasn’t very open to trying to do new things.”
Tomlin said she was able to meet judges through the club, and that experience encouraged her to pursue criminal justice and law at YSU.
Robinson and Tomlin have become great ambassadors for the club, Edmonds said. The club has an annual competition where the youths learn to use their voices and stand up for something they are concerned about in their community. For the past two years, the club’s focus has been on gun and gang violence, and the youths wrote and produced a short video to express their views.
“Kids like to know their opinion matters,” Edmonds said. “Your voice matters. You have a voice, and as long as you use it responsibly and respectfully, we want to hear what you have to say.”
Pictured at top: Jeremiah Robinson.