Five years ago, Akin came to the Boys and Girls Club of Central Florida, the Osceola branch. He was, by his own admission, a troubled kid; failing classes, in trouble at school, acting out at home, angry and mistrusting. After half a decade, however, Akin has changed. He is now an A student, model citizen, and recognized as a national teen representative at international Boys and Girls Club conferences! He is also living proof of how effective local community-based after school programs can be in terms of turning lives around.

Stories like these teach us some powerful lessons, ones that must be heeded. From them, we learn that young people need encouragement, a wholesome place to interact with peers, play sports and participate in character enrichment activities. Given Akin’s story, is it not foolish for the state of Florida to be so shortsighted when allocating resources to programs like Boys and Girls Clubs? The investment up front in programs like these, ones that yield such great return, need to be funded. Doesn’t Florida want to produce youth, like Akin, who dream about going to Ivy League schools, instead of teens pondering time behind bars?

Akin's hope is to attend Harvard University one day. After spending time with him and people like Andrew Kirkland, service director at the Osceola branch and a fantastic role model, my bet is on Akin.