ATLANTA, March 17, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/
-- Today, 2,500 teen leaders from 157 cities and five
countries will descend upon Dallas
to tackle youth issues head-on at the 49th Annual National Keystone
Conference. One of the largest youth leadership conferences
in the U.S., the 2016 Keystone Conference is hosted by Boys &
Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) at Omni Dallas Hotel and presented by
Aaron's, Inc. (NYSE: AAN).
The Keystone Conference will also feature a special guest
speaker and conference ambassador -- award-winning actress, 16-year
old Yara Shahidi, who plays Zoey on
the ABC show Black-ish. When Shahidi is not acting, she is focused
on being a humanitarian and social activist, inspiring today's
youth to excel academically, volunteering at medical clinics and
starting her own mentoring club. Shahidi was also recently
recognized by the N.A.A.C.P. for her commitment to service and
scholarship. Shahidi will be delivering the keynote address
at the conference about how teens can own their individual path in
life by owning their decisions and taking ownership in their
community by playing an active role to make an impact.
"I am excited to partner with Aaron's and Boys & Girls Clubs
of America for the annual Keystone Conference this year," said
Shahidi. "It's essential for teens to know that we're in this
journey together and have resources readily available to help us
own our futures and empower our communities."
In addition to hearing Shahidi's address, throughout the
three-day experience, teens will have the opportunity to voice
their opinions about the issues facing America's youth and share
their inspiring visions for change. The theme of the conference is
"Year of the Teen" to help teens gain a sense of hope and discover
their inner power to make a difference in their lives, their Clubs
and local communities.
Half of the 1,500 teens surveyed at last year's Keystone
Conference admitted to feeling less hopeful about the future due to
home life or life outside the walls of their local Boys & Girls
Club. Without hope, teens are even more vulnerable to the forces
that encourage poor choices, therefore, now more than ever BGCA is
strengthening teen programming and increasing teen engagement in
order to keep teen Club members on track for postsecondary
education or a promising career. In 2016, BGCA aims to increase
teen membership to 574,000 teen members (from 551,000 teen members
in 2014) and then 640,000 teens by 2018.
"Our Clubs provide youth a respite from the pressures of school,
family responsibilities or the danger of the streets. Specifically
through our teen programming, we instill character and leadership
skills that will set our teens on a path for success," said
Jim Clark, president and CEO of
BGCA. "The 2,500 teens in attendance are proven leaders in their
Clubs, so we're confident they will serve as strong catalysts for
change against crises facing youth adults and make smart decisions
that will shape their futures and the futures of their communities.
Thanks to our partnership with Aaron's, our Keystone program
places teens in the driver's seat to achieve their dreams and reach
their full potential."
For three days, teens will be immersed into an action-packed
"Year of the Teen" conference itinerary filled with development
workshops, professional mentors and inspiring role models focused
on helping teens to create their own great future.
"Together Aaron's and Boys & Girls Clubs of America aim to
offer the nation's teens access to quality resources allowing them
to be more informed, prepared and connected. Our goal is to
empower teens by helping them develop the necessary skills needed
to tackle the issues they are passionate about in their lives and
in their communities," said John
Robinson, CEO of Aaron's, Inc. "We're honored to be
part of the 2016 National Keystone Conference, and we are proud to
help Keystone teens own their futures and build the life they
deserve."
About Aaron's, Inc.
Headquartered in Atlanta, Aaron's, Inc. (NYSE: AAN) is a leader
in the sales and lease ownership and specialty retailing of
furniture, consumer electronics, home appliances and accessories,
and currently has more than 2,000 Company-operated and franchised
stores in 47 states and Canada. Progressive Leasing, a
leading virtual lease-to-own company, provides lease-purchase
solutions through approximately 16,000 retail locations in 46
states. Dent-A-Med, Inc., d/b/a the HELPcard®, is offered
through over 1,400 locations and provides a variety of second-look
credit products that are originated through a federally insured
bank. Aaron's was founded in 1955, has been publicly traded
since 1982 and owns the Aarons.com, ShopHomeSmart.com,
ProgLeasing.com, and HELPcard.com brands. For more
information, visit www.aarons.com.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of America
For more than
100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (GreatFutures.org) has
enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as
productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, more than 4,100
Clubs serve nearly four million young people annually through Club
membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities,
towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country,
and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on
U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place,
caring adult mentors, fun, friendship, and high-impact youth
development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school
hours. Priority programs emphasize academic success, good character
and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of
alumni, 54 percent said the Club saved their lives. National
headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more at
http://www.bgca.org/facebook and http://bgca.org/twitter.
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SOURCE Boys & Girls Clubs of America