By Maya Mincak
The Youth Community Fund held its second meeting of the year on Sunday, October 26, at Christ Church. We were fortunate to welcome guest speaker Bryan Copeman, a basketball coach at The Masters School and 6th Boro Hoops, who shared his inspiring story with us.
Bryan spoke about growing up in a difficult environment, and how he refused to let those challenges define his future. He emphasized that the people he surrounded himself with played a major role in helping him succeed. He also reminded us that many teens in the BET area have significant privileges and opportunities that should not be taken for granted.
Two-way Communication
Another point he made was about communication between teens and parents. He explained that feeling misunderstood goes both ways, and that there are always two sides to every story. He encouraged us to think about the things our parents do that frustrate us, and then consider the habits we have that might frustrate them. His message was that understanding and effort from both sides can help improve those relationships.
Our Takeaways
From Bryan’s talk, YCF members took away the importance of appreciating the opportunities we have, surrounding ourselves with people who bring out the best in us, and choosing activities we genuinely care about rather than ones we feel pressured to do.
After his presentation, members broke into small groups for a “Would You Rather” icebreaker, which was a fun way to get to know one another, especially since our group includes students from different towns.