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Program Events from
the Past
NEWS ARCHIVES
Dec 11 2021---Holiday Party Time! We enjoyed food, games and a very entertaining white elephant gift exchange. A very special thank you goes out to Robert Greenlaw and Kimray for allowing us to use their Kimmell Conference Center to host our annual celebration. Check out some fun pics here!
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Nov 20 2021--- Thanks to our generous sponsor, Jim Hagemann, we were able to treat our mentees and their parents to a private showing (Quail Springs Movie Theatre) of "King Richard," a biopic sharing the lives of World-Renowned tennis stars and sisters, Venus and Serena Williams. After the movie, we had a discussion about why, like Richard Williams, parents will often push you when they see greatness to get the best out of you. We also highlighted how Venus and Serena made the most of every opportunity afforded them to build their skills and accelerate their careers.
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Oct 23 2021---Our regular Hangout was filled with many of our new members which was awesome! Through Google, skits and group share, we gave our teens a crash course on real-world skills like doing your own laundry, making a doctor's appointment, opening a checking account, executing that first job interview and more through a fun interactive activity called Growing Up Doesn't Have to be Scary.
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Oct 19 2021---10 of our high schoolers got a taste of college life at the Oklahoma State University main campus in Stillwater. We began with an Admissions Presentation and then had an extensive campus tour that included visiting the Student Union Bldg (the largest in the nation), the Education Bldg and even an exclusive visit inside of 2 campus dorms. We wrapped our day with delicious food in the Student Union (Chick-Fil-A as well as Int'l food)--See photos in the gallery above.
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Sept 2021---We had a wonderful field trip to Tulsa where we visited the Tulsa Race Massacre Memorial Park, Historic Vernon AME Church, walked down Greenwood to visit the Greenwood Rising Museum, ate at Fat Guys and then headed to The Gathering Place, Tulsa's Riverfront Park, to let off a bit of steam in nature. Check out the pics here.
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August 2021---We had a great Back to School Kick-off with 3 new families in attendance who joined over the summer while we took a break. We enjoyed lunch, an ice breaker activity to help us get to know one another and then a presentation of our tentative Hangout schedule for the year. THANK YOU MELROSE COMMUNITY CENTER FOR PARTNERING WITH US AND PROVIDING NEW MEETING SPACE.
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June 2021---One June 19tth, our 3rd Annual Ties to the Future Young Men's Networking event was a huge success with our greatest turnout yet. 50+ young men and about 20 Community Mentors. Check out the highlights here.
One week later, we headed on our annual Summer Trip. The Route 66 Adventure was a ton of fun. Our mentees learned a bit of Oklahoma history all while enjoying barbecue, the POPS experience and fun in the sun at Arcadia Lake along the famous Route 66. Check out the highlights here.
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April 2021--- Our boys basketball teams participated in their first tournament taking Championship and 3rd Place honors respectively! Congrats boys and coaches.
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Easter Weekend---Members of All Brothers Allowed and Sisters With Purpose engaged in a real-life civics lesson as they helped OKCPS School Board Member, Charles Henry, campaign for School Board Chair by distributing fliers to strategic residences across multiple neighborhoods over a 5-day period, some even working on Easter Sunday. This was not a political statement, but a means of teaching our youth to be civic-minded. We are grateful for the opportunity. Check out some pics here.
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March 2021---We added 14U and 15U AAU basketball teams (OK Team TakeOver) as a means of rebuilding our boys program. Coach Montgomery took members of both teams and some of our Sisters With Purpose members on an impromptu trip to Black Wall Street in Tulsa over Spring Break. What a great way for them to learn about the legacy of wealth-building within the Black Community, right here in Oklahoma that influenced communities across the nation.
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1.30.21---ACT PREP CLASS CANCELLED DUE TO LOW REGISTRATION--We will bring it back next year.
1.20.21---Reach Forward would not let COVID-19 defeat us. We continued our tradition of participating in the Oklahoma City Martin Luther King Jr Parade by submitting a virtual "float" entry. See us in the parade here.
12.20.20---In the age of COVID-19, we had to spread holiday cheer a bit differently! We hosted a social distancing friendly holiday celebration that included a Reach & Grab gift table and holiday treats provided to our mentees courtesy of McKenzie Ministries, pizza and a holiday photo opp for family and friend groups in attendance.
9.19.20---Fun was had by all at the September Hangout at the beautiful new Scissortail Park in Downtown OKC! Things kicked off with lunch (courtesy of McKenzie Ministries), followed by a Scavenger Hunt for a cash prize, setting the stage for a lesson on Savings where each mentee received their own "money jar" to begin their savings journey and we wrapped things up with each one writing down their first savings goal. Check out photo and video highlights here.
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8.25.20---Reach Forward Foundation is announced as a Journal Record 2020 Programs Making a Difference Honoree!
06.29.19---Great fun was had by all 17 teens and the parent volunteers who spent an entire day of water fun in nature @ Turner Falls (Davis, OK). To cap off the day, we visited Bedre Chocolate Factory on the way home to enjoy delectable treats that melt in your mouth!
05.25.19---School is out and it's time for some summer fun. We met as a group in the lounge section of Northpark Mall to practice our communication, teamwork and organizational skills as we worked through the logistics of our June Hangout (Bedre Chocolate Factory & Turner Falls). After our group planning session, we headed for a bit of movie fun at Northpark AMC. Check out a bit of our planning meeting here.
04.28.19---We partnered with Teri Walls of Master the Test to offer an information session to our Reach Forward Parents to help them help their children prepare for the ACT/SAT and overall college readiness. At the same time, our youth were working through ACT-type Math and English questions in the Boys & Girls Club computer lab. Check out the photos here.
03.19.19---This was the first college tour for many of our students. We had a great time touring Southern Nazarene University. Students and parents alike learned much about SNU as well as the overall college application process and student life. Thanks to this opportunity, we now have several students interested in attending Southern Nazarene. Check out the photos here.
02.16.19---Reach Forward took over the Oklahoma History Center. We had a wonderful time exploring all 5 galleries on a Selfie Scavenger Hunt! We may make this an annual event as it was so much fun! We thank the Inasmuch Foundation for making our trip possible through a special grant for schools and youth programs like ours.
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01.26.19---The first annual Ties to the Future event for our young men was a huge success with 20 boys and 20 business men showing up to teach young men how to tie a tie as well as present themselves respectfully and professionally. A HUGE THANKS TO GQ FASHIONS AND BOARDMAN, LLC for ensuring that each boy received a new tie.
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12.15.18---We wrapped up 2018 with a fun, interactive Holiday Party! Check out the photo gallery.
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11.17.18---Our first group service project @ City Rescue Mission was a win for all involved! See photos here.
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10.22.18---We had an amazing session on "Unmasking Our Fears". Check out a video excerpt here.
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9.22.18: First official Hangout-Vision Boards & Goal-Setting
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8.4.18: Community Kick-Off Event