PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Fenton Jones, unit director of the Presque Isle Boys & Girls Club, recently received a regional Native Spirit Award from the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
The Native Service Unit of the national BGCA presented the awards to Jones and three other regional awardees during the Native Summit for the Boys & Girls Clubs in Indian Country, held in Ft Myers, Fla., earlier this winter. The winners of each region received a $250 check for themselves and $250 for their club.
Nichole Francis, Micmac education director and CEO of the umbrella organization the Penobscot Boys & Girls Club, which oversees the Presque Isle club, nominated Jones for the award.
“Fenton has been vital to the capacity building and membership increase of the Presque Isle site,” said Francis. “A true champion of change, he has led the charge on many youth-driven initiatives in the area, including the establishment of a youth council, fundraising efforts and youth leadership initiatives.”
Jones, who was promoted last year to unit director of the local club, came to Presque Isle in November 2013 to work with The Aroostook Band of Micmacs at their Boys & Girls Club as a volunteer under the AmeriCorps VISTA program. He brought with him experience as a Boys & Girls Club member, and also a wealth of knowledge about camps and clubs he had worked with in the greater Detroit metropolitan area.
As a unit director for the PIBGC, Jones is directly responsible for the overseeing of operations and programs for the club. He is responsible for program development and implementation, staff development, supervision of assigned staff and program volunteers, facilities and budget management, among other duties.
As an alumni of the BGC programs, Jones has a unique perspective on the positive impact the club can have. He has been a key part of initiating a number of programs, such as Power Hour, STEM, Youth Leadership and Run for Life, among others, according to Francis.
He has successfully written a number of grants to fund educational, nutritional and physical programs for Presque Isle’s youth.
Jones said he always loves to quote the BGCA mission statement: “The mission of the BGCA is to enable all young people, especially those who need us the most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens.”
He added, “It is a constant reminder to staff of the vital role they play in young people’s lives.”
Networking is a major part of Jones’ position. He meets with other club professionals to share his innovations and use the insights he gains from others to strengthen the PI-BGC. He said the Florida summit brought together club professionals who deal with the unique challenges and problems affecting Native American, Hawaiian Native and Alaska Native youth.
