Be Greater: Fall 2023 Magazine

Jeffery Brings Extensive Youth Development Experience to the Organization

Kaycia Narine Named Boys & Girls Club Hartford Youth of the Year

Bruschi Speech Inspires Young Men at Boy’s & Girls Clubs of Hartford ‘Boys to Men’ Event

Thank you for attending the 36th Annual U.S. Bank Golf Classic!

We look forward to seeing you for the 2025 GREAT Futures Celebration marking our 165th Anniversary! 

At the age of seven, Armando’s family moved to Hartford’s Southend, and his neighbor (a fellow club Alumnus) invited him to visit the Southwest Club. Armando instantly fell in love with the club and its variety of fun and educational activities. Armando took full advantage of club programs such as Power Hour, which helps Club members with their homework and participated in Money Matters, where he learned about money management and even opened his first bank account. Armando was active in the Keystone Club, a teen-leadership program that allowed him to “get out and explore.” Through the Keystone Club, Armando worked on community service projects, which taught him how to be a team player and illustrated the importance of giving back. He had the opportunity to visit colleges, travel to new areas of the country and gain confidence in the college application process. As a result of his hard work and the skills learned at the Boys & Girls Club, Armando became a Travelers EDGE Scholar and earned his Bachelors of Science in Management Entrepreneurship from the University of Connecticut ’13. After graduation, he relocated to Washington, D.C. to begin his career as a consultant for the United States Marine Corps. In 2015, Armando transitioned into business development and partnership success at Management Leadership for Tomorrow, an organization focused on the professional development of African Americans, Hispanics, and Native American rising leaders. Armando recently started a new career as Associate Director of Employer Partnerships at the Yale School of Management. Armando walked into the Boys & Girls Club looking to make new friends and have fun. He ended up learning valuable life and leadership skills that have helped him become the person he is today. According to Armando: “The Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford will forever be one of the elements that make me, who I am. Every donation to these Clubs and their programs are making futures brighter for our young people.” 

Michael Savage is not a stranger to Hartford, or the Boys & Girls Clubs. A member since he was in 4th grade, Savage started his journey with BGCH at West Middle School, and when the Asylum Hill Boys & Girl Club opened in 2004, he was thrilled to be a part of such a monumental moment in the organization’s history. “The Club has changed my life in so many ways,” Savage said. Savage is now a proud college graduate and works as a Student Engagement Specialist at Hartford Public High School, supporting, advocating, and finding resources for teenagers who have trouble navigating through their high school experience. “ Thanks to the support I received at the Club, I went from a youth who was troubled and was disinterested in doing anything positive, to make my mark in my community and change the world,” he said. Savage credits his pursuit of higher education and his career path to his positive experiences at the Club. “The Club not only provided a safe place for me to after school, it gave me hope, a second home, and it made me feel like I finally belonged. I was given numerous opportunities to travel outside of Hartford which gave me the chance to experience other lifestyles. I went on hikes, whitewater rafted, and even took a trip to Disneyland,” he said. “I took my education seriously and was provided with tutors who helped me when I hit obstacles and wanted to give up. It was the positive mentors in my corner who encouraged me to the best me I could be. They were the driving force to obtain my college degree from Southern Connecticut State University in 2013,” Savage recalled. After college, Savage pursued his passion for helping people as a Therapeutic Foster Care Social Worker, working and inspiring disenfranchised youth find their voices, and a home where they belonged. Now working for Hartford Public Schools, Savage feels blessed to be living and working in the community where he grew up. “I am a product of my environment. Anything is achievable with the right team of support, hard work and dedication. I want people to believe in themselves and know that they are a valued member of society, no matter their background.”