The iBELIEVE Newsletter - 5th Edition

Welcome back to the fifth edition of the iBELIEVE Newsletter. We’re closing in on the end of 2023 so keep reading to hear what we’ve been up to since the summer and what’s coming up for iB.

2023 Fall Leadership Summits

We’re right in the middle of our Fall Leadership Summits. As your reading this newsletter, we’ve just finished our first 2 summits at Ohio University. A special thank you to Ohio University’s Voinovich School of Leadership for helping sponsor our OU summits. Thank you also to our friends from the Athens County Community Foundation and Ohio Valley Bank for giving presentations on making an impact in our communities!

We’ll be back to wrap up the rest of our summits after the Thanksgiving break!

Eliza Lucas - iBELIEVE Delegate ‘22 -

Through my experiences with iBELIEVE I've met wonderful people, who inspire me everyday. I am incredibly grateful for the other delegates and staff that were experiencing the same anxiety as I was and truly gave it their all. The love and growth I've felt from iBELIEVE has changed who I am as a student, friend, and worker. iBELIEVE brought a light to my life that I didn't know I needed, and now I know I can be that kindness for someone else.

Rylee Hitchens - iBELIEVE Delegate ‘23 -

Summer 2023 was my first year at the iBELIEVE Leadership Camp. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. iBELIEVE made me change the way I view my role in my community. It helped me realize I really do want to help people and make an impact on people’s lives. iBELIEVE strengthened my leadership skills which I now help people in my school strengthen their own. iBELIEVE pushed me to step outside of my comfort zones when times were scary. I also formed such amazing friendships at camp that I would cherish for the rest of my life. I can’t wait for camp next year.

Alumni Spotlight - Emily Sessor

Emily was a delegate and continues to be a volunteer staff for iBELIEVE.

“My name is Emily Sessor and I live in Scioto County, Ohio. I attended iBELIEVE’s Summer Youth Leadership Workshops when I was in high school. After I completed all 3 levels of their programming, I joined their staff team to help others learn the skills that iBELIEVE taught me. I currently work for HeartCorps which is a partnership between AmeriCorps and the American Heart Association that provides heart health education to rural communities.

iBELIEVE taught me the skills I need to be able to work with and help people from all different backgrounds and cultures. It taught me to be open-minded and empathetic, no matter the situation. I have always had a desire to help people, but iBELIEVE taught me how to actually do it. Through iBELIEVE I also learned how important it is to give back to your communities and places that don’t have as much access to opportunities as other places. In Appalachia it is rare to find opportunities that teach you leadership skills, let alone a program that doesn’t cost anything. All my life I would get picked to attend different events and workshops, but I was unable to attend any of them until the end of my freshman year of high school when I got picked to attend iBELIEVE’s YLW at no cost to me. Attending iBELIEVE’s workshops made me the person I am today. It made me this person that has a desire to help those that are not given the same opportunities to learn and grow.”

“Being from Appalachia, I have seen how even people that live just outside of Appalachia are given different opportunities and experiences. Being Appalcahian puts us at a disadvantage in life, but iBELIEVE gives Appalachian youth the skills they need to be on the same level and even a higher level than those from other places. Through iBELIEVE I learned how to properly communicate, work with different groups of people, and be myself in every situation. Working with HeartCorps I am using these skills everyday to make my community a better place. I use my communication skills to connect with community members to identify community needs and address them. I am able to work with people all over the country to make each of our rural communities healthier, and I am able to make connections with people based on my personal experiences. I am also one of only 10 HeartCorps members that were chosen to attend Scientific Sessions, one of the leading Science conventions in the World. Because of the skills iBELIEVE taught me, I am going to be able to use my skills to network and learn new ways to make my community better. I am able to make a difference because of the skills iBELIEVE taught me, and for that I am forever grateful. iBELIEVE has impacted so many people’s lives, and I know it can continue to impact so many more in the future. I am proud to be an Appalachian Leader, and I am eternally grateful to iBELIEVE for making me one.”

As 2023 comes to an end, we’re already looking forward to everything we can accomplish in 2024. Giving Tuesday, November 28th, kicks off our final giving campaign of the year as we build momentum for next year’s programs.

Every iBELIEVE program is designed for students to gain a strong foundation of core leadership skills they can implement in their schools, communities, and most importantly - their future! Any contribution is appreciated as your support continues to cultivate our growth as one of the largest youth development organizations serving Appalachia.

Here are all the ways you can get involved:

DONATE DIRECTLY

The easiest way to support our students and fund our programs is to donate directly. It typically costs us around $350 to provide a Youth Leadership Workshop experience for one of our students, but donations of any size help provide opportunities. Every contribution counts. Direct donations can be made online HERE. Checks can also be mailed to us directly at:

The iBELIEVE Foundation

P.O. Box 10458

Columbus, OH 43201

SUPPORT OUR AMAZON WISHLIST

Looking for a more concrete way to support? You can purchase an item from our Amazon Wish List and it will be sent directly to us! These supplies are essential to our programs and help offset our programming costs during the summer!

SHOP OUR MERCH

For the first time ever we have a permanent online merch store! Support our programs and rep iBELIEVE at the same time. See everything we’ve got HERE!

SHARE AN IMPACT STORY

Sometimes just sharing our work and impact can be as powerful as a donation. Check out our Impact Stories page to see how far the skills and values we instill in our students have taken them. Have your own iBELIEVE Impact Story that you want to share? You can submit one HERE.

FOLLOW ALONG

Follow along on social media to hear about our programs that have directly impacted our delegates, alumni, and volunteers. INSTAGRAM - TWITTER - FACEBOOK

That wraps up the past few months around iB, our fifth newsletter, and officially one whole year of the iB newsletter! Thanks to everyone that’s kept up with us! If you’re interested in contributing to our next edition in February, please visit our website. In the meantime, watch our social media pages to stay up to date with everything else we’re doing.