Funded through a variety of sources including corporate sponsorships — with support from Harris Savings Bank, Keystone Financial, Mellon Bank, and the City of Harrisburg — grants from foundations, and income from special events and program fees, the program is designed to unite youths, or Teen Achievers, with positive adult leaders in the community. The Adult Achievers, as the adults are known, are individuals who have been recognized by local businesses, government, and other agencies for the high standards that they have demonstrated in both their personal and professional lives.

Founded in 1971 by Dr. Leo B. Marsh, a financial consultant with the YMCA of Greater New York, the program was intended to motivate the African-American youth to set educational and career goals for themselves. Twenty-eight years later, the Black Achievers is now sponsored in YMCAs on both coasts, with more than 100 active programs in existence — all of which help youths of all races and ethnicities work toward a better future for themselves.

“The Harrisburg of tomorrow will be built on the opportunities that we create for our region’s youth today,” said Harrisburg Mayor Stephen R. Reed. “The Black Achievers Program challenges the community to invest in our youth by encouraging them to stay in school, by giving them the tools they’ll need to succeed both personally and professionally, and by providing mentors that can open doors for them.”

In fact, the program’s core component is a “career cluster,” where Teen Achievers, from the three local, participating school districts — Central Dauphin, Harrisburg, and Bishop McDevitt — will, in addition to building relationships with their adult achiever, participate in workshops and seminars twice a month in various career fields including business, computer technology, medicine and health, education, and communications.

“The Program is designed to motivate our youth to succeed in school,” said President of the Camp Curtain Branch YMCA, Gloria Martin-Payne. “The career clusters expose the Teen Achievers to the ‘work world’ and show them not only the types of skills they will need to succeed, but also the kinds of behavior that are appropriate when they are a part of the workforce.”

By all accounts, the addition of the Black Achievers Program to the Harrisburg area couldn’t have come at a better time. This program is “a measure of our commitment to the future,” according to Mayor Reed, adding that, as a community endeavor, it is not only a credit to the participants and area in which they live, it also serves as a challenge for the community to join forces and “invest in our youth.”

Echoing that sentiment was Lyle Shughart, Senior Vice President of Harris Savings Bank and member of the Black Achievers Sterring Committee, “Harris Savings Bank is very proud to be investing in The Black Achievers Program. By supporting a program like this, we are giving a commitment to our youth for a better future for them and for the communities where they live.” Illustrating his belief in the cause, Shughart added, “Harris Savings Bank would like to challenge other businesses to become involved in the program.”