SOUTH FLORIDA SUPER BOWL XLI HOST COMMITTEE
YOUTH EDUCATION TOWN (YET)
What is YET?
For more than a decade, the NFL has constructed Youth Education Towns in Super Bowl host cities. In partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs, the NFL YET initiative is devoted to positively impacting youngsters who reside in at-risk neighborhoods in these cities. The league donates $1 million annually toward the project, with additional funding coming from local public and private organizations.
YET Centers offer tutoring, mentors, career training, computer education, and access to sports programs. They are designed to help kids succeed by providing educational assistance, job training, technical instruction, life-skills development, and recreational outlets. Facilities are unique but all include libraries, classrooms, technology labs, and fitness centers.
Since 1993, there have been ten YET Centers dedicated in eight cities - Los Angeles, two in San Diego, Phoenix, New Orleans, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Atlanta and two in Tampa. YET Centers are also on the way in Houston (2 centers), Jacksonville, Honolulu and Detroit.
South Florida's NFL YET Centers
Miami in 1995 - Super Bowl XXIX
The NFL Youth Educational Town Center at Gwen Cherry Park in Miami is the result of Super Bowl XXIX, which was hosted in Miami, Florida in 1995. This center is the only NFL Youth Education Town in Miami-Dade County. Each year the center serves over 800 at-risk kids through its unique private/public partnership design. The center houses Communities-In-Schools (which oversees all of its educational services in the private sector), Boys & Girls Club of Miami (which oversees all of its optimist type competitive sports in the private sector), and Miami-Dade County Parks & Recreation Department (which oversees all the grassroots sports, cultural activities, facility maintenance and grounds maintenance, as well as the onsite director). The center is designed to give children a safe place to study, receive homework assistance, learn computer technology, participate in cultural experiences, play sports and be a kid. The center services members age 6 to 14, and believe all members deserve to know and experience the good things in life, as well as understand they can be whatever they choose.
Ft. Lauderdale in 1999 - Super Bowl XXXIII
Super Bowl XXXIII in 1999 was held in South Florida and opened the next South Florida YET center in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The NFL YET Center/Lester H. White Boys & Girls Club opened for services in September 2000. It provides a drop-in center for youth focusing on the ages of 7 to 18. National Boys & Girls Club Programs are implemented in the areas of character and leadership, education and career development, the arts, health and life skills and sports, fitness and recreation and services approximately 150 children per day and 980 per year.
As the Super Bowl returns to South Florida in 2007, the NFL and Host Committee will continue to work with our two existing Youth Education Towns to fortify and expand their programs.
Additional Information:
- How can I make a donation to the Miami YET Center?
- Who operates the YET Center?
- What programs and resources are available at the YET Center?
- Where is the center located?
- What is the history of the NFL YET Center?
How can I make a donation to the South Florida YET Centers?
If you would like to make a personal donation to our local YET's, please contact the Host Committee's Community Outreach Director.
Who operates the YET Center?
Boys & Girls Club of Florida is the managing partner of the local YET's
What programs and resources are available at the YET Center?
State of the art computer and technology classrooms
- Tutoring and mentoring
- Homework help
- Library and literacy skills training
- Physical fitness rooms including gymnasium
- Social recreation
What is the history of the NFL YET Center?
The YET Center concept evolved about 14 years ago in Los Angeles at Super Bowl XXVII. The NFL sought a way to positively impact the nation's communities after the games were played by using sports as a means to foster community development. Since then, the NFL has challenged each Super Bowl host city to create a center in areas needing community restoration.
Recently, the NFL has joined forces with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America to strengthen and expand the YET initiative and improve the quality of services offered.
Currently there are 12 YET Centers in nine cities - Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, New Orleans, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Atlanta, two in Tampa
And ones are being constructed in Jacksonville and Detroit.
