Donate – The YouthQuest Foundation

New Friends, Familiar Faces Make Golf Tournament a Success

August 25, 2016 stevep News

Golfers at YouthQuest;s 11th Annual Challenge at Trump National Golf Club, August 8, 2016

The YouthQuest Foundation’s 11^th annual golf tournament was our most successful fundraising event, thanks to our generous sponsors, players and volunteers.

Volunteers Una Murphy and Steve Levenson welcome guests to YouthQuest's Challenge at Trump National Golf Club — Volunteers Una Murphy and Steve Levenson welcome guests

Two dozen teams – more than 100 players – competed on August 8 at The Challenge at Trump National Golf Club in Potomac Falls, Virginia.

The tournament is a major source of funding for the 3D ThinkLink Initiative and our other programs for America’s at-risk youth. This year, we introduced our supporters to the new Youth Mentor Program, which will give our most motivated and capable 3D ThinkLink students the tools and training they need to share their 3D printing skills – as well as their critical thinking and problem solving skills – with their communities.

Several guests at the tournament and our VIP Reception on August 4 made $500 donations to provide a Youth Mentor with a Tech Pack, which includes a 3D printer, laptop computer, design software and training. CLICK TO CONTRIBUTE

Everyone enjoyed a beautiful summer day on Trump National’s recently renovated Championship Course, which will be the site of the 2017 Senior PGA Championship in May. Three teams tied for first place at 56. Matt Owens from the Jones, Lang, LaSalle team and Milena Savich from CrossFit PR Star won prizes for the longest drives.

Players celebrate a putt at YouthQuest's Challenge at Trump National Golf Club on August 8, 2016 — Celebrating a putt

Teams were matched up with celebrity and VIP players. As always, Jerry Olsen and other Washington Redskins alumni were on hand, along with current and former military and law enforcement officers.

We had more tournament sponsors this year than ever before. Visa USA sponsored the VIP Reception for the first time. Hewlett-Packard and One on One Financial Group came aboard as new Bronze Sponsors. Insurance Associates and the Poole Foundation stepped up to Silver Sponsorships. The PHILLIPS Programs, our 3D ThinkLink partner, was a first-time hole sponsor.

We’re also grateful to all our returning sponsors:

Platinum – AOC Solutions
Gold – 3Delta Systems
Silver – FEDAC Processing
Photo Sponsor – RE/MAX Gateway
Hole-in-One Car Sponsor – PNC Bank (C300 4Matic provided by Mercedes-Benz of Chantilly)
Bronze – AC Properties; CrossFit PR Star; Experis Technology Group; Iron Bow; Jones, Lang, LaSalle; Ritzert & Leyton; Valley Forge Acquisition Corporation; Wells Fargo Private Bank.

Brad Denton swings his 10-foot driver during a trick shot demonstration before the Challenge at Trump National Golf Club August 8, 2016 — Brad Denton swings his 10-foot driver

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar in Tysons Corner, Virginia, which hosted the VIP Reception, also sponsored Golf Entertainer Brad Denton’s appearance. Brad provided his always-amazing trick shot demonstration before play started, then collected donations by running several promotions as he circulated around on the course.

New York Times bestselling author John Gilstrap, who judges our 3D ThinkLink student essay contests, was back again this year at the VIP Reception and Tournament Reception to meet our guests and sign copies of his latest thriller, Friendly Fire.

Linda Ackerman organizes volunteers ar YouthQuest's golf tournament on August 8, 2016 — Linda Ackerman organizes volunteers

We couldn’t stage a major event like this every year without the help of our volunteers, many of whom are AOC Solutions employees. Our deepest thanks to Volunteer Coordinator Linda Ackerman, Bill Ackerman, Sabah Anwar, Carl Brown, Edna Davis (our 2015 Volunteer of the Year), Kelly Eisenhart, Nikki Gombos, Tammy Haug, Sarah Hightower, Valerie Hightower (our 2016 Volunteer of the Year), Gary Hoffman, Dick Knapp, Steve Levenson, Una Murphy, Denise Roberts, Tiesha Robertson, Tony Sanderson, Carol Schick, Bryan Self and Erica Stewart.

General Manager Michael MacDonald, Director of Events Ellen Fatigati and the entire Trump National staff always provide excellent service for our tournament guests, so we’ve already made our reservation for next year. The 12^th Annual Challenge at Trump National will take place on Monday, August 7, 2017.

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Kickstarter Campaign: Help Us Share the Power of 3D Printing

May 20, 2015 stevep Blog

Support YouthQuest's 3DThinkLink curriculum Kickstarter campaign

We’re running a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter during the month of June that will take the YouthQuest Foundation’s 3D ThinkLink Initiative to the next level. Support this project and spread the word!

CLICK HERE TO VISIT OUR KICKSTARTER PAGE AND DONATE

Our goal is to raise $8,000 to publish and package for purchase an easy-to-use introductory 3D design and printing curriculum suitable for students of all ages, particularly at-risk youth.

The campaign launched on the Kickstarter site on Monday, June 1 and will run for 30 days.

UPDATE: June 26 – We have topped our goal with four days left to increase the total. The funds in excess of $8,000 will be used to produce a bonus video for the curriculum package that will explain the various types of 3D printers and help users decide which one is best for them.

We will produce a curriculum based on the lessons we’ve developed during more than two years of teaching students in National Guard Youth ChalleNGe programs serving South Carolina, Maryland and the District of Columbia.

The package will include Moment of Inspiration 3D modeling software, a course syllabus, comprehensive lessons plans, supporting videos and student handouts. The classroom curriculum will be bundled for one teacher and 10 students. There also will be a single-user self-directed curriculum package for home use. Students will be able to print completion certificates after passing a performance-based assessment.

By offering this curriculum for sale to online subscribers, we will create an important new source of revenue to support our work with at-risk youth and to share the power of 3D printing with people everywhere.

We’ve seen over and over again that our training does much more than introduce students to the hot, new technology of 3D printing. It improves problem solving skills, stimulates creativity, reinforces STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) education and builds self-confidence. Plus, it’s fun to discover how to turn ideas into 3D-printed reality.

Everyone who contributes to our Kickstarter campaign will get the satisfaction of knowing they’re helping at-risk kids learn to think differently and make better decisions through 3D. In addition, we’re offering five levels of rewards for our backers.

For donations up to $25: A handy 3D ThinkLink ruler/bookmark

For donations of $50: A personalized key chain tag, which is one of the first things our students learn to make in class

For donations of $100: A personalized two-color case for an iPhone or Android phone designed and printed in our 3D ThinkLink Lab

For donations of $500 or more: A single-user self-directed curriculum package

For donations of $5,000 or more: The complete classroom curriculum package

Our plan is to complete the project and deliver all rewards to backers within 60 days of reaching our $8,000 Kickstarter goal.

You’ll find frequent updates about the campaign on our Kickstarter page, as well as here on our website and on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

VIDEO: A Year of Growth for YouthQuest’s 3D ThinkLink Initiative

December 10, 2014 stevep News

Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy students use laptop in 3D ThinkLink class

YouthQuest’s project to teach critical thinking and problem solving skills through 3D design and printing reached 60 at-risk teens from South Carolina, Maryland and the District of Columbia in 2014.

This year’s highlights included the participation of students from Maryland’s Freestate and DC’s Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Programs in the USA Science and Engineering Festival in April and the first weeklong immersion training at our 3D ThinkLink Lab at YouthQuest headquarters in Chantilly, Va., in August.

Our students also saw how 3D printing is used by industries and universities during Vocational Orientation events at 3D Systems, Prototype Productions, the Maryland NanoCenter and the University of South Carolina Mechanical Engineering Department.

We look forward to further expansion in 2015 with the formal opening of the 3D ThinkLink Lab and the start of 3D printing classes for grade-schoolers at Boys & Girls Club summer camps in Fairfax County, Va.

You can help us change the lives of more at-risk kids by making a contribution to support our 3D ThinkLink Initiative. CLICK HERE to donate online. You can also contact us at info@youthquestfoundation.org or (703) 234-4633.

At-Risk Youth: By the Numbers

October 16, 2014 stevep News

We measure success one child at a time. Every child has a unique story that can’t be told with statistics alone. But these numbers illustrate the risks facing our nation’s youth today.

The latest news about American high school students is good, but not good enough. The on-time graduation rate for the Class of 2012 rose to 80% for the first time, the National Center for Education Statistics reported in April.

The remaining 20% “represents 718,000 young people, among them a sharply disproportionate share of African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans,” says Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. The graduation rate for the Class of 2012 was 73% for Hispanics, 69% for blacks and 67% for Native Americans, compared to 86% for whites and 88% for Asians. For those with limited English language proficiency, the rate was 59%.

“High school graduation may have once been a finish line, but today it is just a beginning,” says Secretary Duncan.

Every time a teen drops out, we all pay a price. Dropouts drain public resources because they are much more likely than high school graduates to be unemployed, need government aid, abuse alcohol and drugs and be arrested. At least two-thirds of dropouts spend time in jail. On average, dropouts earn about half as much as graduates, so they contribute less to the economy.

Now more than ever, the numbers are stacked against teens who lack the education required to compete in a technology-driven job market.

The YouthQuest Foundation works to keep teens in school and to help those who have dropped out get their lives back on track through academic and vocational training, as well as development of fundamental life skills.

One way we do this is through our 3D ThinkLink Initiative, a unique project that uses 3D design and printing to teach critical thinking and problem-solving skills to students who once gave up on school.

YouthQuest believes it is our responsibility, individually and as a society, to see that every American child has the opportunity to reach his or her potential.

If you would like to support our mission, please CLICK HERE to make a donation or contact us at info@youthquestfoundation.org or (703) 234-4633.

Register Now for the Challenge at Trump National Golf Club

May 20, 2014 stevep News

Golf Entertainer Brad Denton at YouthQuest's 2013 Challenge at Trump National

You’re invited to be part of YouthQuest’s signature fundraising event to support our programs for at-risk youth, the 9th Annual Challenge at Trump National Golf Club, on Monday, August 11.

CLICK HERE for registration and sponsorship level information.

Your support for this tournament is crucial in our Foundation’s mission to help at-risk youth across America become productive citizens through education and employment.

Students with a 3D printer at the DC Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy

Nationally, we provide opportunities for high school dropouts to turn their lives around with projects such as the 3D ThinkLink Initiative. Thanks to our 3D design and printing classes at National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Academies, former dropouts from Maryland, South Carolina and the District of Columbia are developing critical thinking and problem solving skills that will help them make better decisions as they enter adulthood.

Funds raised through the golf tournament will help us expand this unique STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) education project to include more states and other organizations that work with at-risk youth in underserved communities.

Locally, we support programs that prevent kids from dropping out of school and show them how to become productive citizens. For example, the Foundation has contributed to College Tribe’s tutoring programs to keep young African-American men in Southeast DC on the path to college. We also sponsor the annual Step Up Loudoun Youth Competition, in which students create projects to solve problems facing teens in Loudoun County, Va.

Action at the 2013 Challenge at Trump National

It will be a full day of fun and networking at the world-class Trump National Golf Club, Washington, DC, as our sponsors and guests make valuable face-to-face connections with business and community leaders, as well as local sports figures and other celebrities. Each foursome will be matched up with a celebrity player.

Everyone will enjoy breakfast in the clubhouse and demonstration by Golf Entertainer Brad Denton before a 9:30 am shotgun start on the scenic and challenging course along the Potomac River. Lunch will be served on the course and there will be an awards reception at the Trump National clubhouse to wrap up the day.

In addition, tournament sponsors and VIPs will attend a reception Thursday night, Aug. 7 at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar in Tysons Corner, Va.

Last year’s Challenge at Trump National was the biggest and best so far. We’re determined to top it this year. You can help make it happen by signing up to be a player, sponsor or volunteer — or by making a donation for the silent auction or player gift bags.

3D ThinkLink Initiative: Fund a Lab, Change a Life

October 16, 2013 stevep News

Capital Guardian ChalleNGe Academy Cadets Kenneth Cruz and Niema Travers work together to assemble a 3D-printed level.

The YouthQuest Foundation’s 3D ThinkLink Initiative is growing, and so is the need for resources to support this important STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) education experience for at-risk youth.

Freestate ChalleNGe Academy Cadet Nancy Tapia-Loza in 3D printing class — Cadet Nancy Tapia-Loza was in the first 3D printing class at Freestate ChalleNGe Academy.

We are serving twice as many students this fall as we did in the pilot project at Freestate ChalleNGe Academy in the spring. 3D printing classes are being conducted at Maryland’s Freestate and the newly opened Capital Guardian ChalleNGe Academy, which serves the District of Columbia. And that’s just the beginning. We have invited four more National Guard Youth ChalleNGe programs in the mid-Atlantic region to start classes at their Academies early next year.

This means hundreds of high school dropouts who decide to turn their lives around will have the opportunity to learn about the revolutionary technology of additive manufacturing. Smaller groups at each Academy will be chosen for 25 hours of advanced training as members of 3D ThinkLink Teams. Starting next summer, select students from those teams will be invited to YouthQuest’s headquarters in Chantilly, Va., for 40 hours of immersion training in our 3D ThinkLink Fabrication Laboratory.

Make the Connection — DONATE

With your support, we are opening students’ eyes to a world of possibilities in STEM they might otherwise have never seen. Every donation, large or small, helps us assemble the pieces we need to build on the early success of our 3D ThinkLink Initiative. For example:

$30 provides a lab tool set for one student.
$100 provides one hard drive and battery for a recycled laptop computer.
$450 provides one tablet computer for a 3D ThinkLink Team graduate.
$1,600 provides one Cube 3D printer and materials.
$2,500 provides one week of 3D ThinkLink Lab immersion training, including lodging and meals, for one student.

By making the connection between technology and creativity, the 3D ThinkLink Initiative gives at-risk teens an advantage as they enter a workforce where STEM skills are in high demand. Our classes prepare students to successfully compete for a growing array of technology-related jobs that don’t require a college degree or to continue their education in one of the STEM disciplines. In addition, the program builds self-confidence and problem-solving skills that help graduates achieve their goals no matter what career path they choose.

Click here to make a donation or contact us at info@youthquestfoundation.org or (703) 234-4633.