Choices Youth Development Organization

06/02/2026

Parent Night (2)
Our Annual Parent Night was a wonderful evening filled with family, friendship, food, and fun. This special event gave parents, guardians, mentors, and supporters the opportunity to come together and enjoy time with others who share a common interest in supporting and encouraging our youth.
We had Grown Folk Fun

06/02/2026

Parent Night
Our Annual Parent Night was a wonderful evening filled with family, friendship, food, and fun. This special event gave parents, guardians, mentors, and supporters the opportunity to come together and enjoy time with others who share a common interest in supporting and encouraging our youth.
We had GROWN FOLK FUN

05/04/2026

05/01/2026

The Importance of the Fire Department in Our Community
The fire department plays a vital role in keeping our community safe. Today, the young men of Choice’s OBC had the opportunity to visit Firehouse #1 in Matteson. Illinois. This visit was about more than learning what firefighters do, including responding to fires, assisting with medical calls, conducting rescues, and providing community education. It was also about understanding character. Being a firefighter requires more than physical strength. It takes courage, discipline, integrity, and a true commitment to serving others. Firefighters must think quickly, work as a team, and consistently put the needs of the community before their own. These are the very qualities we want our young men to learn, embrace, and carry with them as they grow into strong leaders.

Thanks to the Matteson Fire Department for their commitment to the youth in our community.

04/28/2026

Family Matters
We are grateful for all the parents and families who joined us for our Family Week events, including the Family Skate. These moments created valuable opportunities for our mentees and their families to engage, bond, eat, and have fun together. We especially want to recognize the guardians teachers, grandparents, and foster parents who showed up. Their presence showed an unwavering commitment to the children in their care

04/14/2026

If nothing ever changed, there would be no Butterflies.
We’re proud to share that the young ladies of Sista to Sister whose emblem is a butterfly traded their hoodies and jeans for elegant attire and attended our Annual Tea Party. The day was filled with laughter, fun games, and meaningful conversations in a beautiful setting. They also participated in an etiquette refresher, reviewing table manners, polite conversation, and the importance of presenting themselves with confidence and respect in any setting.
Special Thanks to our Sista to Sister mentors, Ms. Echols, Ms. Taylor, Ms. Williams and Ms. Carter for hosting the event.

03/28/2026

Community Series – First Visit to the Police Station
We recently started our Community Series, designed to help our mentees learn how our community works and the people who serve it. Our first visit was to the local police station, where the officers welcomed our mentees and gave them a full tour of the station. The officers took time to talk with the mentees about choices and consequences, responsibility, and the importance of building positive relationships with the men and women who serve and protect our community. This visit was a great learning experience and an important step in helping our mentees better understand their community and their role in it. We look forward to the next stop in our Community Series.

03/28/2026

Exposure, Experience, and Choices
Many of our mentees recently attended a live theater performance for the first time when we went to see Step Afrika. At first, some of the mentees were not excited about going, but once the performance started and they experienced the audience engagement and energy of the show, their attitudes quickly changed.
By the end of the trip, we heard comments like, “I’m glad I went,” and “I had a good time.” Moments like this remind us why we are committed to the concepts of Exposure, Experience, and Choices. When young people are exposed to new experiences, it helps them grow, think differently, and make better choices about their future
.