New name and base, but same important mission
After 20 years helping more than 3,000 student-athletes enhance their decision-making, goal-setting and communication skills, it was time for the J. Kyle Braid Leadership Foundation to move on.
It did, 900 miles east.
Program founder Colleen Malany shifted locale to Monmouth College around Peoria, from a ranch in Colorado. Re-established as the JKB Experiential Education Foundation, it will host 80 students from 20 high schools in four sessions this summer June 21-July 18.
While after two decades some board members retired their positions, including her former husband and co-founder Ken Braid, Malany and others such as Naperville Central's Barry Baldwin and retired athletic director Marty Bee will maintain the classroom and athletic leadership training curriculum under the new name and with the modern facilities Monmouth and fellow partners Western Illinois University and the Two Rivers YMCA can provide.
"It was 20 years and we felt that was a really good number to stop and go out with the program being as strong as it was, and the impact was still there," said Malany, who has won humanitarian awards from the University of Illinois Alumni Association and in Brevard County, Florida, a former residence.
"I, on the other hand, was not ready to retire and I am really very excited about the direction we're able to go in," she said.
As we've written over the years, the mission of the JKB Experiential Education Foundation came out of great tragedy.
Kyle Braid was a sophomore football player in a Florida high school who was told to get bigger and stronger for football. To do so he took steroids, and during an adverse reaction to the drug, took his life.
Almost immediately his parents, Colleen and Ken, dedicated themselves to providing a better means for teenagers to deal with adversity, carry out plans, make clearer decisions. The JKB model offers separate groups of boys and girls (as Malany said in the past, "we're crazy but we're not stupid" to mix the two) growth opportunities through activities such as crew and a ropes course along with classroom curriculum.
The JKB scholars selected by their schools take the program the summer before their junior years, then look to develop what they've learned over their next two years in high school. The complete story can be found at the jkbfoundation.org website. Also, info on a May 21 fundraiser at Naperville's chic Mesón Sabika restaurant.
Malany is excited that Monmouth's athletic facilities and Western Illinois' 92-acre Horn Field will jibe with the student-athletes. She's also excited that next year, with the arrival of scholars from Metea Valley, Waubonsie Valley and Neuqua Valley, all nine DuPage Valley Conference schools will be involved.
"The solidarity, the continuity, will be tremendous," Malany said.
It is a tremendous program. Following are the student-athletes from participating DuPage schools who will attend this summer.
Downers Grove South: Karina Kling, Kenny Kruse, Vivian Pierropoulos, John Reeg, Joe Tonoff.
Glenbard North: Danny Koeller, Muabon Paye, Kayla Quanstrum, Vittorio Tricase.
Hinsdale Central: Molly Caveney, Eric Chang, Lila Loughlin, Logan Lovelace, Emily Otto, Zoe Relias.
Lake Park: Madison Catalano, Sam Grimaldi, Alyssa Kuman, Matt Latoria, Natalie Morales, John O'Brien.
Naperville Central: Tanya Badrljica, Griffin Geisler, Anna Marie Gunn, Meredith Hannan, Lucy Jensen, Christian Nussbaum, Dana Roscoe, Brendan Ross, Peter Villanova and Patrick Meier.
Naperville North: Kathryn Abe, Gabrielle Champion, Robert Deetjen, Jack Ginzkey, Andrew Klaiber, Megan Phillips, Ashley Santos, Samantha Straka, Chris Sullivan, Shwetabh Tarun.
Wheaton North: Luke Bennett, Ethan Block, Hannah Burden, Kendall Gail, Erik Mueller, Kiersten Oslund, Annika Nelson, Austin Tate.
Wheaton Warrenville South: Sara Atkins, Matthew Dohse, Drew Healy, Julia Hildebrand, Jack Molino, Madeline Smith.
Warriors for warriors
Wheaton Academy baseball coach Brad Byrne said the school has a history of honoring military veterans in November, around Veterans Day. The baseball team is expanding that to May, National Military Appreciation Month.
"It's an opportunity for us as coaches to talk to our kids about the value of service," Byrne said. "Obviously being able to utilize the appreciation of our troops is a great opportunity to talk about service and to sacrifice for others."
Wheaton Academy's ballclub had wanted to schedule a fundraiser for the Wounded Warriors Project, but organizing that is a long process, said Byrne, whose father, Thomas, is an Army veteran.
(Byrne also noted Wheaton Academy players Brett Albaugh, Bryce Sandberg, Chris Johnson, Jake Lindstedt, Adam Ghosh and Luis Ramos play for a baseball team sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2164 in Wheaton.)
Instead Wheaton Academy designated three games in May in which they'll recognize service members and their families and fly their colors with commemorative, star-spangled jerseys and caps. The first game was May 4 against Fenton; the next two are Tuesday against IC Catholic Prep and May 19 against Riverside-Brookfield each at the campus in West Chicago.
Head of School Gene Frost is making arrangements for veterans to sing the national anthem and to throw out the first pitch at those games.
Rather than players' names on the back of their uniform tops, the "pillars" of both Wounded Warriors leadership and Wheaton Academy are sewn on: commitment, honor, courage, integrity, country, excellence and service.
For example, the name on the back of catcher David Thrasher's uniform is Country.
"We have enjoyed people asking about it, and that gives us an opportunity to say, thank you," Byrne said.
United for Ronald
Timothy Christian and IC Catholic Prep are teaming for a Cross-town Classic event on Saturday, combining athletics and a fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House.
Held at Timothy Christian in Elmhurst, the schools' baseball, softball and girls soccer teams all will be playing each other. Those who don't play those sports can throw-down in a bags contest.
Both schools have collected the tabs from beverage cans to be recycled, with funds donated to Ronald McDonald House. The teams also will be wearing and selling red-and-white striped socks, just like Ronald, to support the cause. There will also be food and children's activities.
doberhelman@dailyherald.com
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