“Turnkey Solutions to Disruptive Life Science Companies”

Maggie Lattin is a 1996 graduate of the University of Valley Forge. There she received her bachelors in Science in Theology with a major in Youth Ministry. Maggie grew up with a heart for teens and wanting to see them live for the Lord. Maggie met her husband, Jason, while at college and they married in 1995. In 1999 they had their son, Joshua Timothy. During the first few years of marriage Maggie worked in child care at different child care centers. In 1997, Maggie began working for the Red Cross. She was the Youth Specialist and would travel to schools doing different programs for the kids about safety.

“Boys & Girls Clubs of America is the nation's premier youth development organization. Our programs, training and services impact nearly 4 million children and teens every year. We hire employees that are recognized as leaders in their field with a passion for improving young lives. We have strong values, embrace diversity and offer great benefits to allow our employees to maintain work/life balance.”

In 1998, Maggie began teaching at Carlisle Christian Academy. During her 15 year of teaching there she had many different positions. She was a middle and high school teacher (English, Bible, Literature, health, speech, leadership…), she was the school counselor, athletic director, social coordinator, and Director of Development. Her 15 years at CCA were some of her favorite. She loved watching the students grow and develop over the years she taught them from 6-12 grades. During her time at CCA she was nominated as “Teacher of the Year”. Another one of the highlights of her time there was the year after she left CCA, the senior class asked her to come back and be their commencement speaker.

After her time at CCA, she saw a job opening for the Boys and Girls Club and knew that she needed to pursue that avenue. She was hired as a Site Director in Shippensburg and she ran the summer camp in Shippensburg that summer. In 2018 the position of Executive Director opened and Maggie served as the intern for 6 month before being named the Executive Director.

The Boys & Girls Club of Chambersburg and Shippensburg started as part of the Harrisburg club. In 2010, the 2 clubs split and Chambersburg and Shippensburg became its own club. During the first few years, the club worked on getting their name out there and having a quality club in both cities. During these years we had around 50 students in Chambersburg and 65 in Shippensburg. In 2018, we began to grow as an opening in Shippensburg schools opened. That year we began having our before and after programs in the school buildings. The following year we began to do this in Chambersburg as well. This changed really lead to a lot of growth, especially in Shippensburg. In Shippensburg we went from 65 students to 120.

Then in March of 2020 Covid hit. The club had to close down and wait to see what was going to happen as a result of the pandemic. Summer camp was on the fence, but the staff knew kids needed to have socialization again. That summer the club held their summer camp in Shippensburg. Their numbers were as high as ever – 80-100 enrolled each week. The club usually has an 8 week summer camp, but because of the start of school being pushed back, we held a 10 week summer camp. At the end of the 10 weeks, Maggie was very proud to be able to say that they ran their summer camp with no positive covid results from staff or kids.

When the 2020-21 school year was announced as starting a 100% virtual, Maggie and her staff had to rethink their programs and look at how they could serve the students and families through this new situation. They knew parents needed to work and that kids needed a safe place to do their work and get help, so Maggie and the staff decided to open up all day programming in Shippensburg and Chambersburg. Between the two locations, the club served over 130 kids through the school year. Many parents commented to the staff that they don’t know what they would have done if the club didn’t open the all day sites. It was a challenging school year with being open each day for 10-12 hours and needing more staff than ever before, but it was one that helped get the staff out of the box and really looking at situations through the eyes of “how can we help”.

As the club and staff enter into the 2021 summer camp season they are again expanding, this time into Newville. They are expecting to serve over 160 kids this summer. For the upcoming school year, Maggie is hoping to expand into 1 or 2 more school districts. The club’s goal, as well as Maggie’s and the board’s, is to see the club be the Boys & Girls Club of Franklin Co and maybe even Cumberland Co. She knows there are many more families and kids out there that can use our programs and services. All of the programs revolve around 3 main ideas: Academic success, character and leadership development and healthy lifestyles. Those are items that ever kids needs and her goal and to partner with schools and families and help every kid who walks through the door to know that they are cared about, that they can have goals and dreams, and that if they keep pushing and persevering they can achieve those dreams and goals – no matter what society, friends, family or anyone else tells them!

Maggie said her two biggest achievements in her time at the Boys & Girls Club are is last year’s summer camp with covid being very active and being able to do 10 weeks of camp with no covid cases. Also, she was a finalist for the Central Penn Business Journals Nonprofit Leadership Excellence Award.

Her advice to future leaders in the child services market is to keep in mind that everything you do is for the kids and their families. If your goal and focus is to make it big or be rich, you will miss the true focus and meaning in what you are doing and then you will not make decisions that will make a lasting impact on the kids. IF you keep the kids and their families the number 1 priority when making decision and plans, you will make a huge difference in their lives and that is what will make you successful – at least in their eyes, which is what really matters. You may not be the richest or most popular in the world’s eyes, but they are not our focus. This is what I do every day and with every decision I make in regards to the club – what can we do to help kids and families, how can we make this better for them, what areas do they need support, etc. And then in return, when I get calls from families that say they don’t know what they would have done without our services, I know I have been successful!

Maggie said, “Covid has changed a lot of things that were always the expected and has caused us to look outside the boxes instead of staying safe within the confines of what we have always done.” She believes this has been a huge game changer in many companies and in how we approach each day. Maggie said, “I know for myself I look more for new issues that we can help kids and their families overcome. I look for how we can do things differently and better. I am more open to new ideas and new ways of doing what we have always done. Covid was a very challenging time for the world, but I hope we have all had a chance to learn and grow because of covid and have gotten back to what REALLY matter – our clients, and in my case – the kids!!” IE