GRASS VALLEY, Calif. – Lofty expectations, life-changing experiences, ongoing peer pressure, and often overwhelming stress are part of the life of teens.

Twelve young women – each with their own accomplishments, challenges and stories – faced those issues and many others with friendship, hard work, resiliency and Bright Futures for Youth’s The Friendship Club, an after-school program that has helped shape their future.

The Friendship Club will celebrate and honor the soon-to-be high school graduates during the organization’s Graduation Gala 6 p.m. May 21 at the Center for The Arts in Grass Valley. (Please see below for the list of graduates, their schools and other information.)

“These graduates are true success stories, overcoming so many extraordinary obstacles, such as the stress from school and the emotions of adolescence, during the past several years,” said Jennifer Singer, Executive Director of Bright Futures for Youth. “They have evolved, grown into young women who are ready for the next steps of their lives. The Friendship Club, from our team members to volunteers, are extremely proud of them.”

They are the latest group of young women to graduate from The Friendship Club, a program celebrating its 30th anniversary this summer. Several hundred girls and young women have participated in the program over the past three decades.

The Friendship Club provides academic, emotional and social support to sixth- through 12th-grade girls and young women in Nevada County. About 80 students were enrolled in the program during the 2024-25 school year.

The after-school program has a far-reaching connection with the community, from a founding board member now serving as Nevada County Supervisor to a graduate becoming a successful small-business owner on Mill Street in Grass Valley. From education to health care, Friendship Club graduates are an important part of the community and workforce.

“The Friendship Club fills so many needs of girls and young women,” said Mark Heine, President of the Bright Futures for Youth Board of Directors. “The community and our supporters are investing in the future of these graduates, and helping open doors to new opportunities and careers, and a lifetime of success.”

The Friendship Club is one of the three core programs of Bright Futures for Youth, an organization that serves several hundred young people every month. The nonprofit also includes the NEO Youth Center and SAFE, a program that assists youth experiencing housing instability in western Nevada County.

The Friendship Club offers life-skills classes, group meetings and smaller get-togethers with peers, staff and volunteers. The organization also offers college tours and summer camps, and provides a range of safety-net services, including serving healthy meals on school days, connection to health care and counseling, and clothing and housing, if needed.

The Friendship Club also helps the young women apply for college and financial assistance and provides its own scholarships for graduates enrolled in college or vocational training programs. The Friendship Club scholarships are possible thanks to a generous investment by David and Barbra Nurse to an endowment in the memory of their respective mothers. The couple encourages others to contribute and honor important women in their own lives.

Whether graduates attend college, enroll in a trade school or enter the workforce – or a combination of the three – they will have the experience from participating in and the support of The Friendship Club, Singer said.

The Friendship Club has been educating and empowering girls and young women since 1995, when Mary Collier founded the grassroots organization. Much has changed during the past 30 years – from artificial intelligence to smartphones and social media – but the commitment to connecting girls with each other, staff members and volunteer mentors, and the ongoing focus for lifelong success remains.

“As everyone knows, the teen years are challenging but also a very formative period, filled with extraordinary experiences and life-changing decisions and moments,” Singer said.

“These graduates have done so much more than graduate from high school and our program, they have connected with each other, established friendships and worked together. They know how to be strong and work hard to reach their goals, and how and when to ask for help. They are well prepared for the road ahead as adults.”

  • Alexandrea (Nevada Union High School): Alexandrea, who has perfect attendance in the program, plans to study esthetics and attend either Sierra College or Butte College and later transfer to the Hoss Lee Academy.
  • Antoinette (Nevada Union High School): Antoinette is passionate about theater and is a member of the high school Drama Department. Antoinette plans to attend University of California, Riverside, to study drama and become a professional actress.
  • Emily (Nevada Union High School): A peer helper with The Friendship Club who enjoys snowboarding, soccer, dance, floral design and choir. She plans to attend Sierra College and possibly become a teacher or join the military.
  • Evelyn (Nevada Union High School): Evelyn, who expresses her creativity through makeup, fashion and her signature nails and keychain accessories, plans to pursue a nursing degree from Sierra College.
  • Khila (Forest Charter School): The young mother, full-time student and hardworking employee is considering a career as a criminal defense attorney, where she can advocate for others and have a meaningful impact.
  • Lily (Sierra Academy of Expeditionary Learning): A fan of the outdoors – camping, hiking and swimming – and sewing, Lily is hoping to attend a cosmetology school in Southern California and pursue a career where she can combine creativity with her passion of connecting with others.
  • Madison (Forest Charter School): Madison, a dedicated volunteer at the Helping Hands Adult Day Care Program, enjoys anime, crafts and music. She plans to attend Sierra College and pursue a degree in naturopathic medicine.
  • Mariah (Nevada Union High School): The frequent volunteer is interested in art, her church and youth groups. She is currently interning at Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital and plans to attend Sierra College.
  • Natalee (Bear River High School): Natalee, an accomplished 13-year dancer and hardworking employee at Lake of the Pines, plans to pursue a nursing degree at Unitek College in Sacramento.
  • Sephira (Sierra Academy of Expeditionary Learning): The multifaceted artist, including crocheting and watercolor painting, and published poet, plans to attend Sierra College and focus on a career in the art industry.
  • Skylar (Nevada Union High School): The avid dancer greatly enjoyed participating in The Friendship Club and plans to attend Sierra College and wants to become an Art Music Therapist.

ABOUT BRIGHT FUTURES FOR YOUTH

Bright Futures for Youth is a nonprofit committed to making a life-changing difference for children and young adults in Nevada County. Bright Futures for Youth – created by the merger of The Friendship Club and NEO Youth Center in 2020 – has three core programs: The Friendship Club, NEO and SAFE, which helps youth facing housing insecurity. Bright Futures for Youth programs connect youth to positive experiences, relationships and environments to build resiliency today and into the future. The original organization started in 1995. For more information, visit www.bffyouth.org or Facebook at Facebook.com/BrightFuturesforYouth.