Bright Futures for Youth’s Grand Opening Sees Over 200 Locals in Attendance

Exposed Thread
Written By Barry Pruett

Bright Futures for Youth is a union of three different local groups, namely the Friendship Club, NEO, and SAFE. Mary Collier founded the Friendship Club in 1995 “as a grassroots program serving girls in our rural county.” NEO was founded in 2008 by Halli Ellis-Edwards and Lynn Skrukrud were both 19 years old at the time. NEO focused on youth of both sexes providing a drug-free environment for teenagers to gather and live a positive lifestyle. “The Friendship Club established the SAFE program in 2019, providing academic, social and emotional support, and life-skills training and career paths for youth – girls and boys – and young adults experiencing homelessness.”

As of November 2023, these three non-profits are under the umbrella of Bright Futures for Youth’s executive director Jennifer Singer. Their new facility located at the Litton Building (200 Litton Drive, Grass Valley), had its Grand Opening on October 26 with over 200 local residents in attendance. The facility is complete with a music studio, art room, ping pong and pool tables, as well as a small café with coffee donated by our local Rotary groups. In order to contact for any reason, call Bright Futures for Youth at (530) 265-4311.

Bright Futures for Youth Grand Opening - café

Music room

Bright Futures for Youth Grand Opening - view of the café

Bright Futures for Youth - grand opening

Barry Pruett

Barry graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where he received his bachelor's degree with two majors - Russian Language and Culture & Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs. After graduation, he moved to Moscow where he worked as an import warehouse manager and also as the director of business development for the sole distributorship of Apple computers in Russia. In Prague, he was a financial analyst for two different distributorships - one in Prague and one in Kiev. Following this adventure, he graduated from Valparaiso University School of Law and is a litigation attorney for the past 18 years. During Covid, he completed his master's degree in history at Liberty University and is in the process of finishing his PhD with a focus on totalitarianism in the 20th century.

Previous

Notes of Debates in the Federal Convention of 1787 Reported by James Madison
Next

Assembly Candidates Speak at Forum in Redding, California