NEWS

Vozzella heads to Big Brothers Big Sisters

Anna Jeffries
Reporter
  • Amanda Vozzella is leaving YES Club to work at Big Brothers Big Sisters.
  • She spent more than eight years at the organization and served as program director.
  • She plans to stay involved in the Newark community.

NEWARK – Amanda Vozzella has been working with kids since she was 17, and she doesn’t plan on stopping.

Although she recently announced she was leaving YES Club after more than eight years, she isn’t leaving her hometown.

She’ll be down the street, working as assistant program director for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Licking and Perry Counties. And she’ll continue her role as vice president of the South Newark Civic Association.

“(Newark) is where I’m from,” she said. “It felt right to still be working here.”

Although she’ll be missed by the kids at YES Club, Newark city councilman and president of the association Jeremy Blake said he knows she’ll keep helping local youth.

“I know her passion and love for working with teenagers,” he said. “It’s unbelievable what she’s done for those students. She’s given them so much hope.”

A Newark native who grew up in the South End, Vozzella graduated from the Career and Technology Education Centers of Licking County with a focus in early childhood education. She worked at a day care center and began pursuing a degree in social work at the Newark campus of Central Ohio Technical College.

As part of her program, she had several internships, and one of them was at YES Club.

A program of Mental Health America, YES Club is an after-school program for students ages 11 to 18. Staff members prioritize education, community services and a family atmosphere.

“I realized I wanted to spend most of my time there,” she said. “I loved it.”

When her internship ended, she kept in touch with the students and staff, then transitioned into a role as activities coordinator.

Vee Hottle, who recently retired after 22 years at YES Club, was one of her mentors.

“I saw how much (Vee) cared, how she treated the kids and put her heart into everything,” Vozzella said.

Vozzella eventually earned her degree from Capital University, becoming a licensed social worker and YES Club’s program director.

She worked to expand YES Club’s activities and exposure in the community. But she said she’s most proud of helping members increase their self-confidence.

“I would tell them, ‘No one can ever bring you down or make you feel inferior,’ ” she said. “I tried to empower them.”

Although she was recently offered the position of director of YES Club, Vozzella said she decided the time was right to move in a different direction.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is expanding, and Vozzella said she’s hoping the opportunity will help her grow professionally.

“It’s an honor to be asked to come on board and know I can still work with children,” she said. “But I’ll always love YES and be behind these kids.”

Brooklyn Griffin, a longtime YES Club member, said she’ll miss Vozzella, but she said she knows Vozzella will continue to be a role model for local kids.

“She will help kids realize their true potential and how far they can go, no matter where they are from or what they’ve been through. Success is possible,” she said.

ajeffries@newarkadvocate.com

740-328-8544

Twitter: amsjeffries