A Full-Circle Story: How a Former Club Kid Is Now Leading the Next Generation in Winter Garden 

This fall, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida will open the blue doors of our newest Club, the June Family Branch. Located in Winter Garden, this Club will serve as a safe haven for youth and teens ages 6–18, offering high-quality, out-of-school programming led by caring mentors who show up every day to make a difference. 

One of those mentors is Service Director Shamel Akins. 

Those who have met Shamel know his heart beats for the Boys & Girls Club mission and for the youth he serves. A former Club kid himself, he understands firsthand the transformational power of having a safe place, a supportive community, and someone who believes in you. As we prepare to open this new Club and expand our impact in Winter Garden, Shamel took pen to paper to share his story — and why this work matters so deeply. 

“My name is Shamel Akins, and I am the Service Director for the West Orange Branch of Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida. 

But before any title, before any role, before any responsibility, I was a little boy who was just trying to survive. 

I first walked through the doors of a Boys & Girls Club when I was six years old at the West Boulevard Club in Charlotte, North Carolina. From age six to 18, the Club was my safe place for more than 4,300 days of walking through those doors. Some days, I walked in hungry. Some days, I walked in tired. Some days, I walked in confused, carrying more than a child should ever have to carry. But I walked in every day with hope. 

For me, the Club wasn’t just an after-school program. It was the reason I made it home at night. The streets don’t give kids time to grow up. They don’t offer grace. They don’t wait for you to be ready. Gangs, drugs, and violence pull you in when you are at your weakest — when you’re searching for belonging, protection, or just someone who sees you. And I was vulnerable. One night without somewhere safe to go could have ended my story forever. 

That is when Mr. Cedric, the director of the West Boulevard Club, stepped in. He showed up consistently, cared deeply, and reminded me every day that my life mattered. Simply put: he saved my life. 

When I turned 18, I returned to the very Boys & Girls Club I grew up in to become a youth assistant, eventually working my way up to director of my neighborhood Club. My passion for serving youth grew as I gained experience working in different capacities, which eventually led me to move to Orlando, Florida, to make an even bigger impact. I worked with Harbor House of Central Florida, the Coalition for the Homeless, and as a teen director at our Levy-Hughes Clubhouse. It was there that I had the privilege of mentoring an incredible, focused young man, Raymond, who eventually earned the title of Youth of the Year — the highest honor a Club member can achieve — and is now attending Duke University on a full scholarship. He is my “why.” From a kid walking through the Club doors to now attending Duke University to pursue his dreams, Raymond embodies the possibilities we strive to create for every child. [Learn more about Raymond’s story here>>]

These experiences prepared me for my current role, where I oversee the West Orange Branch, which will soon become a new Club in Winter Garden, where I continue to make an impact on the lives of children and teens every day. 

The Club didn’t just give me something to do. It gave me somewhere to go. It gave me someone who believed in me. And it gave me a reason to believe in myself. It showed me that a different life was possible before the streets could show me a different ending. 

It’s why I show up every day, just the way my mentor showed up for me and changed my path.” 

Shamel’s journey — from Club member to mentor and leader — reflects the very heart of our mission. It is why we do this work, and why we are committed to expanding access to safe, supportive spaces for the more than 15,500 youth we serve each year. 

The need in Winter Garden is real, and the June Family Branch will help meet that need in a powerful way. Under Shamel’s leadership, this Club will not only serve as a place for kids to go after school — it will be a place where futures are shaped, confidence is built, and lives are changed. 

We are proud to have passionate, service-driven leaders like Shamel guiding this work, and we are excited for the impact the June Family Branch will have on youth and families across the community. 

If you are inspired by stories like Shamel’s and want to be part of creating more of them, we invite you to get involved. Visit our Winter Garden landing page to learn more about supporting this transformational project through our capital campaign, including naming opportunities that will leave a lasting legacy for generations to come.