Bethalto native Jaelyn is one of only three teens in the nation to be selected as a ‘Champion of Change.’ The honor comes with an all-expense paid trip to this Sunday’s Super Bowl.
When 16‑year‑old Jaelyn walks into Levi’s Stadium this Sunday for Super Bowl LX, she won’t just be another excited fan taking in the biggest game of the year. She’ll be walking in as a Champion of Change — a title she earned the same way so many young leaders in our region do: by choosing to lift her community as she climbs.
Her TLC project, “Who You Are Matters,” centered on positive self‑talk and mental‑health awareness. The teens created a bright, colorful affirmation wall at the Club, distributed mental‑health bracelets, and partnered with other Boys & Girls Clubs across St. Louis to expand the project during summer camps.
Jaelyn was one of only three teens in the entire country selected as a Champion of Change through the Inspire Change Badge Challenge. The honor comes with a once‑in‑a‑lifetime reward: an all‑expenses‑paid trip to Super Bowl weekend in Santa Clara, complete with tickets to the game and access to exclusive NFL events.
“I was surprised when I won,” she said. “I’m so excited to bring my mom.”
“My name is Jaelyn, and I am inspiring change in greater St. Louis,” she says in a video detailing her journey as a youth leader inside the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis – Bethalto Club.
“We are giving youth the skills to be champions,” said Brandon Williams, President and CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater St. Louis. “Champions understand that when we all win, then individually we win,” added NFL Hall of Famer and Spirit Church senior pastor Aeneas Williams.
Through Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Think, Learn, Create Change (TLC) program — created in partnership with the NFL’s Inspire Change initiative — teens learn how to pinpoint concerns within their community and advocate for real solutions.
“The kids spend a lot of time identifying issues — and start saying, ‘How can we change that?’” said Kathy Wilson, director of the Bethalto Club.
For Jaelyn, the answer was clear: mental health.
“It’s something that people don’t talk about,” she said. “I just want people to know that if they are struggling, there are people to talk to.”
Her TLC project, “Who You Are Matters,” centered on positive self‑talk and mental‑health awareness. The teens created a bright, colorful affirmation wall at the Club, distributed mental‑health bracelets, and partnered with other Boys & Girls Clubs across St. Louis to expand the project during summer camps.
“My favorite affirmation to tell myself is that I’m confident,” Jaelyn said. “It helps me be more outgoing.”
The NFL sees this partnership as part of its responsibility to the next generation.
“The NFL Foundation has a responsibility to use the power of our platform to create opportunity for the next generation,” said Anna Isaacson, Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility for the NFL. “Together with Boys & Girls Clubs of America, we’re helping youth build a champion mindset rooted in confidence, leadership, and perseverance.”
What makes Jaelyn’s story so powerful is that it reflects the best of what Boys & Girls Clubs do — not just in Bethalto and the greater St. Louis region, but across the nation. They create spaces where young people can dream, lead, and heal. They teach kids that advocacy isn’t reserved for adults. And they remind them that their lived experiences matter.
“It’s important for teens to speak up because we have a voice,” Jaelyn said. “Participating in TLC and being a youth advocate has given me more confidence.”