This is a wonderful organization full of amazing passionate people who fight for a better community ever day.
A vital community resource that supports and creates positive opportunities teens and their families.
A tried and tested community org in Bethlehem that consistently provides positive, uplifing resources for youth and parents in our community. I also appreciate the partnerships its leaders forge with other community organizations like the farmers market, chamber of commerce and many others.
BOU is a positive force in our community. The organization has done much to promote positive behaviors in our youth. In addition they serve as a resource to the greater community.
BOU sponsored interesting and timely workshops and events all throughout my kids’ high school years! ❤️ !!
During the 19-20 school year I had the privilege of working together with BOU; specifically David DeCancio. At the time I was a high school special education teacher seeking unique opportunities for my students. One of our student ventures was a greeting card business, known as Paper Pastries, which opened for business in early 2019. The BOU supported us as we launched our business and continued to support us through March 2020 when schools closed. As we worked to expand our business beyond our high school, BOU was there! They purchased cards to be distributed at the annual community spelling bee and accepted our donation in their door prize raffle. This publicity was a big boost! David also helped to secure a newspaper interview about Paper Pastries with "The Spotlight." Thank you, BOU, for the support in helping this teacher to achieve her goals for an awesome group of young adults who often get overlooked. Grateful, thankful and blessed!
I have volunteered as a board member for about 6 years & I find BOU to be such a great asset to our community. BOU offers free educational events & grant funds for positive activities for our town’s youth.
The BOU gave the Mohawk 8 team a grant which allowed us to do pizza lunches with the kids on Fridays. It also allowed us to have team activities throughout the year.
Thank you Bethlehem Opportunities Unlimited! You are truly making a difference in students lives!!
BOU is a wonderful organization! They are very generous with financial assistance for all of the team activities that we do with kids every year. From pumpkin carving parties to weekly pizza getting to know you lunches to assistance with supplies it is so refreshing to have a partner like BOU. On behalf of Bethlehem Middle School and Mohawk 8 let me say THANK YOU!
-Evan Harley
Mohawk House Grade 8 Team Leader
I have served on the BOU board for several years. It has been a pleasure to help ensure that youth in Bethlehem are exposed to a variety of positive, relevant programming through events and BOU's grant program. It's a great organization and I am proud to be a part of it!
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I was looking for a volunteer opportunity where I could get involved in my community and really make an impact, and BOU was the perfect choice. BOU offers many amazing things for the Bethlehem community and its youth. Through events like Talking with Your Teen, or the Community Spelling Bee, BOU consistently provides wonderful opportunities for the community to connect and learn. The BOU grant program helps groups in the area to achieve their goals and offer youth-centered programming to promote positive, healthy activities and prevention education for youth. I'm honored to be a part of this amazing organization!
The BOU has had an immeasurable positive impact on BC students and their families. They are an amazing partner.
I'm am so incredibly grateful to the BOU for their very generous donation to the 1st Forever Young Fun Run. The donation allowed us to purchase bibs for each runner who participated. It was a nice touch that made our event a little more special. Thank you for being so easy to work with and supportive!
BOU is a relentlessly positive force in our community. They are a critical organizing force in our town's First Night Celebration, and run a talent show for kids and teens that is packed and fun every New Year's Eve. They also run the annual Spelling Bee that has more participants and a bigger audience every year. Most importantly, they are an invaluable resource for students and parents.
BOU is an organization that continues to offer great programs for our school community. They support the needs of our school community and are always there to volunteer when needed.
Great experience and very kind people. Would def love to work with everyone in the future.
Jeffrey Buenau
As an educator in the district, I am always looking for ways to connect with not only the school but the community as well. When I joined BOU I felt like I was connecting our curriculum, activities at school, and the community. BOU hosts various events throughout the year for both parents and students. They also help support other groups to promote healthy activities for all of our students.
The BOU has been one of the most impacting not-for-profits for our BC students in all of our K-12 grades, but especially to our MS and HS students. Their programming continues to address the most relevant and contemporary issues that our students are facing including the opioid epidemic, the mental health challenges that students are facing and the vaping/e-cigarette issue that has been current throughout high schools in all 50 states throughout the past 3 years.
Without their programming our district and our students would be at an enormous loss!
I’ve attended many Talking With Your Teen events and found them informative and helpful. Thank you BOU!!
BOU is an asset to our community. The activities, information, and messages they provide not only help the students, but help the whole Bethlehem Community.
While at a public hearing on vaping I was impressed to hear a ninth grader get up and address the crowd. Because of BOU she was able to confidently articulate her concerns with vaping and tobacco use. This is an indication that the services provided are making a difference.
In addition, leadership from BOU is involved in planning family friendly community events.
BOU is an incredible resource for youth and parents in our community. It’s founders were way ahead of the curve, and now their mission to prevent drug and alcohol use and other risky behaviors among young people in our town & school district is more timely than ever. They are also forge great partnerships with other community organizations like the farmers market, chamber of commerce and many others. And of course, we all look forward to BOU’s annual spelling bee!
Cindy and her team at BOU are amazing!!
They offer our families wonderful programs that I look forward to year after year!!
BOU is a wonderful school and community resource. They present speakers that are of wide-ranging interest to parents, kids and teenagers. The BOU sponsored event, No Place for Hate walk, last night was a big success. It was well attended and inspiring. BOU’s annual spelling bee fundraiser raises money for many worthwhile school groups and activities AND it’s a wonderful community event. Everyone looks forward to it! Cindy Ferrari and Dave DeCancio and everyone on the BOU are wonderful and our town is fortunate to have them. Thank you BOU!
BOU plays a big part in our community and offers diverse array programs for students, parents and stakeholders in Bethlehem. I have participated in the annual Spelling Bee for a couple of years. It's always impressive to see the behind the scenes work BOU does on this event to round up teams and sponsors. I always look forward to this community event.
BOU does so much good in our community! Their Annual Spelling Bee, while a fundraiser for them, is a highly anticipated event for families to attend - so much fun! But my favorite BOU offering is their Talk With Your Teen nights - always on relative topics that help start great conversations in our family.
The BOU has been a tremendous source of support for us throughout the last 2 years. We recently held a district wide community walk to celebrate unity and to stomp out bullying, bias and discrimination. The BOU supported us in getting the materials that we needed to make this successful. Additionally, they came together and donated their time to serve at the community event. We are so thankful for the BOU! Thank you for always supporting us in supporting our students!
The Bethlehem Opportunities Unlimited Inc has been excellent to Bethlehem Central Middle School. Every year the Bethlehem Central Middle School runs the Costume Ball. This is an event where students come dressed in their Halloween Costume and socialize and have a good time. This is a huge event for 6th, 7th and 8th grade students. The BOU every year has donated a substantial amount of money for prizes. Without their generous donation our Costume Ball would not be a success. We are very appreciate of the BOU and wouldn't know what to do without them!
As parents we are continuously thinking of ways we can offer different opportunities to our children so they can reach for their dreams. This is what has lead me to become an active member of BOU. I’m proud to be part such an altruistic team of volunteers that provide a variety of opportunities for student led initiatives and innovative programs such as The Annual Talking with Your Teens forum that helps parents and students navigate through the obstacles and challenges that face them everyday.