Reaching Out Now Expands Programs and Opportunities for Warren County Youth

The place generations of Warren County residents remember as the Youth Center is taking on a bigger role in local teenagers’ lives, offering students a safe place after school while connecting them with tutoring, career exploration, leadership programs, and new skills.

The Raymond E. Santmyers Student Union and Activity Center, commonly called the Student Union, is operated by Reaching Out Now and serves students from public, private, and homeschool settings.

Reaching Out Now CEO Samantha Barber recently joined Ken Knesh, principal at Warren County High School, and Philip Vaught of the Warren County Education Endowment to discuss the center’s growth, its partnerships, and what comes next.

For Barber, that growth has also meant a major personal change.

In August, she left her career with People Inc. to focus full-time on Reaching Out Now. Barber said it was not an easy decision, but the organization’s growth and activity at the Student Union had reached a point where it needed her full attention.

The Student Union serves young people beginning at age 13 through 12th grade. While students can come to relax, eat, play games and spend time with friends, Barber said the center is designed to offer much more.

Students are encouraged to help shape activities themselves.

Barber recalled two girls — one homeschooled and one attending Warren County High School — asking what was planned for a Friday evening. Instead of simply answering, Barber asked what they wanted to do.

Their answer was karaoke.

The students helped turn the idea into a pizza and karaoke night with friends.

“It’s not just the social aspect, but the empowerment aspect as well,” Barber said.

That approach carries over into the center’s growing list of educational programs.

Reaching Out Now has started an entrepreneurship program with Dr. Yolanda Shields of Shenandoah University. Organizers also plan an 18-week culinary program and are exploring ways to connect culinary training with entrepreneurship.

Other activities include plans for monthly craft nights, photography classes, and a robotics program described during the interview as a “fly it, build it, break it” program. Reaching Out Now is also partnering with the Warren Coalition, while the Phoenix Project is expected to offer a healthy relationships class.

Academic support can happen more informally.

Barber recalled a ninth-grade Warren County High School student arriving at the center with an essay she needed to complete. Two volunteer teachers sat down with her and worked through the assignment.

When the student’s friends headed to the park, Barber gave her the option of joining them.

The student decided to stay.

“No, Miss Sam, I want to sit here. This is good,” Barber recalled her saying.

On another afternoon, two Skyline High School students used the center to work on a video project, then moved into the Student Success Center to record in a quiet space.

Those moments show what organizers hope the Student Union can provide — a place that feels social and comfortable while still giving students access to adults, resources, and help when they need it.

Knesh said trust matters when he recommends the center to students who may be having academic or social difficulties.

He said he would not send a student somewhere he did not trust. The environment at the Student Union, he said, gives young people a place to be themselves, whether they attend public school, private school, or are homeschooled.

Transportation has also made the center more accessible. School buses are dropping students off after school, including students from Warren County and Skyline High Schools.

Membership costs $25 per year.

Barber said that fee should not prevent a student from participating. Community supporters have sponsored memberships for students who cannot afford the cost.

Once students arrive, food is also part of the experience.

Some days it may be snacks. Other days, local businesses and supporters help provide meals. Barber said students quickly learn where the refrigerator is — and aren’t shy about asking what’s for dinner.

The center is also becoming part of a larger network of partnerships designed to help young people prepare for life beyond high school.

One example is Junior-Senior Planning Night.

Knesh said the program differs from a traditional college fair, where students often walk among tables, collect brochures and pick up giveaways. Planning Night is intended to help students and their families work through the actual process of preparing for what comes after graduation.

That can include college applications, financial aid and FAFSA questions, essays, recommendations, and changing admissions requirements.

It is also not limited to four-year colleges.

Military representatives, workforce opportunities, apprenticeships and vocational programs are included so students can consider different paths.

Barber said 203 people were registered for the event, with 29 representatives from the military, colleges, universities and workforce expected to participate.

The goal, she said, is to help families understand the range of opportunities available.

Reaching Out Now is also continuing its Youth Empowered for Success, or YES, Conference at Shenandoah University.

The conference began after the COVID-19 pandemic with about 15 leadership students and has since grown through partnerships involving Reaching Out Now, Shenandoah University, Warren County Public Schools and Winchester City Public Schools.

Students are transported to the university, where they spend time on a college campus, attend sessions, and hear from speakers.

Knesh said simply putting students in that environment can make a difference, particularly for young people who have never spent time on a college campus.

For some, it helps them picture themselves attending college. For others, the experience may help them realize they want to follow a different path.

“College is not a one-size-fits-all situation,” Vaught said.

The conference also looks beyond students who already hold traditional leadership positions.

Knesh said schools intentionally look for students who demonstrate leadership qualities in less obvious ways — the student who picks up trash in a hallway, helps someone open a door, or regularly does something positive without being asked.

Those students may not see themselves as leaders yet, he said, even when the adults around them recognize their potential.

The YES Conference has also grown to include community service.

During a previous conference, students helped pack more than 17,000 meals that were distributed to families through schools and community organizations across the region.

This year’s plans include another form of service: students writing meaningful holiday cards for U.S. military members serving abroad.

As the programs grow, Reaching Out Now is also facing the challenge of finding sustainable financial support.

Barber said the organization has not relied on federal or state grants. Much of its support has come through churches, individuals, community relationships, and donations.

Despite the organization’s growing list of programs, Barber said Reaching Out Now has never held a traditional fundraiser.

The organization does hold an annual gala, where an anonymous donor contributes $7,500, and supporters work to match that contribution by December. Its Safe at Home program also raises scholarship money for baseball and softball students.

Vaught said the organization is now discussing additional fundraising ideas that could provide more sustainable support throughout the year. One possibility is a fundraising dinner in 2027.

The need comes as Reaching Out Now expands beyond the Student Union.

Barber said the organization has established the Shenandoah Leadership Scholars Program, with 13 students already participating. Reaching Out Now has signed a memorandum of understanding with Shenandoah University and was also discussing relationships with Hollins University and Laurel Ridge.

“The vision is bigger than the capacity,” Barber said.

Community members who want to help don’t necessarily have to write a large check.

The organization is developing additional volunteer opportunities, and Barber encouraged residents to visit the Student Union, learn about its work, and find ways to participate. Businesses and restaurants can also help provide meals or snacks for students.

The center is generally staffed during the afternoon and evening hours unless another event is taking place.

For the teenagers who walk through its doors, the Student Union can serve different purposes on different days.

One afternoon may involve tutoring or a class. Another may include career planning, robotics, or photography. Sometimes students simply want to eat, talk with friends, play flag football, or head outside for hide-and-seek.

The activities may vary, but the larger goal remains the same: to give Warren County’s young people a place where they feel welcome, supported, and connected while helping them prepare for whatever comes next.

Town Talk, sponsored by National Media Services, Inc., is a Royal Examiner series that introduces you to local entrepreneurs, business owners, nonprofit leaders, and public officials who help shape Warren County. Conversations cover a wide range of topics about our community and the people making a difference.