EASLA Program for children ages 5-12

SIDNEY – It is said it takes a village to raise a child. Sometimes it takes a few non-profit organizations to reach their potential 

The Banisters Leadership Foundation was encouraged to open a location in Sidney. The Masonic Lodge offered to be their host site, and the Elks National Academy recently awarded a grant to assist the program. 

Tiffany Hernandez and Cari Persino, speaking for Banisters, said the program started as an effort to bring success out of tragedy. 

“Banisters Leadership Academy is a nonprofit, and our mission is to strengthen youth and families through leadership. We were founded in Omaha, Neb., Douglas County, in 2007. The founder of Banisters lost two cousins to youth violence. They were not in a gang, but they were in the wrong place at the wrong time,” said Hernandez. 

Hernandez said the Banisters founder felt there was a need for a leadership program in the Omaha area. The program has continued to expand statewide. During COVID, Western Nebraska contacted the Banister organization saying there was a need for the organization’s services in Western Nebraska. She said the Banisters Leadership Academy expanded during the Pandemic. 

“Someone had reached out to Mr. Banister from ‘Through the Eyes of the Child Coalition’ here in Sidney, and invited us to come and speak, talk about our programs. And that’s our program started and flourished in Sidney,” she said. 

Thursday, the Sidney location of Banisters recognized the Sidney Elks Lodge for the Elks National Foundation’s $6,000 donation.  The Sidney Elks Lodge was represented by Cindy Bartling.

“I have known Cari (Persino) for many years. We were involved in another non-profit youth organization. They were at a nonprofit community event down at the Sidney Elks Lodge and Anita Pennel actually was speaking with Cari. And she came to be and said ‘Cindy. I think we need to do this,’" Bartling said.

She was able to secure a $6,000 grant through the Elks National Foundation. The grant helped purchase games and books for the Sidney location. 

Persino explained the EASLA program (Extended Academic Success Leadership Academy).

"Our EASLA Program is for mentees through the ages of five through 12, or like kindergarten through sixth. We come and we do a pillar. We talk about a pillar each month. This month is respect. So we all talk about respect every day. We do respect activities, whether its relay races or who and when, stuff like that," she said.