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Voices of Tomorrow - August 2026 | | |
BCYL and the Office of Advanced Practice at Hartford HealthCare proudly present:
Get ready for a night of laughter for a great cause! Join BCYL and Hartford HealthCare on October 9 at the Wakeman Boys & Girls Club for Laughter Is the Best Medicine, an unforgettable comedy show bringing our community together for an evening of fun, connection, and laughter.
Enjoy delicious mocktails, a cash bar, snacks, exciting raffles, and plenty of laughs throughout the night, all while supporting a great cause!
Before the show, join us from 5:30–7:00 PM for a Community Health Fair hosted by Hartford HealthCare, featuring:
- Diabetes Screening & Education
- Blood Pressure Screening
- Cholesterol Screening
- Breast Cancer Prevention & Awareness
- Men’s Health & Wellness
- Career Opportunities with Hartford HealthCare
All proceeds from the event will directly support BCYL’s Healthcare Explorers Program, helping create pathways for young people to explore healthcare careers, gain valuable skills, and prepare for future opportunities in the healthcare field.
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Girls on the Move get a Performance Edge
BCYL is excited to announce a new partnership with Sacred Heart University's Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program, a win-win for both BCYL athletes and SHU’s future physical therapists.
The collaboration began with DPT students performing movement assessments on more than 30 Girls on the Move players, evaluating each one individually for strength, flexibility, balance, and power. These athletes not only learned best practices to improve performance, they were schooled in how to prevent injuries in the future. A new cohort of DPT students will work with a different BCYL team next semester.
“This collaboration is about more than athletic performance. It's about giving our youth access to resources that promote lifelong health, confidence, and injury prevention while providing future physical therapists with a meaningful hands-on experience,” said Travis Perricone, BCYL’s director of operations.
A huge thank you to the faculty and students at Sacred Heart University for investing their time and expertise in support of our athletes.
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Meet Ashna Witter
BCYL’s education intern Ashna Witter has only been on the job for a few months, but she’s no stranger to BCYL. Now a rising sophomore at Quinnipiac University, Ashna was both a tutor and an enthusiastic participant in SUCCESS throughout her high school years. Director of Education Natasha Rivers even tasked her with running the essay writing workshops for middle schoolers.
Growing up in Jamaica, Ashna admits she had “no idea” how to approach the college admission process in the U.S. until the SUCCESS program outlined the steps she needed to take … issues her guidance counselor hadn’t covered, she says. She even engaged in mock interviews to prepare her for the real thing.
Above all, Ashna learned that all her experiences, even those she deemed insignificant, were important to telling her story. She wrote about her experiences at BCYL in her scholarship essay:
“Amid all the uncertainty, one thing remains constant: the influence of my community. Although I was not raised in Bridgeport, I quickly formed a deep connection to it—not because of its demographics, but because of the kindness, support, and genuine care of its people…One place where I feel most at home is the Bridgeport Caribe Youth Leaders (BCYL), where we are truly like a family… Because of their impact, I hope to be that same source of support for others who may feel uncertain about their futures.”
With scholarships from both Quinnipiac and BCYL, Ashna plans to continue working while finishing her nursing degree, with the ultimate goal of earning her master’s degree and becoming a nurse practitioner.
“I now aspire to be a pillar within my community and to work with organizations that empower others. I want to support individuals in reaching their goals, just as I was supported in reaching mine.”
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Building the Next Chapter: BCYL Alumni
It’s been a little over a decade since Caribe celebrated its first graduation. Since then thousands have been celebrated the great diploma dash with Caribe rockets on their heels. When Caribe stepped on the scene 20 years ago the goal was simple; to create leaders.
We’ve had athletes, scholarship recipients and participants from all walks of life and backgrounds experience Bcyl programs. Now 20 years later we are embarking on a new adventure that asks, where are they now?
BCYL is laying down the groundwork for a new Alumni Association. This initiative will reconnect former participants, celebrate their journey and create networking opportunities, opening new pathways for alumni to support each other and mentor the next generation.
Our alumni are living proof of BCYL’s mission: “Building Today’s Youth; Tomorrow’s Leaders.” Among BCYL’s scholarship recipients are 42 college graduates, including 23 first-generation college graduates, and there are countless more stories waiting to be rediscovered and shared.
If you participated in a BCYL program, played on a Caribe team, received a scholarship, or grew up as part of our community, you are part of the BCYL alumni family.
Stay connected for upcoming alumni events, opportunities, and a special campaign to help us reconnect with former participants.
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Welcoming New Board Members
After 22 years on the BCYL Board working alongside founder John Torres, Frank Borres is stepping down in order to focus on his company and a special project with the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame. During his time on the Board, he’s seen BCYL grow from a baseball league with 200 Bridgeport boys to a full holistic youth development organization serving 3000 youth annually with sports, academics and job readiness training.
“Frank Borres has been a cornerstone of the Caribe family for nearly 22 years, including nine years as Board Chair, where his leadership, vision, and dedication helped shape the organization we are today through initiatives such as our current logo, name change, and marketing efforts,” recalls John Torres. “His influence is woven into the fabric of BCYL, and I am personally grateful for the unwavering support, trust, and guidance he has provided over the years. Guided by his faith, integrity, devotion to family, and commitment to the community, I wish him every success on his next project.
"Pa’lante my friend!”
BCYL is excited to welcome the new Chairman of the Board, the Hon. Joseph Vizcarrondo III, currently serving on the CT Superior Court.
“It’s my pleasure and honor to have been asked to be in this governance role,” says Vizcarrondo. “The growth of this organization to over $2 million is impressive and it’s a testament to the work of so many people.”
Vizcarrondo was moved that BCYL was begun as a tribute to Torres’ father. “That struck a chord with me, as my parents’ background was essential to my formation. [Both educators,] they dedicated their lives to children of Bridgeport. In same way that John is honoring his father, I feel that my service is honoring them.”
BCYL is also proud to welcome Anne Diamond, DBA, JD, president of Bridgeport Hospital and the latest addition to the BCYL Board, who will be a particularly valued partner as the Health Explorers program proceeds.
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Mark your calendars! BCYL has several exciting community events and programs coming this fall:
Hartford HealthCare Community Health Clinic
August 26 | 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
Wakeman Boys & Girls Club - 595 Madison Avenue, Bridgeport
Day for the Kids
September 19 | 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Wakeman Boys & Girls Club - 595 Madison Avenue, Bridgeport
Comedy Night
October 9 | 6:00–10:00 p.m.
Wakeman Boys & Girls Club - 595 Madison Avenue, Bridgeport
Presented in partnership with Hartford HealthCare Office of Advance Practice
Our fall programs begin September 15 and registration is now open! Secure your spot today by clicking the button below to register.
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Invest Today. Lead Tomorrow.
Tomorrow isn’t some faraway idea. We are shaping it right now, in our classrooms, on our fields and courts, and through every mentor who reminds a young person that their future matters.
Today, BCYL reaches approximately 10% of Bridgeport’s K–12 student population, while extending our impact to youth and families across the region. Through our programs, young people gain something especially powerful: at least one influential adult in their lives, a mentor, coach, educator, or leader who believes in their potential and helps them see what is possible.
The Invest in Tomorrow’s Leaders campaign is your opportunity to be part of that impact. Your support provides year-round programs, mentorship, scholarships, athletics, and pathways to college and careers.
And making a difference may be easier than you think. For just $1 a day, you can help change the course of a young person’s future.
At Caribe, we don’t just hope for a brighter future for our youth, we are building it, one program, one game, one mentor, and one opportunity at a time.
Invest in Tomorrow’s Leaders today. Because changing a future can start with just $1 a day.
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Thank You for Believing in Tomorrow’s Leaders
Your continued support ensures that BCYL youth can thrive. Whether you give your time, voice, or resources, you are making a difference.
Stay tuned for more stories, spotlights, and successes in the next edition of Voices of Tomorrow.
With gratitude,
The BCYL Team
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“When we invest in our youth, we invest in a brighter future for us all.”
– BCYL
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