Teen Up-Ward Bound Celebrates 25 Years of Building Stronger Families in Opa-locka

For 25 years, Teen Up-Ward Bound has provided young people in Opa-locka with a safe place to learn, grow and discover their potential. During a recent interview on Hy-Lo News’ “Can We Talk?” podcast, co-founder and CEO Jannie Russell reflected on the shared vision she built alongside her husband, Dr. Calvin Russell, and the community that helped sustain it.

The Russells founded Teen Up-Ward Bound after recognizing that children in their community needed more educational resources and safe spaces outside of school.

“We thought about the children in our community, and the resources were not as plentiful,” Russell said. “So we decided that we would bring children to a place that was safe, that they could enjoy, they could play games, but also they could get that educational component and tutoring.”

The organization began with approximately seven children and limited resources. Russell said she and her husband did not have funding when they started, but they remained committed to helping young people and received support from community members who believed in their mission.

“We didn’t have any money when we first started. It was just us,” Russell said. “But God has richly blessed us, and the community has stood with us over these 25 years.”

Today, Teen Up-Ward Bound provides tutoring, homework assistance, STEM activities, sports and creative opportunities designed to make learning enjoyable. The organization also has a podcast room where students can develop their communication skills and create their own shows.

The podcast program is led by a former Teen Up-Ward Bound student, reflecting the organization’s commitment to supporting young people beyond their time in the program.

“If we can hire, we always make sure that we hire kids that were in our program first,” Russell said. “We try to take care of the whole man.”

That support also extends to parents. Teen Up-Ward Bound provides supper for families when parents arrive to pick up their children, giving them more time to connect after work without immediately worrying about preparing dinner.

“All they have to do is worry about spending that family time together and getting them ready for school the next day,” Russell said.

Creating space for families to connect has been a part of the organization’s mission since its beginning. Russell recalled how students would sit together around a table after school, talk about their day, complete their homework and then go outside to play.

That sense of connection has helped Teen Up-Ward Bound create an impact that spans generations. Some of the children who participated in the organization’s earliest programs are now bringing their own children.

“We are now serving their children,” Russell said.

Russell also shared the story of one of Teen Up-Ward Bound’s first students. His father brought him to the Russells after becoming concerned about his behavior. The teenager initially had little to say, but Dr. Russell invited him outside to play football and gave him space to become comfortable.

The couple did not pressure him. Instead, they allowed him to build trust at his own pace. He eventually began completing homework, participating in activities and connecting with the program.

Years later, he returned to Teen Up-Ward Bound as an adult. He had become a contractor and was working in the same neighborhood where the program helped guide him as a teenager.

Russell still has a plaque the student’s father gave Dr. Russell to thank him for the impact he made on his son’s life.

“We have so many stories like that,” Russell said. “We’ve touched the lives of so many kids, and they’ve gone on to be very successful.”

For Russell, the organization’s responsibility does not end when a student leaves the program. Teen Up-Ward Bound continues connecting former students and families with resources, even when they experience challenges later in life.

“We always try to reach back and make sure that we’re doing all that we can, not just to be an afterschool program, but to be a real part of the community in making a difference in the lives of children,” Russell said. “That’s our mission.”

The Russells’ commitment to serving young people is also rooted in their own experiences. They became parents as teenagers and married at a young age. Russell said people encouraged and supported them as they built their lives together.

“Somebody helped us along the way,” Russell said. “Someone pulled us along the way. Someone pushed us when we didn’t want to go.”

Those experiences shaped the shared vision behind Teen Up-Ward Bound and strengthened the couple’s belief that communities have a responsibility to care for their children.

“I can’t expect others to come into my community and take care of my children in the community if I’m not willing to do something,” Russell said.

As the organization prepares to celebrate its 25th anniversary, Russell said she is most proud that Teen Up-Ward Bound is still standing. Operating a small nonprofit in an underserved community has required the organization to work harder, advocate for its value and remain available to families when larger institutions may not be able to respond.

“We always have to be a step ahead. We always have to be better. We always seemingly have to give more,” Russell said. “Then we have to convince our community that we deserve the same applause that you give larger organizations.”

The work has sometimes meant staying late with children when their parents could not leave work on time, accompanying families to court or contacting community leaders to find additional resources.

Russell recalled once being told that a person needed to be a social worker to make a difference in Opa-locka. Her response captured the philosophy that has guided Teen Up-Ward Bound for 25 years.

“All you have to do is care,” she said. “These are our people. It takes all of us to make a community.”

Teen Up-Ward Bound will celebrate its anniversary with a Kentucky Derby-themed gala from 1 to 6 p.m. Sept. 26 in the Flamingo Room at Gulfstream Park. The theme was selected by the organization’s teenagers and interns, whom Russell invited to help plan the milestone celebration.

The gala will honor the leaders, families, former students and community partners who helped the organization grow. Honorees include Dr. Willie Logan, Miami-Dade County Commissioners Barbara Jordan and Oliver Gilbert, the city of Opa-locka, a longtime Teen Up-Ward Bound parent, the organization’s basketball team and former student Isaiah Thomas, an educator and the owner of Roots Black Owned Bookstore.

“This has been a journey of friends,” Russell said. “People have helped us and encouraged us.”

Tickets, sponsorship opportunities and an alumni discount are available through Eventbrite. Those unable to attend can support the organization through a donation.

As Teen Up-Ward Bound prepares for its next 25 years, Russell said its purpose remains grounded in family, service and collective responsibility.