The Radha Krishna Temple of Dallas (Allen) offers many programs for people of all ages to give back to the DFW community. One of those is a very inspirational program called RKT Youth Club.

The RKT Youth Club is making headway with the Dallas-Fort Worth youngsters. It commenced in an official capacity in 2022, although several initiatives had been in operation for longer. It has become an instrumental avenue for youth (13 – 25 years of age) to learn new skills, develop leadership qualities, and serve the community. 

The program focuses on personality development along with targeted learning on the following four pillars:

• Leadership & Communication: An avenue to enhance leadership potential, presentation, and communication skills.
• Career Exploration: Receive guidance on career planning, explore career paths, college readiness, and other subjects related to professional success.
• Human Excellence: Focused on wisdom from prominent books and our divine Vedic scriptures to inculcate good habits and mindsets, and prompt inner growth.
• Service Mindset: Provides an avenue to give back to the community with a multitude of service projects.

RKT Youth Club Goal and Weekly Class Engagement

The RKT Youth Club’s primary goal is to provide an uplifting and supportive environment for young people to connect with like-minded peers, share experiences, and develop practical skills that will serve them for life. Children and youth come from a variety of backgrounds and interests. Here, they get an opportunity to express themselves and use their time positively to grow to their full potential. 

The classes are conducted by industry professionals and active members of the community, along with various guest speakers that enlighten students each week. They learn valuable lessons in accountability, communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, leadership, collaboration, teamwork, and health. Additionally, they learn to develop qualities of patience, tolerance, mutual respect, service, and gratitude. Besides imparting valuable knowledge, every session includes a segment of real-life application that involves service projects taken up in teams or individually, community volunteering, and other enjoyable activities.

The Club has become an integral part of the lives of the youth. Enthusiastic faces arrive every Sunday morning raring to absorb the subject of the day and take part in the various interactive activities planned for them.

Topics For Holistic Development of the RKT Youth Club

The RKT Youth Club exposes young members to a variety of subject matters to help them develop a holistic perspective on life. When we nurture their personality as a whole, students foster the ability to handle the real world with the right attitude and the fortitude to succeed. To that effect, the teachers choose topics that will enhance both the soft and hard skillsets of each student, as well as enable them to make wise life choices. Some of the topics covered include:

• Developing Good Communication Skills
• Servant Leadership
• Public Speaking
• Resume Writing Skills and College Admissions
• Career Exploration
• Science of Mind Management Series
• Handling Stress in Teenagers
• Mindfulness for Emotional Freedom
• Leadership and Problem-Solving
• Learning ChatGPT
• Impact of Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Computing on Education and Career
• Holistic Health Workshop
• Recycling-Upcycling Workshop
• Mother’s Day Special Session

RKT Youth Club Members Give Back to the Community

The RKT Youth Club firmly believes in the service attitude and giving back to the community. The opportunity to serve is not only our civic duty but also provides a means to broaden the mindsets of the young generation. Service in the community nourishes their inner self and strengthens the quality of generosity and altruism in their personality. Further, it enables them to be productive members of society instilled with integrity and character. Here are some of the community service initiatives in which students have participated:

Little Hands Big Hearts (LHBH) Program. This initiative of Radha Krishna Temple of Dallas (Allen), involved collecting and donating essential items for approximately 48,000 disadvantaged children in the DFW metroplex. Members of the Youth Club conduct this drive on a continuous basis. Each student has initiated and executed their personal campaign to collect gently used essentials for homeless children. Some of the drives included collecting used clothing/home items and selling goods to raise money for the cause. 

Each participant gets a chance to demonstrate their leadership and organizational skills while providing service for a great cause. Undoubtedly, every member has been touched by this opportunity to serve the needy and gained a deeper appreciation for the blessings they have all received. 

Earth Day Clean Up and Sustainability Fair. This was organized by JKYog and the Radha Krishna Temple of Dallas in partnership with the City of Allen, Texas. RKT Youth Club members joined dignitaries and JKYog Founder Swami Mukundananda in celebrating Earth Day 2023 by conducting a community litter cleanup on April 22, 2023, in Allen City Park. They helped pick up waste as part of the program and will continue with this effort in the future as well.

The Earth Day cleanup was followed by a Sustainability Fair held at the Radha Krishna Temple. This was a free, collaborative event between the Temple with participation from local businesses and community organizations aimed at promoting awareness and action toward environmental sustainability. 

The Youth Club participated with great fervor in the Sustainability Fair by providing live music orchestrated by talented young musicians of the club. They helped set up booths for vendors and local businesses selling eco-friendly products, as well as for non-profit organizations promoting sustainable lifestyles. The members guided the numerous children at the fair to obtain passports for sustainability by helping them take part in the various activities at the event, and thereby win prizes. Many of the Youth Club students also added their names to the Pledge Wall at the event declaring to change their attitude and behaviors in order to protect and nurture the environment. 

 
Sanskriti. This is an annual cultural extravaganza organized by the Bal-Mukund and RKT Youth Club at the Radha Krishna Temple. It is attended by hundreds of participants statewide. Youth get a chance to organize, emcee, set up registration, and hand out awards at the event, empowering them with organizational and problem-solving skills. 

Youth members get the opportunity to regularly volunteer at many of the RKT festival celebrations, such as Mahashivratri and Ram Navami. Participants have also helped at the Heart Health and Cardiology Symposium 2023, and the Autism Awareness Program organized by the Temple.

These are just some of the ways the RKT Youth Club participants have extended their service to the community to learn its value. Other service projects in the pipeline include a Lunch or Dinner Serenade for Homeless Shelter, Musical Marathon for Fundraising for Homeless Kids, and Sponsoring a Meal at Homeless Shelter. 

The RKT Youth Club is truly making a difference in the lives of the youth as well as community members. It is a great place to learn, grow, serve, and have fun! For more details and registration visit https://www.radhakrishnatemple.net/youthclub. 

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