The Cheerleader
Stacie Rohn
CEO of Boys & Girls Club of the Eastern Panhandle
An unfortunate, career-ending injury meant Stacie Rohn would never compete in gymnastics again when she was younger—but the owner of the gym where she trained nudged her in another direction that probably changed the trajectory of her life just as much as that injury did. “She suggested I help coach, so I started working with young people, which translated to working with at-risk youth,” she says.
Rohn worked with a group in Hagerstown, Maryland, and was so inspired by the programming that she just knew she needed to bring it home to West Virginia. She opened a Boys & Girls Club in Berkeley Springs in 1996, moved to the Jefferson County club a few years later, and then, in 2006, supported the merging of three Eastern Panhandle clubs into one. In addition to her leadership role at the club, Rohn also serves as a leading advocate for the state’s youth, working with the state Legislature to create policy changes that positively impact their lives.
“I’ve always tried to be mission-centered when I look at a problem. Is this in the highest and best interest for the kids that we serve? If I can answer affirmative to that question, then there is no question.”
It’s all about the kids, for Rohn. “There have been some pretty earth-shaking moments where it would have been super easy to quit,” Rohn says. “But the kids are so worth it. Young people need champions behind them, cheering them on and lifting them up, all along the way.”
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Since 2014 WV Living magazine has been honoring West Virginia Wonder Women, amazing women who are raising the bar in their communities, serving as beacons of light in their industries, and forcing change for the greater good. WV Living is proud to celebrate these Appalachian mothers, millennials, and mavens proving that in a time full of uncertainty, divisiveness, and hate, love for one another is all we really need. No need for bulletproof bracelets or a golden lasso of truth—these women are creating a better West Virginia with their can-do attitudes and Mountain State spirit.
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