At BGC East Scarborough (BGCES), we strive to make every child have a place to call a third home. Here, our goal is to encourage kids to dream big, explore their passions, and discover who they can become.
Sometimes, a child comes along whose journey reminds us exactly why our mission matters. This is the story of Jaydn, once a quiet child, now a flourishing artist.
Jaydn joined BGCES at the age of six. At first, she was shy, softly spoken, kept everyone at a distance. Slowly, with the encouragement from her program facilitators, she began to open up. Jaydn realized she wasn’t alone. Soon, she started making friends and initiating most of the conversations and activities.
This was when Jaydn discovered her love for writing. Her imagination was endless, taking inspiration from everything around her, but finishing her stories was a challenge. She didn’t always know what came next, so she learned to explore other mediums of expression. She found poetry.
Poetry taught Jayden that not every story needed a concrete ending. From there, songwriting, rapping, and singing naturally followed, giving her a powerful way to express herself and inspire others.
At first, she would only perform at her school, but when the opportunity came to perform at a major BGCES event, she took it. That one decision changed her artistic journey.
One of BGCES’ program partners, Amir, saw her perform an original poem titled “Nil Iota” — “I Dreamt” in Swahili — a piece about how we are the dreams of our ancestors.
Moved by her performance, Amir connected with Jaydn’s program facilitator and invited Jaydn to perform at another BGCES event, the Be Boundless Gala. There, at just 14 years old, she received her first-ever standing ovation. In that moment, she realized her power to move people and tell stories that matter.
One moment from the event stuck with her the most:
“A BGCES facilitator’s father went close to the stage to clap for me. When I got off the stage, he hugged me and told me how proud he was. I didn’t know him, but I was deeply moved by his actions.” -Jaydn
This moment reminded her of her potential. She learnt she could reach people of all ages and backgrounds, and that her voice truly matters.
Ever since then, Jaydn has been performing at events and festivals in BGCES and in Toronto. In November 2023, she performed an original song of hers named “On the Cruise” at the Eglin and Winter Garden Theatre for an audience of around 1,700 people.
Jaydn is deeply grateful to BGCES and her program facilitators for helping her find her artistic voice. She embodies our mission: everyone who walks in has a voice, and everyone has the power to inspire. She encourages others to take full advantage of the resources we provide and to never be afraid to reach out to facilitators.
At BGC East Scarborough, every child who walks through our doors has the chance to discover their voice, their passion, and their potential. Jaydn’s journey is proof: when kids are supported, encouraged, and given space to create, the possibilities are limitless.
Whether it’s through art, sports, or simply the courage to speak up, every child has a story waiting to be told. And every story has the power to inspire, just as Jaydn’s has inspired all of us.