The JCC is a wonderful place to grow up. I have always had great personal trainers when I come to exercise. The staff is excellent with a family level of kindness and service. I enjoy meeting new people here too. I always have a great time with people smiling faces and there is a sense of security too. Everything is immediately done. Everyone is understanding, the impact conclusion is that I’ve been encouraged to exercise I’ve been through an experience such as a great summer camp. The JCC is Great! - Joe B.

The JCC has impacted me in every possible way. I was part of the CDC and I really learned a lot. It really got me interested in the Jewish religion. It also got me interested in football when I came to sports camp. - Garret S.

The JCC has impacted me in many ways… I went to CDC when I was younger and HBHA until 2nd grade. I went to Barney Goodman camp for all the years I could and I am now excited to be working here. The impact it has made is tremendous! This is a like a second home to me. I also take advantage of the gym and the AMAZING pool. JCC gives me a place to hang out with friends and also learn about my religion. I hope it will stay here forever so I can take advantage of its facilities forever! I love JCC! - Hannah D.

The JCC has impacted me in many ways. I love coming here to exercise and hang out with friends. I am also in BBYO, we have many meetings and programs here. I have met many friends through camp. I have been a camper in Barney Goodman, Ma’asim Tovim and now I am a counselor. I have made many life long friends. I love the Jewish Community Center! - Rachelle F.

How the J affects me: Throughout my 18 years of life and 15 years living in this area, the J has always affected me. Although I am not Jewish, the community that the J has created has always been there. Whether I attended a camp, worked out at the gym, played on a basketball team, or worked at the J, it has impacted my life. In summary, the J not only represents a small, specific Jewish community, it also represents a much greater, diverse group of people who are positively impacted by this wonderful place. - Jordan T.

It is a place to spend the summer. It will take time and patience to work with kids, but in the end, you will achieve something more, something great. It is one of those places where you can spend the whole day doing anything that you want. You can attain a peace of mind and body. Sometimes you wonder why you are here, but then you realize that you have a purpose here. - Dmitry B.

The Jewish Community Center has impacted my life in more ways than I can name. My JCC experience started when I was 2 at the CDC. Some of my best friends to this day were with me in my first days at the J. I continued my experiences at the J with Barney Goodman Camp from 1st grade to 6th. This was the most amazing camp experience of my life. While other kids went off to Sabra and Herzl, I couldn’t wait to come back to camp at the Center. My very best friend and I met in 5th grade camp group and we are still best friends to this day. I continued on to Ma’asim Tovim and later became a counselor. The JCC has made me love my Jewish background and want to continue going here for years. In conclusion, the JCC has become my second home with memories to last a lifetime. - Whitney K.

The Jewish Community Center has impacted my life in many ways. One way that the Jewish Community Center has impacted my life is connecting with my best friend of 17 years. We met in CDC and at first site we became instant friends. Even though we no longer go to the same school or ever did, we maintained one of the most meaningful friendships ever in my life. She and her family have been through everything in my life. When I felt like I had no one to talk to there she was to stand by my side and tell me exactly what I wanted to hear. Throughout my life I have not met anyone like her or as totally rad as her. Secondly the Jewish Community Center gave me a chance to give back to my community. - Anonymous

The Jewish Community Center has impacted me on so many different levels. I attended CDC when I was three; made life long friends that I still speak to. They helped me along the way skills I would need to be the person I am today. Then for six years I attended Barney Goodman Camp; and made life long friends. And have many memories as well. Went on to Ma’asim Tovim and they taught me how to be caring and giving without expecting something in return. After that I became an LIT and learned to have a work ethic. Then as I got older I worked in CDC as an afternoon staff; which helped me choose my career today. If it weren’t for these programs I would be a completely different person. I know these programs are AMAZING and hope they stay around a while. - Rebecca S.

The Jewish Community Center means a whole lot to me. I have been here since I was in CDC. I made my best friend here. We have stayed together throughout all my years here. I have basically been here my whole life. The JCC is like my second home. There are always nice people here to talk to and to be friends with. I have never met anyone that has had a negative attitude. I am in BBYO here. The JCC has so many different things to do. The JCC will change your life. If one best friendship can stay together for over 17 years then I hope many will. - Anonymous

I have been coming to the JCC for camp and for the facilities for my entire life. Being a Barney Goodman camper and counselor has impacted my life overall. Growing up being a “Center kid” made me more confident with myself as well as more open to other people. Not only did I develop talents and interests at my time at the Center, I also met my lifelong friends. The JCC is a fantastic place to turn to when looking for a community to be a part of. Whether it is working as a camp counselor to taking exercise classes, the Jewish Community Center has something for everyone. - Lauren G.

My name is Ari and I have gone to preschool, elementary school, middle school, high school, and now I am working at camp at the Jewish Community Center. I have probably spent more hours in this building than any where else besides my home. So in a sense the JCC is my second home. I consider the Jewish community more than just a community, but a large family who care about each other so much. When I graduated from high school and I went to college in another city without a JCC, I now appreciate the JCC more than ever. Having a place where Jewish people can go to be with each other is very important. At my college there weren’t many Jews and I missed not having that Jewish environment. But I believe, that even though I was discriminated, treated different, and sometimes felt like an outsider, I always stayed proud to be Jewish. I believe that this has to do with the fact the JCC instilled so much Jewish pride and passion in me. So I would like to thank the JCC for making me the Jew that I am today. - Ari H.

The JCC has impacted me because it gives me a place to work out, swim, play basketball, hang out with friends and a lot more. The building also allows me to attend the HBHA. I attended pre-school here and have attended the Academy since kindergarten. The environment at the JCC is very friendly and welcoming. Even when I’m out of school I come and enjoy the wonderful facilities they have to offer, after being here everyday. - Hannah C.

The JCC has impacted me because I have been part of this family for my lifetime, so far, and forever. It gives me something to do and I came to camp here when I was younger. I knew that I had fun back then, so I wanted to come back to be a LIT. Being a LIT lets me see how the campers are having fun in Camp today, like I did back then. The JCC impacts me everyday of my life, since I go to the Hyman Brand I get to use the JCC a lot during the day, which is great. I know I will have fun being an LIT. - Jeremy G.

I’ve been a member of the J for about 10 years. The JCC has impacted me in many ways. I did Sports Camp and Barney Goodman, and had a lot of fun and great experiences. Not only has the JCC given me education in preschool but it’s give me a place to hang out with friends. Whether it’s the pool or the gym, there’s always something to do. The JCC also gave me the opportunity to go to camp Sabra. The JCC has impacted me in many ways. Thank you. - Jeffrey A.

I’ve been a member for more than 10 years. I started at the CDC and went through pre-school. All through elementary school I went to Barney Goodman and Sports Camp. When I got to 5th grade the JCC gave me the opportunities to go to Camp Sabra which this year is now my 5th returning year and I will probably be a counselor there. The JCC gives me a great place to hang out on the weekends and in the summer. - Jonathan H.

The JCC has had a huge impact on my life ever since I was a little kid. Although I do not attend the HBHA, I still came to the J a few times a week. Coming to the J and meeting up with my Jewish friends is always a fun thing to do when you are bored. When being with people at the Jewish Community Center it brings you closer as friends and the Jewish connection becomes much stronger. These are just a few of the things that the J has done to have an impact on me.  - Coby H.

I’ve lived in Overland Park for about 10 months. I started coming to the JCC when I moved here. I work out about 1 or 2 times a week or just on the weekend sometimes. I usually come here with my dad. We work out and then play basketball together in the gym. We like having that experience. - Cathy L.

The Center to me was the place of my childhood. I attended Pre-K here and was a camper in a variety of camps up to 8th grade. I have some of my fondest memories in the halls of the sports facilities, club rooms, and pool. This building has been part of my social education for such a long time. Now as a Center employee I’m still learning skills, but more importantly, I’m passing on the skills and knowledge that I was given here as well. This building does change lives in an amazing way. - Seth F.

I have spent basically my entire life at the JCC. Having gone to HBHA K-12 and then working four summers at Barney Goodman, there were times when I was at the JCC more than my home. The employees become friends and extended family. You always have people to talk to and a place to go when you are bored. With such great facilities, it is one of the first things I tell my out of town friends about: The JCC of Kansas City, my second home. - Matt R.

I was looking for a summer job, and my mom is friends with a lady and her husband who are active members of the JCC. They recommended working at the great camp they have and their daughters work there. Although starting as an LIT was not much pay, I came out with new friends, better leadership skills and a couple extra jobs as a babysitter… and community hours too. - Emily M.

I was at camp for about 12-13 years and I have had many good experiences like I learned about community outreach in Ma’asim Tovim and about teamwork and sportsmanship in Barney Goodman. Anytime I went to camp as a child I felt safe. Plus I got to do things I wouldn’t be able to do. - Daniel T.

Since I’ve been here I’ve really had a good experience. The Center has taught me how to take care of younger children. When I was in the CDC I learned how to count and sing camp songs. As a camper I learned more arts and crafts and how to have good time. - Ilana W.

What the JCC means to me: The Jewish Community Center has always been a place I know I can relax, have fun and be with my friends. Working at Barney Goodman has been such a great experience. I love the kids and I love the people who I work with. The atmosphere of the J is a good learning environment. For a couple years I took community high classes here. With all of the new renovation in the work out facility, I can spend all day here and never get bored. I fell that having the JCC here is so important for Jewish families, kids and teens, adult and anyone else because it offers so many things all in a Jewish atmosphere. - Allison K.

The Jewish Community Center has impacted me in many ways. Being a camp counselor for my 3rd year has made me appreciate this building, these people, and everything that comes with. I’ve learned so much about the Jewish community. Shabbat in the Social Hall every Friday is really memorable. Using the pool for our campers has been so much fun and very convenient. I will always remember my summers at the Jewish Community Center. - Claire H.

Although this is my first summer with camp at the Center, I’ve been a member of the JCC since I was 2. My grandparents are here a lot and I learned to swim here. The Center doesn’t exactly play the biggest role in my life, but it’s a great place with lots of opportunities for the future. - Blaire G.

I entered the Jewish Community at the Center as a camper at Barney Goodman when I entered sixth grade. The counselors were fantastic with their enthusiasm, kindness, and caring. They were terrific role models and welcomed me to the JCC. After 2 great years at Ma’asim Tovim, I returned as a Barney Goodman counselor so I could give other kids the same, wonderful camp experience. -  Viktoriya T.

Ever since I was little I have come to the Jewish Community Center to swim, make friends, and come to enjoy my childhood by going to Barney Goodman Camp. Going to camp here and involving myself at the JCC has opened my eyes to the Jewish community. The JCC has brought me great memories and lessons to use for the rest of my life. - Taylor S.

I haven’t walked through the doors of the JCC since I was 5 years old, when I left the preschool for the last time. When I came back three days ago to begin my job as a senior counselor at the Barney Goodman Camp, it was as though I had never left. Yes, the carpet was different and the membership cards were no longer laminated brown cards, but the essence of the building was no different. The atmosphere was still one of acceptance, of embracing the Jewish identity. Jewish stars still sparkled, Hebrew words still drifted through the air and men wearing Kipot and tallit still roamed the halls. This Center is so much more than a mere building or a generic community center. It is the cultural center of a community not formed by city boundaries and I am so glad to be a part of it once again. - Libby N. 

The impact that the JCC has had on me is that it made me more interactive and more responsible. It has helped me make more friends. Also I exercise here to me more in shape for soccer and other sports. - Michael B.

The JCC has done so many things for me. Every summer for the past eight years, I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to come to the camps here and enjoyed them immensely. More recently, the J has brought my family closer together at the pool, and has offered me a place to work out in the gym. The JCC is a great place! - Spencer D.

I started working at the JCC 3 days ago, and I have already learned so much. I am very excited about the rest of the summer, and the awesome opportunity to impact the lives of some amazing children. I’m also incredibly excited for the impact the children will have on my. - Jordan S.

I have been at the JCC since I was one year old. I went to preschool, camp, after care, and day care when I was a baby. The JCC made me a very Jewish, commandment abiding person. My long history here has allowed me to become who I am today! The Jewish Community Center is a great place! - Mike S.

I just started working at the J and I’m looking forward to having a good time and impacting the lives of children. - Chuck S.

I went to the JCC as a little kid, and it made me a better person because I have to learn how to get along with everyone really fast. It was a good learning experience for me to grow. It taught me teamwork and that helped me when I went on to play high school and college sports. Overall the JCC is a great place to grow up. - Jason B.

The JCC is as much if not more of me than my own home. I have grown up at the Jewish Community Center ever since pre-school. This is also the place where I attend school, where many of my gym classes took place, I feel as though everyone here is my family, seeing as I know everyone by name and they know me. I hold many memories here including the new remodeling such as losing the soccer field, building the new theater, and the outdoor pool renovations. The Jewish Community Center truly is my home and I hope that it can continue to be forever. - Micah L.

The JCC has definitely had an impact on my life. While I have only been a counselor for one summer, my camp experience has been beyond my expectations. Working with all the campers has been a blast and I am very excited to start another summer. The JCC is a beautiful building and is very state of the art. From the sports area to the high tech gym to the new theater, the JCC has something to offer to everyone and I have been privileged to use its facilities. The JCC has a great community and I have made a lot of new friends along the way. - Phillip M.

When I moved here in 2001, my sister and I came to the JCC and it really helped us adapt to KC and I made a ton of new friends. Because of the JCC I learned a lot of valuable skills about my Jewish heritage. - Laura

The JCC has impacted my life frequently throughout my life. Throughout elementary school my parents would always send my sister and I to the JCC after school and I feel it was a great way to bond with my sibling. When I moved to KC about 5 years ago, and because I did not know anyone, I would always come up to the JCC. Turns out I not only met a lot of good friends and it was a great way to involve myself in the Jewish community. The JCC was my first employer and paycheck administrator as well. - Nadav B.

I have grown up coming to the JCC. There is so much to do from school to camp to just hanging out with friends. There is something for everyone. The JCC has helped me connect with other Jewish teens in the community, who have become my best friends. - Liz B.

Even before I was born, I belonged to the J. Once I was going into 1st grade I was fully involved in sports camp. I also went to the HBHA. Now I am 14 years old and I use the gym to train for basketball and the pool for relaxing with friends. The JCC is a very welcoming place where I know I am safe and will have a fun time with all the opportunities or activities the J provides. I am glad I belong here and proud to be a Jew. - Jeremy T.

The Impact of the JCC: Over the past few years of attending the JCC, it has made an impact on me. The JCC has given me a place to go when I want to exercise or to get away from home where I can do whatever I want to do. Also, the JCC has given me a career opportunity. The JCC has helped me financially and I’m able to gain some work experience. There are a couple of ways the JCC has had an impact on me so far. - Matt B.

I’ve been coming to the JCC for as long as I can remember. I went to Sports Camp as a camper and came back to work as a counselor, both LIT and Senior. I’ve participated in Maccabi, worked on the fitness floor and the Sports Desk, participated in BBYO and went on the March of the Living this past April. The Jewish Community Center has impacted my life in ways no other places has. - Michael G.

From going to pre-school to working as a camp counselor, the Jewish Community Center has become the setting for where a lot of my personal traits have developed. I had never worked with kids before. I had never really had any experience with younger kids at all. But after a year of working at Camp at the Center, I consider myself an expert and that all happened at the J. I became president of my youth group and became an active member of the Jewish community. That all happened at the J. Two huge aspects of my life have both taken place at the J and I plan to have more throughout my entire life. - Michael J.

I have belonged to the J for about 8 years. I first went to the JCC so I could go to Sports Camp. Now that I go to school at HBHA I regularly hang out at the J, work out and take advantage of many of the opportunities it offers. I participate in the Maccabi games and I have taken various classes. My family made a good choice 8 years ago and I’m proud to be a member of the Kansas City Jewish Community. - Max F.

When I was young I went to the JCC CDC program for preschool. They taught me a lot while I was there and because of that I have always been one of the smartest kids in my class, I fully attribute to the JCC because they teach the kids in the CDC so much that they are bound to succeed. - David T.

I went to camp at the JCC when I was little. Now, I have become a counselor. This will be my third year as a counselor and first as a senior counselor. Many times a week, I come to the JCC to run, play basketball, lift weights, and utilize the steam room. The JCC has been a place where I have met many good friends and I know I’ll see someone I know everytime I come. As my connection to the Jewish community, the JCC has been a fun and welcoming place where Jews from all over can meet and participate in activities. - Brandon C.

The Jewish Community Center has always been the place for my family and friends to come to. My siblings and I have gone here ever since kindergarten. This place means so much to my family because it is our second home. We come to the JCC to meet friends, work out, go swimming and much more. I have attended each of the camps at the J, and worked at the CDC and Barney Goodman. I love the JCC and feel very welcomed and comfortable here. I know that the people who work here do so much for this place and I am so happy and proud to be a part of the Jewish Community Center. - Hillary G.

Let’s just say that if the JCC weren’t here, part of my life’s memories would be missing! I wouldn’t have ever experienced Barney Goodman camp when I was younger, or my good memories of the pool. The JCC reminds me of getting excited for camp Sabra, because the bus would always leave from here for an absolutely amazing summer. Also, how could I have gone to BBYO events, or work on my running skills? The JCC has truly impacted my Jewish life through friends, Hebrew High, and just everything. - Samantha L.

This is my fourth summer working as a counselor and I have gained so many beneficial experiences. I have gained the ability to work with various ages from campers to directors. I have learned patience, cooperation, and communication skills. I have also learned how much campers and younger kids look up to me as a counselor. My actions and words are very important in the overall camp experience. These acquired lessons advance and my awareness is positively impacted. - Carolyn A.

Before I was employed at the JCC the Jewish community was little more than a foreign, amorphous demographic. However, upon immersing in the culture at camp I have seen that the Jewish community is a tight-knit support system for thousands. It impacted me in that I have a new appreciation for the Jewish culture and faith. - Peter R.

The Jewish Community Center has made such a huge difference in my life over the years. I remember going to CDC here, and how much fun I had with my counselors and teachers, I learned how to swim in the JCC pool, and I learned how to dive during Barney Goodman swim lessons. I participated in Barney Goodman as a camper for 5 years, and I remember every single year being so much fun with Shirim, the spirit stick, and my awesome counselors. It’s my turn to let other kids experience the JCC like I did, being and LIT is very important to me, and so is the JCC. - Francine G.

For a person who lives in Israel, Judaism is something that looks obvious, and as I got here, suddenly you see that it is not, and it is something that requires a lot of effort to keep. I was glad to see that there is a center that is helping to establish the Jewish way of life in the community and makes it easier for people to connect to it. I hope that I can contribute from myself to the Center and the people here in order to help and support the important work that this Center does. It really warms my heart to see this Center works, knowing that Israel is not alone. - Tomer G.

Over the years, the JCC has been many things to me: a school, a pool, a gym, a jungle gym, a camp, a youth group, a job, and even a synagogue. Sometimes a place to hang out and wait for friends, or sometimes a place to hang out and wait for parents. So many phases of my life have seen the JCC in many different ways, but it has always felt like it was mine. Without it I wouldn’t have played the guitar, wanted to teach, or even know how to play Ga-ba. It’s been great to me I made a promise a long time ago to be great to it. - Jordy A.

I’ve been coming to the J for as long as I can remember. It has always been a safe place for me to go and feel comfortable with fellow Jews, old and new friends. I’ve been coming here every day for years and it has been another home for me. The J has given me a sense of community and has created a family for members of the Jewish Community. Since the JCC is connected to my school, whenever I need a place to go I always feel comfortable and welcome here. The J is a relaxing place for our community. - Anonymous

Since I was little, I have been apart of the CDC, Barney Goodman, and almost every event taken place here. I love being apart of this community and being able to come here no matter what. I will miss this place when I go to college and will come back to visit frequently. It feels great to give back by working at camp and I can’t wait to see the smiles we can bring to the children of the community. - Ilana H.