Melissa Carter - EmBe

Donor Spotlight: Meet Janet Naessig

Melissa Carter2024-02-07T11:31:28-06:00

For Janet Naessig, her time with EmBe spans back to when we were still known as the YWCA. She started her time as YWCA Teen Age Program Director in 1957 and then went on to complete her term on the Board of Directors in 2003. Janet’s involvement dates to having chaired the Leader Luncheon, engaging in the Annual Fund Drive, the Santa House Project, the first ladies golf tournament, and much more! Janet has also been a longtime supporter and donor of EmBe. She was the Y’s representative to The Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation during the drive to [...]

Donor Spotlight: Meet Janet NaessigMelissa Carter2024-02-07T11:31:28-06:00

Youth Spotlight: Cambree Cook

Melissa Carter2024-02-07T11:32:32-06:00

EmBe works diligently to help our community’s youth thrive. For Cambree Cook, attending Camp Girl VIP this summer helped her have fun by getting involved, meet new people, and got her out of her comfort zone. Through her great camp experience, she says she’s learned that she can become whatever she wants. Camp Girl VIP is a unique camp experience that helps girls find their voice, recognize the impact they can make on their community and help them explore their power and purpose. "During my time at EmBe's camps, I have made a lot of new friends, and I [...]

Youth Spotlight: Cambree CookMelissa Carter2024-02-07T11:32:32-06:00

Mentoring Mindset Workshop

Melissa Carter2023-04-04T08:54:24-05:00

If you are interested in mentoring others, EmBe has a Women's Leadership cohort ready to be matched to a mentor on May 8! We are hosting a Mentoring Mindset Workshop on April 24 to uplift our new and existing mentors in anticipation of the pairing to a mentor for this cohort. This Workshop is offered virtually at noon or in person at 4 PM at Downtown EmBe, where we will provide wine and cheese. This Workshop is a free event, but RSVP is required. Sign up for the Mentoring Mindset Workshop here. For more information or questions, please get in [...]

Mentoring Mindset WorkshopMelissa Carter2023-04-04T08:54:24-05:00

EmBe CEO Column: April 2023

Melissa Carter2023-03-29T12:22:13-05:00

Transitioning into Spring Despite the piles of snow remaining, it’s official – Spring is here! After a long (and cold) winter, I'm sure everyone is just as eager to transition into a new season as I am. Spring has always been my favorite season. Perhaps it’s the budding energy, the awakening of the community after the hibernation of winter, and the freshness of growth everywhere you look. Or perhaps it’s that my birthday and EmBe anniversary is also in the same week of the beginning of Spring, regardless I love spring. One of my favorite things about living in this [...]

EmBe CEO Column: April 2023Melissa Carter2023-03-29T12:22:13-05:00

Staff Spotlight: Melissa Hiatt

Melissa Carter2023-03-20T15:13:38-05:00

“I want to help women tap into the life-giving, life-changing, life-empowering power for them, their families, their organizations, and their communities.” At EmBe, our mission is to empower women and help them discover their strengths, activate their vision, and help meet their personal and professional goals. Putting the pivotal mentors, leadership, and programs in place is what we are excited to bring more emphasis to within the community. We are ecstatic to announce the addition of Melissa Hiatt, Director of Women’s Programming, to the EmBe team! We are certain that Melissa’s experience and new ideas will grow Women’s Programming to [...]

Staff Spotlight: Melissa HiattMelissa Carter2023-03-20T15:13:38-05:00

FIRST® LEGO® League 2022-23 Championship Recap

Melissa Carter2023-03-20T15:16:24-05:00

All season, youth involved in FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL) have worked together to create, code, and compete to advance to the final FLL Championship, which took place earlier this month at Augustana University’s campus in Sioux Falls, SD. Teams traveled across South Dakota, North Sioux City to Rapid City, and many cities and small towns in between, to compete and showcase their complex robots. Teams were judged based on their innovation project, presentation skills, robot design, and core values. Our 2022-23 Season Challenge was a SUPERPOWERED℠ theme and had teams creating an innovation project that included a real-world solution utilizing renewable energy. [...]

FIRST® LEGO® League 2022-23 Championship RecapMelissa Carter2023-03-20T15:16:24-05:00

EmBe CEO Column: November 2022

Melissa Carter2022-11-08T11:34:21-06:00

Get out and Vote In case you weren’t aware…. In case you haven’t noticed, there is an election happening. If you’re like me, you may be fatigued by the political advertisements, solicitations, and some of the ‘dirty politics’ that accompany each election. Perhaps that’s why the right to vote, suffrage, sounds so much like suffer. We “suffer” through the political season to finally get to lift our voices through the right to vote. The reality is, the word suffrage comes from Latin suffragium, which initially meant “a voting tablet” or a “ballot” or a “vote”… ultimately becoming, the right to [...]

EmBe CEO Column: November 2022Melissa Carter2022-11-08T11:34:21-06:00

Staff Spotlight: Sarah Meagher – Director of Curriculum and Licensing

Melissa Carter2024-03-15T13:42:53-05:00

“With an extremely talented and dedicated staff, the biggest challenge will be to learn what best practices already exist and where our programs can be elevated to the highest standard of childcare and early education in the community.” Sarah Meagher believes in the power of quality education to transform the lives of children. But the reality of maintaining EmBe’s high standards of learning requires constant effort from both teachers and administrators. As the new Director of Curriculum and Licensing at EmBe, Sarah has the passion and skills to rise to the challenge of delivering world-class education to the youth of [...]

Staff Spotlight: Sarah Meagher – Director of Curriculum and LicensingMelissa Carter2024-03-15T13:42:53-05:00

100-Year Sunday Story: 100 Years of EmBe

Melissa Carter2022-09-25T11:04:58-05:00

For the final Sunday Story, we’re bringing you 100 fun facts about EmBe from our last 100 years! The 1920s YWCA founder, Mabel Crossman, owned the state’s largest chicken hatchery with her husband, even though she was terrified of chickens. The YWCA was one of the first organizations to offer Kittenball leagues for women. Kittenball is the original name for softball. The first Camp Tepeetonka was on Lake Madison. One of the original classes of the YWCA was a cheese-tasting class. The YWCA offered a special one-on-one English class for immigrants attempting to learn the language. President Calvin Coolidge visited [...]

100-Year Sunday Story: 100 Years of EmBeMelissa Carter2022-09-25T11:04:58-05:00

100-Year Sunday Story: The Name Change

Melissa Carter2022-09-16T10:52:55-05:00

On April 16, 2013, the Sioux Falls branch of the YWCA cut ties with the national organization and announced the new agency as EmBe. There were many reasons for the change, but ultimately, the organization wanted to be more connected and support and provide resources in the best possible way to the Sioux Falls community. When the name changed, it didn’t mean that the services had changed. After the switch, EmBe still provided all the services they did before, including childcare services, aquatics, Girls on the Run, Tribute to Women, and all other programs. By cutting ties with [...]

100-Year Sunday Story: The Name ChangeMelissa Carter2022-09-16T10:52:55-05:00

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About Melissa Carter