The Village of Newark is pleased to announce that Braxton Guy has been hired as the new Alex Eligh Community Center (AECC) Director.
Braxton graduated from Newark in 2017 and went on to receive his Associates in Human Services from Monroe Community College and Bachelors in Sociology from SUNY Geneseo. He is currently enrolled at SUNY Brockport pursuing a Masters in Public Administration.
Braxton’s career has been focused on working with youth. He started coaching basketball at the AECC in 11th grade and has coached every year since. Braxton credits this coaching experience with jumpstarting his career path because it made him realize how much he enjoys working with young people. He has previously worked at the Phelps Community Center as the Assistant Director for their School Age Program. From there, he joined Wayne County Community Schools as the Community Schools Coordinator for Newark Middle School, connecting resources for families, creating events, and working on life-building skills for students.
In 2021, many in the community expressed the need for more youth activities, so that’s when Braxton took it upon himself to start The Future Run the Streets (FRTS) program. It began by meeting twice a week in Central Park to train for the Newark Turkey Day Race, starting with just two kids and gaining more and more youth participation each time. By the time the race came, there were 20 youth participating. After the race, they expressed interest in continuing this program and showed a desire for even more out-of-school activities. Since then, FRTS has hosted kickball leagues and tournaments, roller skating events, cross country leagues, wiffle ball games with the Newark Pilots, family fitness sessions, field days, and much more, all to keep young people active and engaged in the community. The FRTS has served over 200 youth in the past four years and has reached students throughout Wayne County and surrounding areas.
In Braxton’s spare time, he is typically spotted going for a run around town, or coaching basketball, cross country, and most recently indoor track. He is the son of Clive and Courtney Guy and has three siblings Rachelle, Jayda, and Camden, along with two nephews Aiven and Luciano.
Braxton stated, “I look forward to continuing to help create a community that youth can be proud to call home, and creating a space and programs where all youth feel welcomed and heard.”
Mayor Jonathan Taylor stated, “We are excited to have Braxton join our team. He has already proven to be a leader for the youth in our community and we are looking forward to seeing what he can add to our team at the AECC Community Center.”
Alex Quku, AECC Board President, stated, “I am looking forward to working with Braxton closely to ensure a smooth transition. I am excited about the new energy and programs Braxton will bring to the AECC. Please welcome Braxton as he spends the coming months learning from Mr. Muscolino and staff.”
