This article is written by Blake Ursch, World-Herald staff writer. It was posted on Omaha.com on October 18, 2017.

The movie stars arrived by train, flashing winning smiles for waiting photographers. Around them, thousands of adoring fans cheered.

It was a glitzy scene, straight out of the Golden Age of Hollywood. And here it was, happening in Nebraska.

On Sept. 6, 1938, more than 15,000 people packed Omaha's Union Station to watch the arrival of Spencer Tracy and Mickey Rooney, here for the premiere of their movie "Boys Town."

Now, almost 80 years later, the Durham Museum, housed in the former train station, is commemorating the premiere as part of its new exhibit "Let's Go to Town for Boys Town: 100 Years of Saving Children, Healing Families," which traces the history of Father Edward Flanagan's famous children's home.

The exhibit includes several items from Boys Town's Hall of History, some of which have never been seen by the public.

A weathered film canister, displayed in a glass box, is one. The canister once held a roll of nitrate film, an original print of the 1938 movie, said Thomas Lynch, director of community programs at Boys Town.

Since nitrate film has been known to be spontaneously combustible, the canister on display at the museum is empty. The film is housed safely at Boys Town.

"We didn't want to blow up the Durham Museum," Lynch joked.

The movie, which stars Tracy as Flanagan and Rooney as one of the priest's troubled residents, brought Boys Town world fame. It was a critical and commercial hit, earning Tracy an Academy Award for his performance.

And nowhere was it more celebrated than in Omaha.

The movie captivated the city during the summer of 1938. Film crews shot on location at the Boys Town campus and at Union Station over several days in June. When the film made its world premiere in Omaha in September, thousands turned out to greet the stars. The audience, the World-Herald reported, surpassed even those of past visits by presidents.

At the train station, the stars were escorted by a dozen Omaha police officers. They met with then-Mayor Dan Butler, along with the mayor and city council of Boys Town and the reigning queen of Aksarben. A banner billowed over the crowd: "Let's go to town for Boys Town." A replica now hangs in the Durham.

Actress Maureen O'Sullivan, who attended the premiere, said the greeting exceeded any she had ever experienced.

The following night, the film debuted at the Omaha Theater, on Douglas Street between 15th and 16th Streets. People clamored for a look at the stars, flooding the streets outside the theater and crowding nearby rooftops. A powerful searchlight, visible for miles, scanned the sky.

"This thing makes a Hollywood premiere look like a dying hog," Tracy reportedly said.

Flanagan received the strongest applause from the crowd, the newspaper reported. He thanked the city for turning out in droves and for making Boys Town possible in the first place.

The movie itself didn't disappoint either.

"We who know what Boys Town is and to whom the name Father Flanagan is not strange may be too close to the trees to see the forest," wrote one World-Herald film critic. "Then Hollywood discovers Boys Town, sees in it material for a picture, makes that picture and brings back to us something we have lived with and yet never known — the story of Boys Town."

After the movie's release, Lynch said, enrollment at Boys Town exploded. But, perhaps surprisingly, donations plummeted as audiences assumed the children's home received some share of the film's profits. Tracy, who gave his Oscar to Flanagan, wrote letters urging supporters to continue donating to Flanagan's cause. One such letter is on display at the museum.

Today, 79 years later, the film still generates publicity for the children's community, said Lauren Laferla, Boys Town spokeswoman. The film is often shown on television around Christmas, and it crops up in movie trivia, ensuring that the Boys Town name continues to spread.

The movie also still has a presence on campus, said Lynch. It is screened for new residents coming to live at Boys Town.

"We want to show them they're part of the history of Boys Town," Lynch said. "Being a resident, this is their heritage. It's like any family. You want to pass on your history to them."

"Let's Go To Town for Boys Town: 100 Years Of Saving Children, Healing Families"

Dates: Now through Jan. 21

Where: The Durham Museum, 801 S. 10th St.

Hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday; 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday

Regular admission fees apply: $11 for adults, $8 seniors 62 and up, $7 children 3 to 12, children under 2 are free.

For more information: 402-444-5071 or info@durhammuseum.org.

This article is written by Blake Ursch, World-Herald staff writer. It was posted on Omaha.com on October 13, 2017.

The black leather briefcase bears three letters: EJF.

Father Edward J. Flanagan used this bag to carry letters and documents when he traveled Europe and Asia, visiting impoverished children in the years following World War II.

The bag is one of several Boys Town artifacts on display at the Durham Museum, 801 S. 10th St., as part of the museum's new exhibit "Let's Go To Town For Boys Town! 100 Years of Saving Children, Healing Families." The exhibit opens to the public Saturday and will be on display through Jan. 21.

The collection celebrates the upcoming 100th anniversary of the founding of Boys Town. On Dec. 12, 1917, Flanagan began his legendary children's home with five boys in the rundown Byron Reed Mansion at 25th and Dodge Streets.

Photographs and objects displayed at the Durham trace the story of Boys Town's rise. Visitors can see a stone from the original mansion, Flanagan's vestments and a flag, given to Flanagan by the City of Baltimore, commemorating the 800 former Boys Town residents who were killed in World War II.

The exhibit also includes an original poster and memorabilia from the 1938 film "Boys Town," starring Spencer Tracy and Mickey Rooney. The Durham hosted the world premiere of the film the year it was released, said Thomas Lynch, director of community programs at Boys Town.

"The movie is really special because it put Boys Town on the map," Lynch said.

Some of the items on display at the Durham, such as Flanagan's vestments, are usually packed away for safekeeping at the Boys Town Hall of History, Lynch said.

Jessica Brummer, spokeswoman for the Durham, said organizers are hoping the exhibit exposes Boys Town to an audience that may not have visited the campus on West Dodge Road.

The time of year is fortunate, she said: The museum is always busiest during the holiday season.

"Being able to have this on display for visitors during this time is wonderful," she said.

​State Farm's mission is to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected, and realize their dreams and on September 22, 2017, Boys Town staff and youth held a special ceremony to thank State Farm for helping future young drivers.

Before the first football was thrown for the game on Friday, the insurance company presented a check for $15,000 on the Boys Town football field. The donation that State Farm has given will go toward helping Boys Town provide driver's education to the youth. "Car crashes continue to be the leading cause of death for teenagers," said State Farm Public Affairs Specialist Kelly Pargett. "State Farm is proud to stand alongside Boys Town to change that narrative and to help in their mission of caring for children and families and making our communities safer."

Every year, approximately 75 Boys Town juniors and seniors take driver's education at Cornhusker Driving School. Through hard work and dedication, those who completed the course were all given certificates of successful completion. "We are very grateful for this generous grant from State Farm," said Father Steven Boes, Boys Town President and National Executive Director. "Boys Town students and all high school students can greatly benefit from safe driving skills."

Thanks again to State Farm for their generous donation to Boys Town. Our youth truly appreciate the opportunity to learn the skills they need to be safe drivers.

On Tuesday, July 26, 2017, Jill Marchitello, Boys Town South Florida Admission Specialist, received the Florida Coalition for Children's (FCC) Support Staff of the Year Award.

Marchitello was one of 15 individuals awarded at the FCC's annual conference, which hosts more than 600 attendees and focuses on the agencies and individuals who work with Florida's vulnerable children and youth. Marchitello's passion for helping children and families prompted her supervisor, Pam Heck, to nominate her for this annual award from the FCC.

"I nominated Jill because she consistently goes above and beyond for all of our families and staff." Pam Heck said.  "She also has excellent relationships with our referral sources.  They constantly remark at how much they enjoy referring to Boys Town because of working with Jill.  She is efficient, quick about responding to their needs and keeps them in the loop with the status of the referral."

"The nomination came as a surprise to me," Marchitello said. "I was very honored."

Marchitello began her career at Boys Town more than 17 years ago. She started as a Care Coordination Consultant for the South Florida site before spending a little over five years as a Family Consultant for In-Home Family Services. She then transitioned to a part-time position for a few years while she started her family. Today, Marchitello serves as the Admission Specialist for In-Home Family Services.

"It's a good feeling knowing that I'm making a difference in the lives of children and families every day," Jill said.

Marchitello spends her days receiving referrals for the South Florida site, making sure children meet criteria for the programs, and ensuring each family receives the right services all while working with several community agencies within the West Palm Beach and Broward communities.

"Jill has streamlined a number of our referral processes and tracking.  She has made our program run smoothly and efficiently. She really is the one that engages our families before anyone else ever sees them." Heck said. "There are a number of families that would have declined our services, but due to Jill's care and concern they are open to that initial visit."

The FCC is an organization dedicated to advocating on behalf of Florida's abused, abandoned, neglected and at risk children while supporting the agencies and individuals who work on their behalf. The vision of the Coalition is to see a system of child welfare in Florida that is fully resourced, well managed and fulfills the needs of Florida's vulnerable children and families.

This article is written by Harold Reutter of the Grand Island Independent. It was posted on theindependent.com on September 24, 2017. 

Boys Town Grand Island has been in the community since 1989, serving simultaneously as a very high-visibility facility because of its location at 3230 Wildwood Road along Highway 281 south of Grand Island and as a low-key member of the community because relatively few people actually go into that residential treatment center.

"We've added several programs over the years to meet kids and families wherever they're at," said Megan Andrews, site operations director.

Boys Town programs in Omaha and locally include:

Psychiatric residential treatment center: This is Boys Town's highest level of care and also the most restrictive level of care. The facility is located in Omaha, which is the only place where those services are offered. It is intended to serve youth ages 5 to 18 who have more several behavioral and mental health problems.

Intervention and assessment program: This program is offered in the shelter on the east side of Highway 281 south of Grand Island. The average length of stay for a young person was 21 days for the year 2016, although there is a wide variety depending on the young person. Most youth are placed at the shelter by juvenile probation, although private placement is also accepted.

If parents are having difficulties and are not sure what to do, they can place their child at the shelter for a week until treatment options can be devised. The shelter includes a PASS program for Positive Alternatives to School Suspensions. The shelter has an agreement with some area school districts: if a student is suspended, he or she will serve that suspension the intervention and assessment program at the shelter

Family home programs are the third-highest level and third-most restrictive program. Married couples and single adults or parents take in children to live with them as part of the Boys Town Village in Omaha The adults are called family teachers. They usually have six to eight kids living in their homes, with homes designated either for boys or for girls. "The goal is to keep them there at least a year in order to be effective." The system includes support staff who serves as assistant family teachers.

Foster family services: This is the next level of care. Boys Town helps train and support the foster home. A consultant is available for these homes 24/7 in case of a crisis. Foster homes are always needed for older children, with some studies show that kids can be difficult to place in foster homes as early as 4, and the older the kids get, the more difficult they are to place. "We're always looking for good quality homes that are going to take older kids."

Ecological in-home family treatment model: Children stay in their homes as Boys Town helps family members work through conflicts. Boys Town performs assessments to determine what skills, resources and support the family needs to help them be successful and to keep children at home. The consultant coaches and guides parents "right then and there" as they interact with their children. Parents also work on skills such as interviewing for and getting a job, and managing personal finances. In-home family services have been offered in Grand Island for four years, with Boys Town and University of Nebraska Lincoln doing research to provide evidence of the program's effectiveness. The formal name of the program is the ecological in-home family treatment model.

Community support services is the sixth and least-restrictive level of service. Services include a behavioral health clinic in Grand Island, in which families can go in and get assessments or see a therapist in a typical therapy office setting.

Boys Town also offers an alternative K-12 day school in Duncan that educates about 40 students.

To celebrate the Boys Town's Centennial, Boys Town Central Nebraska is inviting the public for a special screening of the Oscar-winning movie "Boys Town" on Thursday, Oct. 5, at the Grand Theatre, 316 W. 3rd St. The evening begins with a cocktail hour and hors d'oeuvres from 6 to 7 p.m., with live instrumental music. A showing of the 1938 classic, starring Spencer Tracy and Mickey Rooney, will follow.

People will meet Boys Town Central Nebraska staff and local community leaders who are dedicated saving children and healing families. People can have their picture taken with the Best Actor Oscar that Spencer Tracy earned for his performance. Tickets, which are $25, can be purchased at boystown.org/central-nebraska or at the Grand Island HyVee.

People with questions may contact Megan Andrews at (308) 224-3338 or megan.andrews@boystown.org.

Today, Emily is 20 years old and employed full-time as a waitress in Grand Island, Nebraska. She has plans to start school soon to become a nurse, and her future looks bright. 

But Emily's journey from adolescence to adulthood was filled with darkness, pain and uncertainty. Here, in her own words, she describes her experiences of loss and loneliness and, finally, with Boys Town Central Nebraska's help, her redemption.  

This story will make you sad, angry and, in the end, happy.

I am one of many youth who have had a troubled childhood. That doesn't make me different or special, but it for sure made me stronger.

At first, my story will seem like it's all over the place. It perfectly reflects how bad my situation was growing up.

We often take things for granted, especially the ones we love. This is exactly how I was feeling as I stood outside my mom's hospital room with my stepdad as the nurses were calling a code. I was 15 when I unexpectedly lost my mom that day, and I didn't think life could possibly get any worse.

Before I go on, let me rewind to give you a little background so you'll fully understand my story.

My biological father and my mother divorced when I was 10. To be honest, it didn't bother me because they fought constantly.

My mom later met a wonderful man who became a big part our lives. I still had visitations with my biological father until I was 12. But in that two-year span, he also met someone else and my visitations with him became unhealthy and emotionally abusive. So I stopped going to see him.

Fast forward to that day outside my mom's hospital room. Two things were running through my mind: the unbelievable grief I felt and the dread running through me knowing I was going to have to get in touch with my biological father.

I called him later that night and told him I wanted to continue living with my stepdad. But I offered to start visitations again. All I got in response were rude and unnecessary comments. The next few weeks were filled with the fear that I would be taken away at my mom's funeral, that there would be more unhealthy visitations and, finally, that a court order would be issued saying I had to live with my biological father.

All I wanted to do at that time was grieve for my mom. But instead, I was being eaten up by everything else going on around me. I eventually moved in with my biological father, but I only stayed there three days. Then I ran away.

I was on my own for a month before turning myself in. I became a ward of the state and was placed in the Boys Town shelter in Grand Island as the custody battle between my biological father and my stepdad started.

When I first got to Boys Town, I was an emotional mess. All I wanted to do was cry all the time. And I wanted to go home, to my real home with my stepdad. The first few days were very hard since I couldn't have any contact with any friends or family. I felt isolated, and I didn't open up to any of the staff. It wasn't that I didn't want to; it was more that I didn't want to break down crying in front of everyone.

After a couple of weeks, things started to change. I started to grow close to many members of the Boys Town staff. They were very helpful once I was able to talk to them about what I was going through, and they all made special efforts to make a positive difference in any way they could.

Megan, a supervisor at the shelter, was so kind. She made arrangements so she could personally drive me to the cemetery to visit my mom's grave. And when I had a call with my biological father, Angela, another supervisor, sat with me since I wasn't comfortable talking to him alone. The call was not a positive experience, and Angela later wrote a letter to the court on my behalf.

To this day, I believe she is the reason I was placed with and eventually adopted by my stepdad, who is now my real dad. Because of her, the courts were able to truly see what a negative environment my biological father would provide if I had to live with him.

I write this story now so others can understand how wonderful Boys Town is. To be honest, before my two-month stay there, I thought it was a place where terrible juveniles go. I was right about the juvenile part, being that I was one myself. But the only terrible parts are the painful situations that most kids who live at the shelter are going through.

To the Boys Town Central Nebraska staff, I want to say THANK YOU. I wouldn't be where I am today without you. You really do make a difference.

​As his fellow seniors at Central Falls High eagerly looked forward to graduation day and the new adventures that would follow, Yefri Acevedo was indifferent.    

School was no longer a priority, as evidenced by his abysmal attendance record and countless incompletes. Yefri's underwhelming academic performance cast serious doubt on whether he'd earn a diploma at all.    

"I procrastinated a lot and ditched my schoolwork," Yefri said. "I hung out with friends instead of staying after school and finishing my homework."

Yefri's family had always encouraged him to excel in the classroom so he would have more options in life and not struggle to make ends meet. Whenever they asked about his grades, however, Yefri made excuses or changed the subject. He didn't want to disappoint them.       

With no one to confide in, Yefri grew more stressed, his attitude soured and his prospects for graduating dimmed. That's when a school counselor introduced him to Boys Town New England Care Coordination Services, a program designed to ensure appropriate support and resources are available to children like Yefri who struggle with academic failure and poor behavioral choices.

Yefri needed an advocate and a mentor. In stepped Boys Town Care Coordination Consultant Jose Cabrera.

"When we first met, he was silent and skeptical," Jose said. "He didn't trust me and didn't think I could tell him anything he hadn't heard a thousand times before."

Earning Yefri's trust took patience. For months, the two met regularly. In the beginning, Jose mostly listened while reassuring Yefri he had no ulterior motives.   

"I straight-up said I was in his life to learn about his goals and help make those goals happen," Jose said.

In time, Yefri's confidence in, and respect for, Jose grew, and he opened up about his troubles.

​This article was posted on Omaha.com on August 22, 2017.

Denver Broncos outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett has been cleared to resume football activities, giving the former Boys Town and UNO player hopes of returning by the first or second game of the NFL regular season.

Barrett suffered a hip injury in May while working out on his own. The injury did not require surgery, as originally feared, leaving the Broncos optimistic about the backup's return.

Barrett participated in individual drills Tuesday after being moved from the non-football injury list to the active roster.

Denver recently has been hit by injuries to outside linebacker Shane Ray (wrist) and defensive end DeMarcus Walker (hip). Also currently sidelined are defensive ends Derek Wolfe (ankle) and Jared Crick (back). The Broncos are hopeful that Crick, a former Nebraska player, can return in time for the Sept. 11 opener with San Diego.

Barrett is a fourth-year pro whose best season came in 2015, when he made six starts and had 5.5 sacks and four forced fumbles. After playing as a true freshman at UNO in 2010, he transferred when the Mavericks dropped football and finished his college career at Colorado State, where he was the Mountain West defensive player of the year in 2013.