Usher partners with Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Michigan

(CBS DETROIT) - Usher performed in Detroit Thursday, but before he stepped on stage at Little Caesar's Arena, he visited the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan: Dick & Sandy Dauch Campus.

"Walk in and expect the unexpected," Alexis Butler, a student, said.

Because there's a little something for everyone at the Boys & Girls Clubs, especially today now that Usher's taking over, helping each student feel like a superstar.

Alexis Butler joined the club in 7th grade. Now, she's in the 10th with only great things to say about how much the club has helped her grow.

"They have made a huge impact on my life," Butler said. "You might not believe this, but before I got to Boys & Girls Clubs, I was really shy, I wasn't really a people person. I was involved in my community, but not as much as I am now."

Since 1962, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan have served as a safe space for kids and teens to learn and have fun while providing programming and real-life experiences focused on college and career readiness. Shawn Wilson is President and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan: Dick & Sandy Dauch Campus.

"Now, after school is where they go to get the skills that they need to be successful in life," Wilson said.

During the event, Usher also announced his role as the honorary chair of "Lights on Afterschool," a national initiative promoting the importance of afterschool programs and how they shape the futures of young lives, especially in underserved communities.