Five Award Winning Core Progranms
Noise. Banging, yelling, laughing, clamoring hubbub. The kind of noise that is made by happy, confident “kids being kids.” These are the sounds that greet you when you walk into one of our two school-age clubs.
One of those laughing, confident kids is 2nd grader Jordan DeRego, who accomplishes a lot in an afternoon at the Club. A Boys and Girls Club bus picks her up at 2:00pm and ten minutes later reaches one of our two branches. She starts with homework, visits with bunnies and parakeets, sits in on a cooking class, stops in the arts and crafts room to make a hackey sack, and then heads for the playground, all before her dad picks her up at 6:00pm.
She isn’t just having fun... she’s participating in nearly all of the five core program areas that the Boys and Girls Clubs offer to inspire children to be their best: character and leadership development; education and career development; health & life skills; the arts; and sports, fitness, & recreation.
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Character and Leadership Development
Kids can make a difference in their community:
Participation in chacter and leadership activities helps members create meaningful relationships with others, develop a positive self-image and good character, and respect their own and other’s cultural identities.
Among our most successful programs in these areas are the Keystone and Torch Clubs. As members of the clubs, teens and pre-teens organize and participate in community service projects and giving programs.
In 2003, they arranged a bike drive, can drive, and turkey giveaway, and participated in community events like KidsDay, a beach cleanup, a senior citizen center tour and more. By being a part of these programs, youth learn what it means to be part of the community and that they can, at any age, make a difference.
Education and Career Development
ABC’s of success:
We aim to inspire youth to think about their future and continue on to an institution of higher learning. The programs that help the Club to achieve those goals include one-on-one tutoring and homework help; an accredited preschool; assistance for low-reading members; fieldtrips to places like museums and the zoo; and Education Centers equipped with computers and educational games.
5th grader Gavin Oullete said of the Education Center, “This is a lot like school, only it’s got computer games.”
Those games help Gavin learn math, geography, and lots more. The Club finds fun and engaging ways to give assistance to youth that need it and challenge those who may not be challenged enough at school, paving the way for success in academics and in life.
Health & Life Skills
Making smart decisions:
We strive to provide fun and inviting programs for all ages and backgrounds that promote healthy and positive decision making. Focusing on health, weekly cooking classes help our members understand good nutrition and develop healthy eating habits.
An annual “Healthy Kids Fair” puts parents in touch with free and low-cost health resources in the community; we offer free health and dental screenings throughout the year.
Through SMART Girls, teens build self-esteem and a sense of responsibility, while they learn to make smart decisions. In a safe environment teens can discuss topics like drugs, alcohol, gangs, and sex. Through programs like these, we prepare children to make life choices that will create future success.
The Arts
Creating tomorrow's stars today:
Our visual and performing arts programs give kids a valuable opportunity for self-expression. The Clubhouse Theatre program gives casts of 30-40 members the opportunity to rehearse and perform four plays each year to audiences of several hundred.
Club talent shows are attended by more than 500 youths and weekly dance classes promote fitness and allow children to pursue expressive art. In each of our branches, the Arts & Crafts Rooms are among the most popular daily activities.
The 5-week Image Makers photography program & National Fine Arts Exhibit give our youth opportunities to create artwork and submit their work in national competitions. As they gain a better understanding of the arts, children learn to think creatively, and build confidence in their talents.
Sports, Fitness, & Recreation
It's more than just a game:
Organized sports programs and physical education activities help members incorporate healthy activities into each day and support the development of fundamental motor skills. Each season, more than 700 community youth participate in our league sports, like basketball and indoor arena soccer.
And, over 400 children take part in Tae Kwon Do, Karate Do, gymnastics, and dance classes offered by the Club each year. As part of a team or class, they build social skills, make friends, and learn about teamwork.
Because each child needs to be active, we create unique exercise programs like the Olympic Challenge, the Walking Club, and Beach Volleyball Clinics to help motivate less athletic children to be more active and excited about fitness.
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