CORE PROGRAM AREAS

Character and Leadership Development

Programs in this area empower youth to support and influence their club and community, sustains meaningful relationships with others, develop a positive self-image and good character, participate in the democratic process, and respect their own and other's cultural identities.

Education and Career Development

Programs in this area enable youth to become proficient in basic educational disciplines, set goals, explore careers, prepare for employment and embrace technology to achieve success in a career.

Health and Life Skills

Programs in this area develop young people's capacity to engage in positive behaviors than nurture their well-being, set personal goals and live successfully as self-sufficient adults.

The Arts (Performing Arts)

Programs in this area enable youth to develop their creativity and cultural awareness through knowledge and appreciation of the visual arts, crafts, performing arts and creative writing.

Sports, Fitness and Recreation

Programs in this area develop fitness, positive use of leisure time, skills for stress management, appreciation for the environment and social skills.

Boys and Girls Club National Programming:
(These programs are the actual programs that are practiced in the local Clubs).

Project Learn

Project Learn reinforces and enhances the skills and knowledge young people learn at school during the hours they spend at the Club. This comprehensive strategy is based on Dr. Reginald Clark's research showing that students do much better in school when they spend their non-school hours engaged in fun, educational activities. Through Project Learn, Club staff use all the areas and programs in the Club to create opportunities for these high-yield learning activities, which include leisure reading, writing activities, discussions with knowledgeable adults, helping others, homework help and tutoring, games like Scrabble that develop young people's cognitive skills, and incentives to reward Club members for positive academic participation. Project Learn also emphasizes parent involvement and collaboration between Club and school professionals as critical factors in creating the best after-school learning environment for members ages 6-18.

Power Hour: Making Minutes Count

Power Hour: Making Minutes Count. The program provides Club professionals with strategies, activities, resources and information to create an engaging homework help and tutoring program that encourages Club members ages 6-12 and 13-18 to become self-directed learners.

Goals for Graduation

A Project Learn program, introduces academic goal setting to Club members ages 6-15 by linking their future aspirations with concrete actions today. In a variety of one-on-one, small-group and large-group sessions with Club youth development professionals, members set achievable "Know-I-Can" Goals, more challenging "Think-I-Can" Goals and yearly "Believe-I-Can" Goals. Members create an action plan with daily and weekly goals leading to short and long-term academic gains. A comprehensive guidance strategy helps members connect their smallest results to their highest dreams. An encouraging recognition strategy positively reinforces members as their successes are recognized and supported at every step of their journey.

NetSmartz

A comprehensive program from BGCA and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, teaches members Internet safety skills through engaging multimedia activities and offline interaction with Club professionals, in three age-appropriate modules: Clicky’s Web World for 6- to 7-year-olds, NetSmartz Rules for 8- to 12-year-olds and I-360 for 13- to 18-year-olds.

YouthNet

A secure intranet for Boys & Girls Club members dedicated to promoting youth development outcomes; fostering inter-Club collaboration; expanding Club resources; and empowering youth as content developers and monitors of their online community.

Dragonfly Quest

Dragonfly Quest shows Club members ages 10-15 how to conduct their own investigations using the scientific method. The program provides strategies, tips and resources to help facilitators introduce the scientific method to members, including how to make observations, ask questions, make predictions, create action plans, collect data and share results. Dragonfly Quest builds members' skills in science, math and language arts and helps members think critically about the world around them as they explore topics that appeal to them.

Career Launch

Career Launch encourages Club members ages 13-18 to assess their skills and interests, explore careers, make sound educational decisions and prepare to join our nation's ever-changing work force. Club staff or volunteers can use the Career Exploration Quick Reference Guide to work with teens individually or in small groups to build their job-search skills and job readiness. Career Launch Teen Tips is an easy-to-read, pocket-sized booklet for teens full of practical job-hunting advice that comes with an attractive portfolio for storing resumes, job applications and other job-hunting documents. The dynamic website provides Club teens, staff and volunteers with online career exploration and college and job search information and interactive activities. Mentoring and job shadowing opportunities for Club teens and training for Club staff round out the program.

Job Ready!

Prepares Club members ages 16-18 with specific skills to secure employment and be successful in the world of work. Using the comprehensive program materials and assessment tools that JOB READY! provides, Club staff can tailor the program to meet their members particular needs. Teens learn how to identify job opportunities, write effective resumes, perform well in interviews, dress appropriately, develop good work habits and get along well with others in the workplace.

SMART Moves (Skills Mastery and Resistance Training)

This nationally acclaimed comprehensive prevention program helps young people resist alcohol, tobacco and other drug use, as well as premature sexual activity. The program features engaging, interactive small group activities designed to increase participants' peer support, enhance their life skills, build their resiliency and strengthen their leadership skills. This year-round program encourages collaborations among Club staff, youth, parents and representatives from other community organizations. The program’s components include: SMART Kids, for children ages 6-9, Start SMART, for youth ages 10-12, Stay SMART, for youth ages 13-15 and SMART Parents, for parents of Club members participating in SMART Moves.

SMART Girls

An outgrowth of the popular SMART Moves program, SMART Girls is a health, fitness, prevention/education and self-esteem enhancement program for girls ages 8-17. The program focuses on issues specific to female Club members and is designed to encourage healthy attitudes and lifestyles that will enable those members to develop to their full potential. From interactive role playing to more tailored mentoring, girls are given the opportunity to explore personal and societal values as they build skills for eating right, staying fit, getting good health care and developing positive relationships.

Street SMART

Street SMART counteracts the negative lures of gangs, violence and "street" influences on young adolescents ages 11-13. While building awareness and resistance skills, participants develop the confidence and knowledge to make intelligent choices. Street SMART’s three modules teach young people how gangs work and how to resist being recruited, how to recognize and resolve conflicts peacefully and how to become positive peer helpers. Participants reinforce what they have learned and share it with others by organizing community events that promote the positive messages of Street SMART.

Child Safety and Protection

Developed in partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the Child Safety and Protection Program provide Boys & Girls Clubs with a comprehensive child victimization prevention program. Through training for Club professionals and volunteers, a skill development and safety awareness curriculum for Club members ages 6 to 13, peer leader involvement, and parent and community awareness and participation, the program helps Clubs maintain a vigilant and effective approach to ensuring the safety and protection of children.

Passport to Manhood

This program promotes and teaches responsibility and reinforces positive behavior in male Club members ages 11-14. Passport to Manhood consists of 14 small-group sessions, each of which concentrates on a specific aspect of manhood through highly interactive activities. Each participant is issued his own "Passport" to underscore the notion that he is on a personal journey of maturation and personal growth.

The Boys and Girls Club - Targeted Outreach Program (TORP)

Targeted Outreach Program was established in 1997 to serve youth suspended or expelled from school. TORP assists youth in a variety of ways. First by addressing the behavioral problems that resulted in their removal from school, by working to reintegrate the youth into the school and providing follow-up services to avert future expulsion. A goals agreement is completed with each long-term suspended or expelled student. The goals agreement includes goals regarding behavioral difficulties and educational goals.

Program services will be provided at the Boys and Girls Club facility at 2408 E. 21st Street. A program coordinator provides general and daily program oversight and guidance and directs the program. The program coordinator acts as the primary liaison with school counselors and other agencies referring youths to the program.

TORP teachers and case managers provide regular daily programs activities with program participants, including but not limited to; intake an assessment, goal setting, educational instruction, counseling, and follow-up services. Youth will participate on a structured educational schedule Monday through Thursday, with potential community service projects on Fridays.