Programs

Programs Focus on Five Core Areas

The National Boys & Girls Club Movement has developed many individual and corporate relationships, which, through their financial support, enabled development of formal programs to provide to youth in Clubs. Program development is centered in five key core areas, proven essential to positive youth development.

Boys & Girls Clubs in Connecticut offer daily access to a broad range of programs in five core program areas:

1. Character and Leadership Development

Programs in this Core Program Area empower youth to support and influence their Club and community, sustain meaningful relationships with others, develop a positive self-image, participate in the democratic process and respect their own and others' cultural identities.

Youth of the Year: Boys & Girls Clubs of America's premier youth recognition program promotes and celebrates Club members' service to Club, community and family; academic performance; moral character; life goals and poise and public speaking ability. The Youth of the Year program is most effective when used as a year-round tool for fostering young people's personal growth and leadership qualities.

Local Clubs recognize Youths of the Month and select a Youth of the Year, who then participates in state competition. State winners participate in regional competition. Five regional winners each receive a $5,000 scholarship and compete on the national level. The National Youth of the Year receives an additional $10,000 scholarship and is installed by the President of the United States. The Youth of the Year Program, in existence for more than 50 years, is sponsored by the Reader's Digest Association. Youth of the Year Program Kits are sent free of charge to Clubs each year.

Torch Clubs: Torch Clubs are chartered small-group leadership and service clubs for boys and girls ages 11-13 focusing on character development. A Torch Club is a powerful vehicle through which Club staff can help meet the special needs of younger adolescents at a critical stage in their development. Torch Club members learn to elect officers and work together to plan and implement activities in four areas: service to Club and community, education, health and fitness and social recreation.

Torch Club Awards are presented annually to Torch Clubs with outstanding programs and activities in the four areas. Each year, Torch Club members from all over the country take part in a service-learning experience through the National Torch Club Project. The Torch Club program is sponsored by The MetLife Foundation.

Keystone Clubs: Keystoning is the Boys & Girls Club Movement's most dynamic teen program. Keystone Clubs are chartered small-group leadership and service clubs for boys and girls ages 14-18. Keystoners elect officers and plan and implement their own activities in six areas: service to Club and community, leadership development, education and career exploration, unity, free enterprise and social recreation. Keystone Club members and their advisors are eligible for nomination to steering committees which organize regional and national Keystone Conferences attended by thousands of Keystoners each year.

Keystone Club Awards are bestowed annually on Keystone Clubs that undertake programs and activities which best promote the principles of Keystoning. Each year, Keystoners select a National Keystone Project for local Keystone Clubs to complete. The combined action of hundreds of local Keystone Clubs results in a service project with a national scope. Boys & Girls Clubs of America's TEENSupreme initiative is funded by the Taco Bell Foundation.

Moral Compass: Character development has been identified as a major area of emphasis in our Movement's strategic plan for the next five years. Clubs have a poster that celebrates and promotes character development. Entitled "Blueprint for a Moral Compass," the poster describes what a Club looks like when it makes character development a cornerstone of its philosophy and programs. This poster to reinforce the importance of character development with your Club's members, their families, staff and volunteers.

2. Education and Career Development

Programs in this Core Program Area enable youth to become proficient in basic educational disciplines, apply learning to everyday situations, and embrace technology to achieve success in a career.

Project Learn: reinforces and enhances the skills and knowledge young people learn at school during the hours they spend at the Club. The program 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" but academically beneficial 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 and Scrabble that develop young people's cognitive skills.

Project Learn also emphasizes parent involvement and collaboration between Club staff and school personnel as critical factors in creating the best after-school learning environment for Club members. Extensively field-tested and formally evaluated by Columbia University with funding from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Project Learn has been proven to boost the academic performance of Club members.

Goals for Graduation: Project Learn's newest program resource, introduces Club members ages 6-15 to the concept of academic goal setting. Sponsored by JCPenney AfterSchool, the program helps youth make connections between their aspirations for the future and concrete actions they can take today. In one-on-one sessions with Club professionals, members set achievable "Know-I-Can" goals, more challenging "Think-I-Can" goals and yearly "Believe-I-Can" goals, then create action plans. The program provides for recognition of members' achievements at every step of the journey.

POWER HOUR: helps Club members ages 6-12 be more successful in school by providing homework help and tutoring and encouraging members to become self-directed learners. The POWER HOUR program is sponsored by the Coca-Cola Company.

Ultimate Journey: This internationally recognized, award-winning environmental education program leads Club members ages 6-12 on a fun-filled journey into the beautiful and amazing world of plants and animals. Through participation in games, crafts and discovery-based activities, young people develop an awareness of the environment, acquire a better understanding of how human actions affect nature, reinforce math and science skills and learn about conservation of our natural resources.

CareerLaunch: is an exciting partnership between Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Gap Foundation that provides a full range of career exploration activities for teens. Designed for teens ages 13-18, CareerLaunch has several components. The Web site http://careerlaunch.bgca.net/ allows teens to take an interest survey, explore careers, identify training or college requirements, seek out financial aid and play career skills-building games.

Job Ready!: Sponsored by the Taco Bell Foundation, JOB READY! prepares Club members ages 15-18 to enter into and be successful in the world of work. Using the comprehensive program materials and assessment tools that JOB READY! provides, you can tailor the program to meet your members' specific 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.

JOB READY! (which replaces Job Search Club) is just one program resource available through Boys & Girls Clubs of America's TEENSupreme Career Prep initiative. Career Prep focuses on helping teens work toward self-sufficiency by providing work maturity skills training and professional support before and during employment. The Career Prep initiative is funded by the Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and the Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration.

The Career Explorers Club: This small group program introduces young people ages 13-15 to a wide range of career opportunities. Through engaging, interactive sessions and activities, Club members become familiar with the working world, explore career options and their educational/training requirements and begin preparing for employment. The Career Explorers Club program is sponsored by the Taco Bell Foundation. Career Explorers Club is another program resource available through Boys & Girls Clubs of America's TEENSupreme Career Prep initiative.

Goals for Growth: This teaches Club members ages 8-12 skills for setting and achieving goals, helps them identify their own strengths, and enhances their self-esteem by reinforcing their progress and recognizing their success in realizing their goals. Members set goals in six areas: Club involvement; discovery of new knowledge, skills or pastimes; service to others; school improvement; personal improvement and career awareness. The recent updating and revision of the Goals for Growth program manual was made possible through the generous support of the Best Buy Children's Foundation.

CLUBService: This program, the result of a partnership between Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the Corporation for National and Community Service (AmeriCorps), provides education awards to Club members ages 17 and 18 and Club alumni ages 19-24 who serve their Clubs and communities. CLUBService recognizes young people's service, helps them access higher education opportunities and encourages them to pursue future careers as Club professionals.

Junior Staff Career Development: This is a comprehensive small-group program designed to guide youth toward careers in youth development or human services by nurturing their leadership skills and providing guided, practical experiences. While a career in human service may not be appropriate for all Boys & Girls Club members, staff will at a minimum guide the development of interested and concerned youth toward volunteer involvement in community service activities. The manual also includes information on the CLUBService and Leaders in Training programs, bringing all Club-based volunteerism programs together in one cohesive resource.

3. Health and Life Skills

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

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. The recent updating and revision of SMART Moves was made possible through funding from the DeWitt Wallace - Reader's Digest Fund.

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. The current version of SMART Girls was funded by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.

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. The Street SMART program is sponsored by THE ALLSTATE FOUNDATION.

Act SMART: Developed as a joint project between Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the American Red Cross, Act SMART is an HIV/AIDS prevention program designed for Club members ages 6-17. The program is presented in small groups and can be offered year-round.

Quick SMART!: This prevention program provides teens ages 13-18 with the skills to refuse steroids, tobacco, alcohol and other drugs and premature sexual involvement. Quick SMART! also teaches teens how to avoid becoming infected with HIV, the AIDS virus. Originally designed for participants of RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) with the support of Major League Baseball, Quick SMART! is geared to teens who are interested in athletics, with activities that Club staff and coaches can easily conduct in the gym, locker room or playing field.

4. The 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.

Fine Arts Exhibit Program: This year-round program encourages artistic expression among Club members aged 6-18 through drawing, painting, print making, collage, mixed media and sculpture displayed at local and regional exhibits. A panel of distinguished judges selects works for inclusion in the National Fine Arts Exhibit, which debuts at Boys & Girls Clubs of America's National Conference and is displayed throughout the ensuing year. The Fine Arts Exhibit Program is sponsored by L'Oreal.

ImageMakers: National Photography Program and Contest This year-round program and annual contest, both sponsored by Circuit City Foundation, encourage girls and boys ages 6-18 to learn and practice black and white, color and digital process photography. The ImageMakers National Photography Contest provides local, regional and national recognition. Select photographs are exhibited at Boys & Girls Clubs of America's National Conference, National Education Summit and Youth Development Conferences.

5. 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.

The Nike Daily Challenges: provide fun and fitness benefits for Club members ages 6-18 throughout the year. In the Michael Jordan Invent-A-Sport Challenge, members create their own game or sport, demonstrate it and play with peers in the gym. The Ken Griffey, Jr. Homerun Challenge builds members' basic motor skills through throwing, catching and running games. In the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Challenge, members improve their athletic abilities and fitness levels through circuit training. The Jump Rope Challenge improves strength, skills and endurance as participants have fun "jumping against the clock." In the Dawn Staley Basketball Challenge, members practice their dribbling, assisting and shooting skills. The Walk/Run Challenge assists Clubs in starting a walking or running program.

Nike Swoosh Clubs: These are teen leadership groups that promote physical fitness, sports and potential athletics-related careers. Male and female members ages 13 and older meet regularly to learn about sports and fitness and serve as volunteers in their Clubs' athletic programs.

The Nike Sports Leadership Camps: These are annual, fun-filled athletic skills and leadership development events held regionally on college campuses for Nike Swoosh Club members ages 13-18 and their chaperones. Swoosh Club members become eligible to attend after completing 25 hours of service in their Boys & Girls Clubs. Each three-day camp provides opportunities to learn and play new sports, meet Nike athletes, explore sports careers and receive tips about pursuing a college education.

Girls Sports: If a girl does not participate in sports by age 10, she has less than a 10 percent chance of participating by the time she is 25. Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Nike have developed this grant program to assist and guide Clubs in making their sports and fitness programs more equitable for girls. Girls need sports and fitness activities that give them equal respect, dignity and attention.

The Jackie Joyner-Kersee Volunteer Award honors volunteers who contribute their time, resources and enthusiasm to support girls sports in Boys & Girls Clubs. Club alumnus and Olympic Champion Jackie Joyner-Kersee is well known for her stellar athletic achievements and her contributions to her community.

Nike University: is a comprehensive training program for Club athletic and sports directors and their volunteer coaches. Nike 101 provides Club professionals with skills, information and program ideas to conduct diverse, high-quality physical education and sports programs in their Clubs. Nike 202 is a train-the-trainer course that prepares Club staff to train their volunteer coaches. Nike 303 provides information, strategies and resources to enhance Club sports and fitness programs for girls.

The Golf Club: This manual provides step-by-step guidance for organizing and conducting a junior golf program in a Boys & Girls Club. The resource guide includes practical tips and information on recruiting and teaching Club members ages 6-18 golf skills and etiquette; acquiring funding, equipment, access to facilities and volunteers; and working with other organizations.

Fitness Authority: B&GCA created FITNESS AUTHORITY to reverse the increasing rate of obesity and lack of regular physical activity among America's children and teens. The program, supported by The Sports Authority, Inc., will help motivate even unfit Club members to set personal fitness goals and increase their activity levels. Three age-appropriate curricula guide Club staff in creating positive fitness experiences for members. Members can explore skateboarding, jumping rope, cycling, hiking, dance and aerobics in special interest groups. Finally, the program includes Club, regional and national fitness competitions with a high-tech component - scores are entered, tabulated and reported via a dedicated FITNESS AUTHORITY.

The National Decathlon: Boys & Girls Clubs of America and The Sports Authority are preparing to launch the second annual FITNESS AUTHORITY pentathlon.

Specialized Initiatives

These initiatives or programs focus on meeting significant, specific needs that have been identified within the Boys & Girls Club Movement. Because their scope is broad, they relate to or complement several or all of the five Core Program Areas.

TEENSupreme: The comprehensive TEENSupreme initiative, a strategic partnership between the Taco Bell Foundation and Boys & Girls Clubs of America, challenges and equips Clubs with the tools and resources to create a positive place for teens as well as for kids. Through the TEENSupreme Center program, Clubs can apply for grants to create exclusive space for teens with dedicated staff, teen-oriented programming, special hours and a unique identity. The program also offers technical assistance and teen programming information and resources to all Clubs interested in better serving teens in their communities. The two-day TEENSupreme Academy trains Club professionals to implement effective, state-of-the-art strategies and programs for recruiting, engaging, empowering and retaining teens.

Gang Prevention/Intervention Targeted Outreach: This community-based program provides training, materials and technical assistance to Clubs and their community partners to keep young people ages 6-18 from becoming involved in gangs. The program's intervention component helps youth who are already involved with gangs to leave that lifestyle. The program uses community mobilization, recruitment strategies, effective programming and case management tools to direct young people to positive alternatives. Gang Prevention/Intervention through Targeted Outreach is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP).

Family Support Program: Family support services, activities, programs and events are designed to promote the well-being and healthy development of Club members by enhancing and reinforcing family stability, cohesion and connection. Examples include family fun nights, parenting classes, referral to community services, job skills training programs and single-parent support groups. A program manual, training and technical assistance are available for Clubs interested in implementing or enhancing their Family Support Program.

This program is funded by The Annie E. Casey Foundation. The Annie E. Casey Foundation Award is bestowed annually on five Boys & Girls Club organizations which have been determined to be the most effective in collaborative family support initiatives. The $10,000 award is presented to one Club organization in each of Boys & Girls Clubs of America's five regions.

A World of Difference Diversity Program: Boys & Girls Clubs of America has joined forces with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) to teach young people and youth development professionals to promote diversity and combat prejudice, bigotry and discrimination. Developed with support from Joel E. Smilow, B&GCA governor and retired chairman and CEO of Playtex Products, the diversity initiative is based on ADL's A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE program. The initiative features three crucial components. In staff training, Club professionals examine their own biases and learn how to help young people develop a greater awareness of and respect for others. A Youth Service Activity Guide provides activities to foster a greater appreciation for diversity among Club members ages 6-12. Peer training prepares teens to teach their fellow Club members and others about dealing with diversity and discrimination.

Crisis Response: Responding to Intolerance: Now more than ever, it is critically important for our Boys & Girls Club Movement to take a stand against prejudice and discrimination in our nation and actively promote respect for people of all cultures, religions and ethnic groups. Inspired by events following the September 11 tragedies, Crisis Response offers a full package of activity ideas and resources for dealing with every aspect of current national events.