Graduated from High School, but Also Secured Financial Aid Awards to Help Cover College Tuition Costs
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It’s been saId tough tImes don’t last, but tough people do … How true this bit of wisdom is. At the Boys We don’t know with certainty how long these & Girls Club of Green Bay, much of 2010 economic conditions will last. But, we do was spent with this very thought in mind, know this: through the generosity of people bolstering ourselves in the midst of another like you, friends and neighbors who refuse to year of great financial challenges. let Green Bay’s kids slip through the cracks, we’ll see them through. Yet even greater was our commitment to keeping promises made to the young people Tough times don’t last. Tough people do. who come through our doors. Looking for a Indeed. Thank you. better way of life. Hoping their potential can be reached. Eager to become a valued contributor to the community in which they live. Though resources were often stretched, we “toughened up” and forged ahead. We expanded our program offerings and relied on our creativity to do more with less. And to many, if not all of our members, the Club made a critical difference in one of the most critical times we’ve seen since our founding. 1 2 LETTER FRom the pResIdent and Ceo Our chosen ‘Critical Times’ theme for 2010 probably seems very simple — and on one level it is — given what is happening around the country and in our community with poverty and unemployment. However, this two-word reference means a lot more in Club-speak, because it makes for a larger and even more powerful commitment on our part to those who need us most in this area. Boiled down to operational terms, our ‘Critical Times’ effort means we expanded Club hours to better serve kids and families, especially in situations that might otherwise present a real challenge. For example, on a school early release day we opened right after the last bell, so kids had a safe place to go, and employed adults didn’t have to face the choice of an unattended child or leaving work. We were available more around traditional holidays for this same reason. Also, we provided even more bus transportation, so proximity did not necessarily dictate access to our facilities, programs and people. Some may see the ‘Critical Times’ phrase philosophically, as a description of the world more Find us on Facebook. and more of our kids live in; unfortunately that would be accurate as well. Despite many Join the Boys & Girls Club of Green Bay fan page! quality of life trends for school age youth going in a negative direction these days, we know facebook.com/BGCGB members who attend frequently (52 times or more a year) are more likely to succeed than their peers, so at least there is a reason for cautious optimism. The Club works! Follow us on twitter. Find out what’s unfolding at twitter.com/bgcgb, or @bgcgb Thanks for your support…every dollar makes a difference! Join the conversation at Respectfully, the boys & girls Club of green bay blog. greatkidsgb.wordpress.com Scott Wochos, Board President John Benberg, Executive Director get the latest news when you subscribe to our online newsletter. You will receive regular updates about our outstanding kids, special events and the importance of Clubs. Sign up and stay in touch at bgcgb.org. 3 4 pRogRam hIghlIGHTS and aWaRds For the eighth year in a row, the Boys & Girls Club youth who participated in 2010 STEM Club programming were teens 2 WoRK CLUB membeR impacted in the following ways: Club of Green Bay has received a National With a total of 135 Club teens successfully completing all requirements of SPOTLIGHTS 96% said that technology is fun. this career development program, Teens 2 Work (T2W) continued to gain Honor and/or Merit Award from the Boys & momentum in 2010. As part of the program, each T2W participant held 29% increase from baseline. a paid Junior Staff position in the Club to gain valuable work experience. In the fall of 2010, two Club seniors, Girls Clubs of America. For calendar year 2010 After graduating from the T2W program, 55 teens secured external 89% said that engineering is fun. our organization earned the Honor Award employment in community settings. Courtney Denham and Sidney Ly, 37% increase from baseline. in the Character & Leadership Development enrolled in the Dream To Achieve 74% plan to go to college to take College 101 category for our Enviro-Team program. College 101 launched in 2010, and provides college access experiences and Scholarship Program, receiving stem coursework. postsecondary preparation for Club teens. As part of the initiative, staff 55% increase from baseline. individualized support in completing Each year, more than 4,000 Boys & Girls Clubs across the country promote an expectation of academic success for all members, displaying compete for 19 National Honor and Merit Awards. With a total of 16 their college diplomas on the Club’s walls and wearing the t-shirt of their the college admissions process and 67% are interested in working in a stem career. Awards to date, Green Bay has become the most recognized local Club alma mater. They also designate Power Hour homework help homerooms 52% increase from baseline. applying for financial aid. in the nation for program excellence. for each age group, rewarding participation with monthly prize drawings and a college campus tour. With a little help from caring staff and community Enviro-Team was launched by a group of concerned kids through a STEM Club activities promote critical thinking and problem solving volunteers, Sidney and Courtney demonstrated Club-wide paper recycling initiative. Since the start of the program, more among Club members, develop strong applied skills and highlight perseverance in the face of challenging circumstances. The than 3,000 pounds of paper has been recycled, saving more than 25 trees. real life applications of STEM concepts and careers. pRIoRItY outComes pair not only graduated from high school, but also secured financial aid awards to help cover college tuition costs. As of this writing, Enviro-Team has expanded to engage 90 Club aCademIC suCCess members in additional service-learning initiatives, including Arbor pRogRam hIghlIGHTS As a teenage mom, Courtney dedicated herself to earning Day tree-planting events, summer gardening programs, a geocaching 94% of Club members in middle and high school her Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) license while still club, neighborhood light bulb exchanges and more. be gREAT: gRADUATE pRogRam gRantee plan to go to college. attending Green Bay West High School. At the Club, she and eVALUATIon sIte actively participated in Keystone Club and Teens 2 Work. This comprehensive graduation strategy is based on the University of two deserving Club seniors won dream to achieve Through the Dream To Achieve Scholarship Program, WIsConsIn aRea CounCIl’s Minnesota’s evidence-based model, Check and Connect throughout scholarships totaling $35,000 from scholarships, Inc. Courtney won a $10,000 award from Scholarships, Inc. 2010 aWaRd FoR OUTSTANDIng the state. Through BE GREAT: Graduate, the Boys & Girls Club of and is enrolling at NWTC to start working toward her Green Bay pairs more than 50 middle school Club members with nursing degree in spring of 2012. pRogRam Graduation Coaches to help them successfully transition to high HEALTHY lIFestYles school and stay on course to reach graduation. a total of 46,353 nutritious meals were served at Like Courtney, Sidney is also a 2011 West High School graduate. He overcame personal challenges during his The Wisconsin Area Council representing Boys & Girls Clubs the Club to feed a daily average of 236 hungry throughout the state selected the Boys & Girls Club of Green Bay’s In addition, the Boys & Girls Club of Green Bay is one of five Clubs senior year to graduate on time and remained active at STEM Club for Outstanding Program of 2010. selected to serve as BE GREAT: Graduate Evaluation Sites during a Club members in 2010. the Club in programs such as Teens 2 Work and three-year study conducted by Johns Hopkins University. Titletown Table Tennis Club. Sidney also received a STEM Club (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) is 86% of smaRt moves participants increased their $10,000 Dream To Achieve Scholarship, and is currently enrolled at NWTC. designed to teach the basics of evidence-based curricula and focuses sChool-based pRogRam suCCesses resiliency to negative influences. on highly interactive, hands-on learning experiences. In 2010, 92% of Club members who regularly attended After School Programs at five school-based elementary sites maintained or increased Club members engage in high-yield activities that improve their good ChaRaCteR & CItIZenshIp their report card grades in math, and 81% maintained or increased attitudes about learning in these disciplines, and increase their interest report card grades in reading. Teacher surveys showed that 89% or in coursework and careers in related fields. 85% of Club members in middle and high school more improved or maintained school day behaviors such as homework participated in community service projects. completion, participation in class, and getting along with peers. sports leadership Club teens logged a total of 2,066 volunteer hours conducting service projects that benefited their Club and community. 5 6 be gREAT: gRADUATE BE GREAT: Graduate (BGG) is a school Participating BGG students experienced several positive outcomes during our first year of implementation, with the most recent engagement initiative launched by Boys & improvements involving the following: Girls Club of America to help pre-teen Club 40% of participants increased their school members bridge the difficult gap between engagement post-survey scores from middle school and high school and prevent baseline scores collected when they joined them from dropping out during their high bgg.