A Teen Center initiative at the Boys & Girls Club of the Heartland was named the Missouri Alliance Program of the Year last week at the annual statewide conference in Joplin, Missouri.
Each year all 14 Boys & Girls Clubs throughout the state gather for the Annual Meeting of the Missouri Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs. It’s two and a half days of jam-packed training for both staff and board members.
What started three years ago as an idea for something fun to do in the Summer Camp Learning Program, morphed into a Club wide effort at all four of the Poplar Bluff Elementary schools and the Kindergarten Center.
In the Reading Buddies program, BGCH teens read a book to a group of younger members and lead an activity based on the book that was just read. Reading Buddies not only helps teens by mentoring younger members but also allows them to create activities, games, and crafts that drive home the story. Teens gain confidence to reach their dreams of becoming an educator in the future while fulfilling their responsibility as productive, caring, and responsible citizens.
The Teen Center Administrative staff has encouraged members to take 100% responsibility for developing and implementing the Reading Buddies program. The teens choose the books being read and help plan the activities. The program continues to grow as the teens and younger members look forward to participating every month. Reading Buddies have fostered many relationships as teens become mentors to younger members while also discovering a sense of self-worth.
The award marks the seventh time in the past 10 years the Club has been recognized for excellence and back-to-back conference wins for Program of the Year, both designed specially at raising teen center attendance. Teen Center after-school attendance has more than tripled in recent years forcing the Club to find larger spaces and ultimately a partnership with the First United Methodist Church. If you would like to find more information about Boys & Girls Clubs of the Heartland visit our webpage at bgcpb.org, where GREAT FUTURES START HERE.
Terri McCorrmick is Chief Financial Officer of Boys and Girls Club of the Heartland.