Project Learn
Project Learn reinforces and enhances the skills and knowledge young people learn at school through “high-yield” learning activities at the Club and in the home. Based on Dr. Reginald Clark’s research that shows fun, but academically beneficial activities increase academic performance, these activities include leisure reading, writing activities, homework help and games like Scrabble® which develop youth’s cognitive skills. Project Learn emphasizes collaborations between Club staff, parents and school personnel. Formally evaluated by Columbia University, Project Learn has been proven to boost the academic performance of Club members.
Power Hour: Making Minutes Count
A comprehensive homework help and tutoring program, POWER HOUR is designed to raise the academic proficiency of Club members ages 6–12.
Skill Tech: Basic Training
Skill Tech is a hands-on program that appeals to members of all ages and technical abilities. Through three levels of animated lessons (available in English or Spanish exclusively online at http://www.bgcayouthnet.org), members learn skills in various Microsoft software programs, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Publisher and Digital Image Pro.
Skill Tech II
Skill Tech II teaches advanced, yet practical technology skills to Club members. It features three eight-session modules (available in English or Spanish exclusively online) for beginner, intermediate and advanced skill levels. Participants learn about hardware identification and installation, networking and technology-related careers.
Money Matters: Make It Count
Created with the Charles Schwab Foundation, this financial literacy program is designed specifically to help teens (ages 13–18) expand their knowledge of money management and learn the skills that lead to financial independence and well-being. The Money Matters: Make It Count program consists of five components: Teen Personal Finance Guide, Program Facilitator’s Guide, Money Matters Web site, Schwab Employee Volunteer Program and the Money Matters Awards. Through the volunteer component, Charles Schwab Foundation employees can pass financial expertise to Club teens through their volunteer involvement.
Strategic Approach for Academic Success
The Boys & Girls Club of Lake County professionals are informal educators and strive to ensure that all Club youth, through their experiences at school and with the Club, are able to make good post-secondary education decisions. This vision identifies key objectives and strategies for working with members ages 6–12 and 13–18. BGCA helps local Clubs combat problems that contribute to low high school graduation rates by implementing localized activities and strategies with rigor, emphasizing more intentional integration of programs across core program areas and conducting and sharing findings of evaluation efforts.
Goals For Graduation
Goals for Graduation introduces Club members ages six to fifteen to the concept of academic goal setting. 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.
Be Great. Graduate.
BGCA has implemented the programmatic strategy Every Member, Every Year, designed so that all Clubs can partner with youth, parents, schools and other community stakeholders to implement at least one of three approaches: academic enrichment and school engagement, targeted dropout prevention, and intensive intervention and case management. Our aim is to ensure that all Club members graduate from high school on time, ready for a post-secondary education and a 21st-century career.
Junior Staff: Cultivating Tomorrow’s Club Professionals Today
The Junior Staff program assists Club members ages thirteen to eighteen to explore a career in youth or human services, particularly Boys & Girls Club work. Young people prepare for future roles as human services professionals by participating in career development activities, discovering the importance of community service, building customer service skills and completing a Club apprenticeship.
CareerLaunch
CareerLaunch™ is a career exploration and mentoring program for teens ages thirteen to eighteen. This program includes access to the CareerLaunch website that allows teens to take an interest survey, explore careers, identify training or college requirements, seek out financial aid and play skills-building games. There’s also an easy-to-use Career Exploration Quick Reference Guide with a broad range of career planning and job skills activities that Club staff or volunteers can use with teens. The CareerLaunch Portfolio contains a Teen Tips booklet with helpful interviewing and on-the-spot job tips.
