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.

Keystone
 

Keystoning is the Boys & Girls Club Movement’s most dynamic teen program. Keystone Clubs are chartered leadership and service clubs for boys and girls ages 14 to 18. Keystoners elect officers and implement activities in six areas: service to Club and community, character and leadership development, education and career exploration, unity, free enterprise and social recreation. Keystone Club members and their advisors can be nominated to steering committees that organize regional and national Keystone Conferences attended by thousands of Keystoners each year. Keystone Club Awards are bestowed annually on Keystone Clubs that implement programs and activities that best promote Keystoning principles. Each year, Keystoners develop a National Keystone Project. The combined action of hundreds of local Keystone Clubs results in a service project with a national scope.

Lil’ Angels
 

A self-esteem program for girls ages 5-10. Members participate in community awareness activities and volunteerism. They help guide others in a positive manner.

Lil’ Rascals Conquer the World
 

A self-esteem program for boys of all ages. Members conduct special activities for young men to help them make positive choices in the future on education, career, drug use and gang involvement.

Member of the Month
 

This recognition program is open to boys and girls of all ages. The qualities that stand out about these special members are service and helpfulness to staff and club members, pride and ownership of his/her Club, enthusiasm and participation in daily activities and events, and a positive attitude and respect for himself/herself, the Club and others.

Torch Club
 

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

Youth of the Year
 

Established in 1947, Youth of the Year is BGCA’s premier youth recognition program for Club members, promoting service to Club, community and family; academic performance; moral character; life goals; and poise and public speaking ability. The program is most effective when used as a year-round tool for fostering young people’s character, personal growth and leadership qualities. Local Clubs recognize members ages 14 to 18 as Youths of the Month and select a Youth of the Year, who then participates in state competition. State winners each receive a $1,000 scholarship and participate in regional competitions. Five regional winners each receive a $10,000 scholarship and compete on the national level. The National Youth of the Year receives an additional $15,000 scholarship and is installed by the President of the United States.

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.

CareerLaunch
 

CareerLaunch encourages Club members ages 13 to 18 to assess their skills and interests, explore careers, make sound educational decisions and prepare to join our nation’s work force. Club staff or volunteers 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. The easy-to-read, pocket-sized CareerLaunch Teen Tips is full of practical job-hunting advice for young people. The CareerLaunch Web site provides Club teens, staff and volunteers with online career exploration, college and job search information and interactive activities. Mentoring, job shadowing and training opportunities round out the program.

Club Tech
 

Club Tech is an ambitious, multi-year initiative to provide all Boys & Girls Clubs with state-of-the-art software; a comprehensive array of programs to help Club professionals build members’ computer skills and integrate technology in all core program areas; and extensive, ongoing training for Club professionals. Club Tech helps Clubs incorporate technology in every aspect of their operation. Most importantly, young people develop the technology skills necessary to succeed in school and the job market. Club Tech resources and programs are available through YNet, BGCA’s Web site for teens. Younger members can stay busy with fun, educational activities at YNet Kids Town.

Decathlon
 

The ten-event academic program strives to foster a greater respect for knowledge, to promote wholesome inter-Club academic competition, and to further develop student communication skills.

Goals For Graduation
 

Goals for Graduation introduces academic goal setting to Club members ages 6 to 18 by linking their future aspirations with concrete actions today. Members create an action plan with daily and weekly goals leading to shortand long-term academic gains. This program is part of a comprehensive academic strategy that will help retain members in the Club through their high school years, encourage high school graduation and enable them to make good post-secondary choices.

Junior Staff
 

Junior Staff is a practical, user-friendly, small-group program that assists Club members ages 13 to 18 in exploring 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. Clubs that implement this program make an investment in the development of Club members’ interpersonal skills, work ethic and sense of community responsibility.

Money Matters
 

Money Matters promotes financial responsibility and independence among Club members ages 13 to 18. Participants learn how to manage a checking account, budget, save and invest, start small businesses and pay for college. The Facilitator’s Guide provides Club staff and volunteers with basic financial information and instructions for easy-toimplement small-group activities. The fun, attractive Teen Personal Finance Guide contains practical tips and activities to help teens learn to balance a checkbook, create a budget and save and invest for college and retirement. The Money Matters Web site helps teens build their money management skills through interactive activities, games and tools like a savings and financial aid calculator to plan for college.

Power Hour
 

Power Hour: Making Minutes Count provides Club professionals with strategies, activities, resources and information to create an engaging homework help and tutoring program that encourages Club members ages 6 to 12 and 13 to 18 to become self-directed learners. The Power Hour materials provide practical tips and Club best practices for recognition and incentives, behavior management, volunteer recruitment and training, collaboration with other organizations and use of technology and the Internet.

Spelling Bee
 

The purpose of the Spelling Bee is to help students improve their spelling, increase their vocabularies, learn concepts, and develop correct English usage that will help them all their lives.

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.

Culinary Arts
 

Open to Club members of all ages. Classes are diverse in baking and cooking. They include nutrition, measurements and literacy based themes that go hand-in-hand with the members learning how to cook in a real working kitchen.

Garden Projects
 

How does our garden grow? It grows by planning, planting, cultivating, and tender loving care. Our members reap the rewards as they see their seeds grow into wonderful vegetables, fruits, plants and flowers. Gardens are themed and named by our members, as they choose and design the garden of their choice.

Healthy Habits
 

Designed to incorporate healthy living and active learning in every part of the Club experience, Healthy Habits emphasizes good nutrition, regular physical activity and improving overall well-being. The program, for ages 6 to 15, is the “Mind” component of Triple Play: A Game Plan for the Mind, Body and Soul. 
 

Kinder Readiness
 

Specifically designed for members 5-6 years. This enrichment program provides members with creative age appropriate activities. Weekly experiences will include art, language, stories, music, finger plays, sports, social and cultural games.

Passport to Manhood
 

Passport to Manhood promotes and teaches responsibility in Club boys ages 11 to 14. Passport to Manhood consists of 14 sessions, each of which concentrates on a specific aspect of manhood through highly interactive activities. Each Club participant receives his own “passport” to underscore the notion that he is on a personal journey of maturation and growth. Passport to Manhood represents a targeted effort to engage young boys in discussions and activities that reinforce positive behavior. Passport to Manhood is an excellent complement to SMART Girls.

SMART Girls
 

SMART Girls is a small-group health, fitness, prevention/education and self-esteem enhancement program designed to meet the developmental needs of girls ages 8 to 12 and 13 to 17. Through dynamic sessions, highly participatory activities, field trips and mentoring opportunities with adult women, Club girls explore their own and societal attitudes and values as they build skills for eating right, staying physically fit, getting good health care and developing positive relationships with peers and adults.

SMART Moves
 

This nationally acclaimed comprehensive prevention program helps young people resist alcohol, tobacco and other drug use and premature sexual activity. SMART Moves features engaging, interactive, small-group activities that 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 are SMART Kids, for ages 6 to 9; Start SMART, for ages 10 to 12; Stay SMART, for ages 13 to 15; and SMART Parents. SMART Leaders, a peer leader/booster program for older teens, and F.A.N. Club (Family Advocacy Network), an educational and support group program for parents and caregivers of SMART Moves participants, are also available through a partnership between BGCA and Pennsylvania State University, which developed these two programs.

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.

 Digital Arts Suite & Festivals
 

Club Tech’s Digital Arts Suite teaches members ages 6 to 18 how to create computer-generated art. In each of five programs (Web Tech, Design Tech, Photo Tech, Music Tech and Movie Tech), members advance through three levels of animated lessons online and participate in instructor-led group activities. The online lessons can be delivered in English or Spanish. The courseware is available on YNet, BGCA’s Web site for teens, at www.bgcayouthnet.org. Once Club members have participated in these programs, they can submit their artwork to the annual Digital Arts Festivals, which run each year from September to May. The festivals recognize Club members’ creativity in Web design, graphic design, photo illustration, music composition and movie making/screenplay writing at local, regional and national levels.

Drama Matters
 

From acting to writing to producing, explore the many roles available in performing arts.  Got the acting bug? If so, the TNT DramaMatters program is a great way to explore the many occupations related to the performing arts. You’ll have the chance to learn about acting, playwriting, and other drama activities. Discover your strengths by trying out improvisation, creative writing and how to produce a dramatic performance. It’s a lot of fun and you don’t need any experience to give it a shot. Break a leg!

Garage Band
 

This program is designed to teach students the art on how to play a musical instrument that are typically in a rock band. Students will learn different keys and techniques on the instruments they choose to play. List of instruments to choose from: Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Electric Bass, Drums, Percussion (Congos, Bongos, and Djembe), Keyboard.

H.O.P.E.
 

Lights, Camera, Action! Hope & Opportunity through Performing & Entertaining will give you the opportunity to display your creativity through the performing arts. If you can sing, dance, act, write a script, paint a backdrop, sew a costume, or operate a camera this is the program for you. Club members 9 through 18 may participate and prepare to entertain family and friends at the end of the summer performance.

ImageMakers Photography
 

This year-round program encourages Club members ages 6 to 18 to learn and practice black-and-white, color, digital and alternative process photography. ImageMakers features a resource guide full of fun, creative activity ideas for three skill levels; a brief, user-friendly guide for advisors of smallgroup photography clubs; and an annual photography contest that provides local, regional and national recognition. Club members’ photographs selected at the contest’s national level are exhibited at the BGCA National Conference and other events. Winners in the portfolio category receive college scholarships. Each winning artist’s work is featured in a virtual gallery on the ImageMakers Web site. The site also features resources, tools and fun, interactive activities to enhance Club members’ experience with photography.

Music Makers
 

This year-round program, developed in collaboration with NAMM, the International Music Products Association, encourages Club members ages 6 to 18 to have fun exploring music making and learning to play drums and guitar. The resource guide has two components. The implementation guide provides tips for starting a MusicMakers program based on the Club’s available resources, including how to plan, fund and acquire equipment, staff and space. Inspirational case studies show how other Clubs have developed music programs. The facilitator’s guide provides step-by-step activities for drums and guitar in beginner, intermediate and advanced levels.

National Fine Arts Exhibit Program
 

This year-round program encourages artistic expression among Club members ages 6 to 18 through drawing, painting, printmaking, 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 is displayed throughout the year at BGCA events, including the National Conference. Each winning artist’s work is featured in a virtual gallery on BGCA’s Web site.

Talent Show

Sharpen your talent and debut on the big stage in front of family and friends! This program helps members put together acts and explore talents from acting to singing, musical instruments to dancing. Get your big break on the BGCGG stage!

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

Basketball

The basic fundamental skills needed to learn how to play basketball will be offered.

Cheerleading Basics

Go-o-o-o Team! Cheerleading Basics will get you ready to cheer your favorite teams this summer! Learn how to use your voice to project your chant, or get limber to perform a stunt or two. Also, have fun with your friends with a few dance routines to get your audience in the groove. Open to boys & girls of all ages.

Flag Football League

Improve and showcase your skills. Members will travel to our Stanford Unit for games. Learn fundamentals, practice drills, improve your speed and have fun playing games. Pee Wee Division: grades 1st -3rd. Varsity Division: grades 4th and up.

Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI)

RBI provides one-time seed grants and training to Clubs wishing to start or expand boys’ baseball and girls’ fast-pitch softball leagues for ages 13 to 15 and 16 to 18. RBI teams representing Club leagues are eligible to participate in sports clinics, five regional tournaments and a national championship tournament (the RBI World Series) conducted by Major League Baseball every summer.

Rookie League Baseball

This is a safer version of live-pitch baseball for players age 12 and younger. The program uses a pitching machine instead of a live pitcher, eliminating arm injuries among pitchers and reducing the number of players who are hit by errant pitches. Up to 60 Club sites are selected annually through an application process that starts in late fall. Selected sites receive a pitching machine, T-shirts and equipment valued at $5,000 for up to eight teams and $250 for incidental league expenses and expenses to attend a mandatory preseason training in early spring.

Soccer

This sport is offered to members ages 8 & up. This program helps to develop footwork and teamwork. Staff will focus on teaching the basic fundamentals of the sport and all of the rules of the game.

Tennis

Members will be introduced to the basic fundamental skills. Watch your child thrive playing this life long sport.

Volleyball

This activity will be offered twice a week throughout the summer. The focus will be the complete rules of volleyball, along with proper hitting, passing and teamwork.

Youth For Unity

Through a comprehensive set of interventions, the Youth for Unity strategy aims to promote and celebrate diversity and combat and prevent prejudice, bigotry and discrimination. Youth for Unity features age-appropriate programming for youth ages 6 to 12, teens and parents; training and resources for Club professionals; and a leadership awards program. The strategy builds the capacity of local Clubs to help their members appreciate themselves as unique and special individuals, understand diversity in society, recognize bias and unfairness and take personal leadership in confronting bias.