Character & Leadership
Character & Leadership
COMMUNITY SERVICE
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
PEER MENTORING
KEYSTONE CLUB
TORCH CLUB
MEMBERS OF THE MONTH
YOUTH OF THE YEAR
MEMBER CODE OF CONDUCT
SPECIALTY ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS
Our program offerings in
Character & Leadership
development are designed to
help our members acquire the skills and knowledge to make a difference in their communities and create brighter futures for themselves in the process. These programs help members foster a positive sense of self, develop new ways of communicating their perspectives, increase their capacity to understand the ideas and feelings of others, and explore societal and personal values in a safe environment.
High standards of conduct, personal responsibility, and commitments to others are encouraged and recognized through our
Member of the Month
and
Youth of the
Year programs. Each month, one member from our 5-12 year old cohort and one members from our 13-18 year old cohort is selected as a Member of the Month,
an honor earned by demonstrating true leadership and outstanding character.
Our annual Youth of the Year competition is aligned with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America National Youth of the Year program, which honors the extraordinary achievements of teenage Club members.
Through service learning programs like
Torch Club
(ages 11-13) and
Keystone Club
(ages 14-18) our youth are empowered to support and influence their Club, sustain meaningful relationships with their peers, act as role models for younger members, and make a positive impact on their community. Our caring staff provides mentorship that helps kids to develop a positive self-image and learn to respect their own and others’ cultural identities.
Positive Social-Emotional Development is one of our most important goals for our members. Social-emotional development improves youth's readiness to learn, self-confidence, behavior, academic performance, and overall personal development. Socially and emotionally competent youth are better prepared to navigate the world around them and are more likely to succeed in school, at the Club, and in life.
Passport to Manhood
engages adolescent boys in discussions and activities that reinforce character, leadership, and positive behavior as they make the transition from childhood to manhood.
SMART Girls helps adolescent girls explore their 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.
Buddy Chats are small-group mentoring activities that provides a platform for our members to open up to staff and to each other. Every Friday afternoon, youth are divided by grade level and groups are given their own space to discuss relevant, potentially difficult topics such as bullying or mental health. They discuss resources and techniques to help them face these kinds of issues, and talk about what they can do to prevent negative situations for themselves and their peers.
