8 Mount Vernon Keystone Club members help out at the Kiwanis Salmon BBQ (top and bottom right). Skagit County Superior Court Judge Laura Riquelme with Teen members of the Sedro-Woolley Club for Career Launch (bottom left). Holly Shannon, of Carson Law Group and BGCS Board President, shares for Career Launch at the Sedro-Woolley Teen Center (middle right).
PROVIDING OPPORTUNITY: PROGRAMS FOCUS ON CAREER & LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE Boys & Girls Clubs are at the core of doing whatever it takes to provide our youth with opportunity. The Club is much more than just a place for youth to go to after school. Through our Clubs’ Mission and Formula for Impact, we are reaching the young people that need us most, providing them with an outcome-driven Club experience through regular attendance, high-yield activities, targeted programs, and our five key elements: safety, fun, supportive relationships, opportunity, & recognition. This allows youth ultimately to reach our priority outcomes of Academic Success, Healthy Lifestyles, and Good Character & Citizenship. When it comes to career-readiness and helping youth to not only dream big, but to realize their dreams of a great future, it takes all of these components to reach success. The training showed. “When I arrived at the Club, I was greeted immediately by a friendly Club member who offered his hand, smiled and looked me in the eye, ‘Hi, I’m Devin, welcome to the Club.’” TEEN CAREER PREP The Teen Career Prep program offers a stepping stone for youth to begin in the workforce. A common conundrum, one needs experience to get a job, but one needs a job to get experience. Patrick Dougher, Teen Coordinator at the Sedro-Woolley Club expects Club members to treat the experience like a real job. Patrick preps them for success with fun games like “Mad Lib Resumes,” and a “How to Properly Offer a Hand-Shake” session. The training showed. “When I arrived at the Club, I was greeted immediately by a friendly Club member who offered his hand, smiled and looked me in the eye, ‘Hi, I’m Devin, welcome to the Club,’” said Tammy Findlay, Director of Marketing and Stewardship, on a recent visit to the Teen Center. An application must be filled out before the deadline, and each selected applicant is interviewed for the position. Patrick recently had 8 teens apply for this summer. Each volunteer job shadows a Club staff member and will help with meal preparation, STEM programs, outside games, and field trips. It’s a great opportunity for the teen volunteers because they get to attend during the summer, and gain experience that will help their resume and college applications. KEYSTONE CLUB: A CLUB WITHIN THE CLUB Our Club youth love to take charge. Part of the appeal of Clubs is that youth get to decide what they’d like to do. When they come to the Club, there are a variety of activities to choose from. Additionally, Clubs provide them with an opportunity to have a voice and lead. Keystone Club is designed to provide leadership development opportunities for our teen members. Youth participate in activities in three focus areas: academic success, career preparation, and community service. They elect their own officers and come up with goals to better their community. With the guidance of an adult advisor, Keystone Clubs aim to have a positive impact on members, the Club, and community. The Mount Vernon Keystone Club members completed a toy drive last December to benefit the Skagit Valley Herald Christmas Fund. They are currently voting on their next fundraising benefit. One of the ways they raise their own funds is through their Snack Shack, where they bake goods, using the Club’s kitchen, to then sell to the community. Sedro-Woolley Keystone members were already discussing plans for fall fund- continued on page... 11 9
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