2019 Mid-Year Report

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-
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