At Boys & Girls Clubs of America, we offer many Targeted Programs to support our three Priority Outcome Areas of Academic Success, Good Character and Citizenship, and Healthy Lifestyles. Programs like Summer Brain Gain, Keystone, and Triple Play. One of my personal favorites? UPS Road Code!
If you aren’t familiar, UPS Rode Code is BGCA’s teen safe driving program, developed alongside The UPS Foundation. It focuses on core safety principles all teens need to know, from basic instruction to the consequences of risky behavior such as talking on cell phones, texting, or drinking while driving. One really cool thing about the program is that it is based on the same safety standards and training that UPS uses with its own delivery drivers! Actual professionals sharing their experience with our teens. Mind blown.
One of the best parts about UPS Road Coad are the UPS Road Code Ambassadors. At our grant-funded sites, teens who graduate the program can apply to become Ambassadors in their communities, promoting both the program itself and teen safe driving generally. It is a great leadership experience, and we’ve seen some incredible creativity in how they spread their message. Here on the ClubX Blog and over on the BGCA Youth Development Facebook page, we are going to start highlighting these teens and the work they are doing. We hope they inspire you not only to run UPS Rode Code at your Club, but to provide opportunities for your teens to take ownership of programs and lead others.
Genesis G. from Boys & Girls Clubs of Manchester
At Genesis’ Club, she got to not only educate her peers about driving safety, she got to have FUN! With 10 Club members, she lead a Road Code session with Club staff that was later followed up by conducting focus groups for driver safety. With Genesis’s leadership, she continued to advocate for driver’s safety and also came up with some cool & fun ways to incorporate safety by incorporating challenges like creating songs and dances, create a game that teens would like & adapt to and The Seat Belt Challenge.
Myranda R. from Boys & Girls Clubs of Boone County
Myranda took Road Code outside of the Club to help recruit teens! She recorded a video clip to promote the program and extended the invite for a special class offered at the local library. Myranda wrote and shot the video with a friend. As a result of her leadership, more teens begin to sign up and participate in sessions. She has seen a boost in her confidence knowing the impact she had with helping others and her community reach more than 20 teens. Check out her recruitment video!
Ruben P. from Union League Boys & Girls Clubs
Ruben has a high passion for social activism and is a part of various leadership programs within his Club, where he developed this passion and learned about public speaking. For his activation he showcased his leadership by hosting a workshop for younger kids on how they can be safe passengers when their parents are behind the wheel, creating a hashtag teens can use to tag photos and videos of themselves being safe before driving, and continuing to involve other teens in the program by advocating at the Club and school events. Ruben is now a university student and hopes to continue social engagement for his community around UPS Road Code.
Jay W. at Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Alabama
Jay’s membership at the Tom Green Unit has made a huge impact not only to his Club but also to the personal passions he has committed to achieving. He saw the need for implementing a program that would be useful for teens. Jay began to research the UPS Road Code program and advocate to his Club staff the importance to run it inside the Club. His leadership extended to also facilitating other programs such as Healthy Habits, Passport to Manhood, and he served as president in both Keystone and Torch Club. His experience in tackling hard things while part of the Club inspired Jay to complete a dual enrollment program, and he has completed an Associate’s Degree in Computer Science at age 17! His plan for the future is to become an officer in the Air Force.
Take the UPS Road Code Challenge to test your knowledge on road safety at BGCA.org. Boys & Girls Club staff who are interested in running the program at their local Club can learn more at BGCA.net.
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