#BLESSED to have BGCA superstar Kevina Fullwood back for the second week in a row!!!!! We’ll be highlighting tween and teen initiatives here on the ClubX Blog as part of Total Teen Takeover, BGCA’s multi-year strategy to support your work in Clubs.
Graduation marks a significant milestone in the lives of young people, signifying not just academic achievement but also the beginning of a new chapter. As youth development professionals at local Boys & Girls Clubs, it’s our privilege and responsibility to ensure that our graduates are celebrated and supported as they embark on their next journey, whether it’s transitioning from middle to high school or stepping into the world beyond high school. Read on four impactful ways to honor and celebrate your graduates at your Club.
Organize Organization-wide Activities
Make the graduation celebration a community-wide initiative within your organization. By rallying support from across your Club, you can pool resources and engage more funders, ensuring that every graduate receives the recognition they deserve. This goes for not just high school grads, but for transitions between elementary, middle, and high school. Consider organizing activities like a scavenger hunt spanning multiple Club sites, utilizing platforms like Band or GooseChase to foster teamwork and excitement. Offer incentives such as college essentials or tech gadgets to motivate participation. Additionally, hosting a graduation party with activities like decorating graduation caps can create lasting memories for your seniors.
Offer Scholarships for High School Graduates
Post-secondary education can be financially daunting for many young people. Offering scholarships, regardless of the amount, can make a significant impact on a graduate’s ability to pursue higher education. Whether it’s through video submissions, essays, or project-based applications, provide opportunities for your teens to showcase their talents and accomplishments. Approach potential funders with your scholarship proposal, emphasizing the importance of investing in the educational aspirations of your Club members. Every dollar counts towards empowering our graduates to reach their full potential. Don’t forget Youth of the Year, but that also shouldn’t be your only scholarship opportunity. Even if you aren’t able to get a large amount, covering the cost of books for Freshman year for example makes a BIG difference.
Present Thoughtful Graduation Gifts
Make the moment of graduation unforgettable by presenting each graduate with a personalized gift that reflects their Club experience. Consider items such as a Club yearbook, Boys & Girls Club branded graduation stoles or cords (check with your local schools to make sure these are allowed), or other meaningful tokens of appreciation. Celebrate and showcase your graduates on social media platforms and newsletters, ensuring that their achievements are recognized and celebrated by the broader community. Encourage participation from different age groups within your Club to decorate program doors or bulletin boards, spreading joy and inspiration. This is another tip that works for middle school graduations as well.
Host a Trunk Party to Collect Supplies for High School Grads
Outfitting a dorm room or new apartment is EXPENSIVE, and college scholarships don’t often cover these costs. Consider hosting a trunk party—a tradition historically significant in African American communities—to provide practical support and celebration for your graduates. Invite community members and partners to contribute essential items such as bedding, toiletries, and school supplies to fill the graduates’ trunks. Launch a digital campaign, “Fill a Graduate’s Trunk,” to mobilize support and raise awareness about the needs of graduating seniors. Engage local businesses and organizations to sponsor specific items based on their expertise or resources, fostering a sense of community solidarity and support.
As Club professionals, it is our shared purpose to create an environment that celebrates and nurtures the potential of our young people. Whether through organizing engaging activities, offering scholarships, presenting thoughtful gifts, or hosting community-driven initiatives like trunk parties, let’s seize every opportunity to recognize and support the accomplishments of our graduating seniors. Together, we can empower the next generation to thrive and succeed in their future endeavors.
Learn more about supporting high schoolers in this ClubX Blog post:
How do you support teens as they make decisions about their next steps? What are your favorite College prep or Workforce programs? We want to know! Comment below, on the BGCA Youth Development Facebook page, or email ClubXBlog@bgca.org.
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