Integrating arts with positive self-identity, youth voice, social justice, and wellness makes for powerful creative expression.
Keeping Art Inclusive and Responsive
Exploring Creativity Through Arts Programming
The arts give youth new and unique ways of expressing. Learn about NEW resources and activities across art mediums in this new post.
The Magic Recipe for High-Quality Arts Programs
Learn the ingredients for a high-quality afterschool arts program from Boys & Girls Club of Green Bay.
Ideas for Women’s History Month
Activity and décor ideas you can use around the Club for Women's History Month
6 Emotional Wellness Practices You Can Use With Youth
Today's post is adapted from the Program Basics for COVID-19 resource. Emotional Safety and Wellness are always important, but provide unique challenges during this time. Emotional wellness relates to youth's ability to identify, communicate, and self-regulate their emotions. If youth do not feel emotionally safe, then they simply do not feel safe at all. Prioritizing... Continue Reading →
Club Story: Finding the Right Equation in Green Bay
It's National Arts in Education Week! Today's Club Story comes from Craig Knitt, Visual Arts Director at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Green Bay. I heard a statement early in my teaching career that has stuck with me. I heard it from more than one instructor so I knew it was true. They said:... Continue Reading →
5 Ways to Celebrate National Arts in Education Week
Next week is Arts in Education Week! It's time to CELEBRATE! National Arts in Education Week is an opportunity to celebrate and advocate for the Arts and to share the impact of Arts Education with our communities. During this week, the field of arts education joins together in communities across the country to tell the story... Continue Reading →
Helping Youth Develop Healthy Habits
Summer is a time for fresh fruits and yummy snacks. But just because summer is coming to a close doesn’t mean we can’t continue eating healthy throughout the year! In this post we’ll share a ton of great resources including our new Healthy Habits curriculum and an exclusive recipe for some delicious Unicorn Toast! Scroll... Continue Reading →
To the Moon and Back: Four Ways to Celebrate 50 Years of Exploration
50 years ago this July, Apollo 11 landed on the moon. BGCA STEM queen Susan is back on the ClubX Blog with four fun ways to mark the occasion. It’s 1962—long before many of you were born, President John F. Kennedy spoke at Rice University in Houston, Texas. He stunned the world with his declaration:... Continue Reading →
13 More DIY Summer Music Activities!
The Music & Youth Initiative, which partners with Clubs around the country to help start and maintain music programming, has released an updated FREE summer activity guide for 2019. For more information about Music & Youth Initiative and last year's activity guide, click HERE! School’s out for SUMMER! Through their partnerships with Boys & Girls Clubs across... Continue Reading →
Club Story: Celebrating Traditions in American Samoa
It'a Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month! In case you missed it, earlier this month we took a look at the history of this observance, ways you can celebrate at your Club, and we were introduced to LaCresha McManus and her journey within the Movement as a woman of Samoan heritage. Read that post here! LaCresha was... Continue Reading →
Introducing the BGCA 2019 National Youth Talent Performers!
Next week is BGCA's 113th National Conference! Club staff from across the world (shout-out to Youth Centers on military installations!) will be gathering together to celebrate our accomplishments, learn all about the newest initiatives, and network with one another. One of the absolute best parts of National Conference are the INCREDIBLE youth performers that wow... Continue Reading →
March 5th is National Arts Advocacy Day! 4 Ways for Youth to Advocate PLUS 3 Self-Portrait Project Ideas
Arts Advocacy Day is a day when Arts advocates from across the country meet with their Members of Congress to garner support for the Arts. This day is used as an opportunity to share how the Arts are impacting our lives and the lives of the young people we serve. While today is Arts Advocacy... Continue Reading →
Year End Self-Reflection Activity: With FREE Download
Edited in 12/2020 to add: As I read back on this post I wrote originally in 2018 and then updated in 2019, LOLOLOL. What a sweet innocent child I was, not knowing what 2020 had in store. I'm leaving the text untouched for posterity's sake, but the download is updated with the year 2020. Good... Continue Reading →
10 Cool Holiday Gifts to Make in the Art Room
Today's link roundup comes from Rebecca Brown, Director of Arts Programs at BGCA. You'll be seeing her on the ClubX Blog often! It’s that time of year again, time to give thanks for our family and friends, and to show those we care about our appreciation and gratitude. Oh and also . . . presents!... Continue Reading →
Incentivizing Skill Building in Boston: With FREE “Karate Belt” Reward System Download!
Through my friendship with the Music & Youth Initiative, I learned about an incredible skill-building incentive system developed by Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston staff member Anders Olson. Read on to learn more about how he uses guitar picks to encourage youth and get a FREE download of his plan! We always start with... Continue Reading →
October 22 is National Color Day! Our Most Colorful Activity Roundup Yet
We are all about the random fun celebrations here on the ClubX Blog, so when I saw National Color Day on the list, I couldn't resist. I reached out to Rebecca Brown, Director of Arts Programs here at BGCA, and we made a list of some of our favorite colorful activities that you can use... Continue Reading →
Club Story: Making Music in Metro Atlanta
At Boys & Girls Clubs, one of our greatest strengths is being able to expose our members to all kinds of opportunities through creative programming. I had the opportunity to visit the Music Clubhouse at the A. Worley Brown Boys & Girls Club, part of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta. (My first... Continue Reading →
October is National Fantasy Month! Ideas For All Month Long
At my Club and in my former life as a classroom teacher, I was always looking for fun themes to help spark my creative flow. Once I had a theme in mind, I worked to adapt games or activities we were already going to do, or had done before, to the theme to keep things... Continue Reading →
9 DIY Music Activities for the Summer!
The Music & Youth Initiative has partnered with Clubs around the country to help start and maintain music programming. They've recently released a FREE summer activity kit that any Club can use! Keep reading to learn more. Are you looking for fun, “Do It Yourself” activities that have a musical theme? We’ve got you covered!... Continue Reading →
30 Circles Challenge: Creative Icebreaker Activity with FREE Download!
Most of our meetings here at BGCA start with icebreaker or community building activities, because we are YOUTH! DEVELOPMENT! PROFESSIONALS! 🙂 Last week, my colleague Danielle Narcisse started a design meeting off with this really fun way to get our creativity flowing. This activity is called The 30 Circles Challenge, and it is an icebreaker... Continue Reading →
Erin Go Bragh! St. Patrick’s Day Throughout the Club
Sláinte! St. Patrick's Day is just 'round the bend! We look for every opportunity to have fun while also learning at the Boys & Girls Club, so this festive holiday is the perfect time to plan some themed activities. Read on to find some great ideas to use throughout the Club. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/668854982132577802/ At this link,... Continue Reading →
High-Quality Activity Ideas from Models of Excellence
Today’s guest post is from Valerie Heron-Duranti, Director of Innovation & Creativity at BGCA. Models of Excellence: The Center for High Quality Student Work is a collaborative project between Expeditionary Learning Schools and the Harvard Graduate School of Education. It is a curated, open source collection of incredible high-quality Pre K-12th grade student projects to inspire... Continue Reading →
Star Wars STEM Activities!
MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU!
High Quality Arts in Boys & Girls Clubs: Research into Practice
Today's guest post is from Valerie Heron-Duranti, Director of Innovation & Creativity at BGCA. In 2012, The Wallace Foundation, a national philanthropy group whose mission is to improve learning and enrichment for disadvantaged children and the vitality of the arts for everyone, commissioned a study to understand how to support urban youth’s participation in the... Continue Reading →
