Civic education is more important than ever. Get eight ideas for youth of all ages just in time for Civic Learning Week!
8 Ideas for Civic Learning Week
Three Steps to Becoming a Youth Advocate
We are SO EXCITED for the 2020 National Virtual Keystone Conference! To get us motivated BGCA's Senior Director of Programs Val Killebrew is here to give us guidance on how to help youth take action about what they are passionate about. Youth of America are purpose driven and motivated to act on causes they believe... Continue Reading →
Teens Take the Lead on Safe Driving
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... Continue Reading →
Club Story: Project Crane
At the 2019 Keystone Conference, we met the teens from the Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam Youth Center in Hawai'i, and learned about their Project Crane. To say we were moved is an understatement, and today I'm absolutely honored to bring you their story, written by the teens themselves. An origami paper crane flapped its... Continue Reading →
What Are High-Yield Activities?
Have you started using Program Basics? We'll be highlighting some of the best content from the suite here on the ClubX Blog. Visit BGCA.net/Programbasics to learn more about all the great resources! Boys & Girls Clubs do a LOT of things. If you made a list, it would go on and on and on and... 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 →
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service: Tips and Ideas for a Successful Service Project
"Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve." - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Inspire your Club members to transform Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s teachings into community action. Join us on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as we celebrate one man's dream to make the world a better place. This is a great time to engage in youth-led... Continue Reading →
It’s World Kindness Day! Link Roundup
November 13 is World Kindness Day! Kindness is one of the character traits that we all hope to cultivate in the youth we serve. But how do we teach kindness? Today on the ClubX Blog we've got a roundup of some of the best ideas for activity plans from around the web. This video is... Continue Reading →
Activity Idea: iCivics Online Civics Games
Today I'm excited to be sharing one of my FAVORITE online resources that I used both as a middle school history teacher and in the Education room with my tweens and teens at the Club- iCivics. Since there is a ton of media coverage right now on civic engagement with the election right around the... Continue Reading →
Registering Youth to Vote: A State-By-State Guide *UPDATED for 2020!
"To enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens." In the United States, one of the best ways that we can be citizens is by exercising our right to vote. Unfortunately, younger adults, including Millennials and post-Millennials, are the least likely of all... Continue Reading →
Club Story: Using Community Partnerships to Expand Our Reach in Arizona
A few weeks ago, we heard from the Laughlin Unit of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Colorado River. Today we hear from their another Unit in their organization- the Bullhead Unit! This Club, led by Unit Director Heather Baxter, has created strong community partnerships to expand their reach and offer creative programming opportunities. Read... Continue Reading →
Webinar: Social Justice Activities From Teaching Tolerance
I've featured one of my favorite sites, Teaching Tolerance, on the ClubX Blog before. They are a project of The Southern Poverty Law Center, and they design training and resources for classroom educators. A lot of their stuff is easily and directly applicable to the Club context, including a great webinar they did last month.... Continue Reading →
Supporting Youth Activism
This post is adapted from The School Walkout: An Adult Ally Guide by Youth Era. In the wake of recent tragedies such as the shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School, youth have quickly become leaders in the discussion around gun control legislation. On March 24, youth and families will take the streets of Washington DC... Continue Reading →
Activity Idea: Good Character Pool
This game comes from the files of our very own Alise Dixon! It kicks the classic Club game of billiards up a notch and works in self-reflection on character traits. Good Character Pool Ages: 10-15 Equipment Needed: Pool table, ball, cues, 6 slips of paper, tape Group Size: 2 at a time As in standard... Continue Reading →
Club Story: The Importance of Wonder Girl Hour
Today's Club Story is from Vericia Pearson, aka "Ms. V" from the Henderson Unit of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Springfield. As a new employee looking for ways to connect with her members, she implemented Wonder Girl Hour in her gym programming, and it has been a HUGE success, even winning a programming award from... Continue Reading →
Webinar: How PBS’ ‘Arthur’ Resources Support Prosocial Behavior and Critical Literacy
Teaching Tolerance is one of my FAVORITE websites, and you'll likely see it pop up on the blog pretty often. They have tons of great stuff. While it is aimed at classroom educators, most of it is super adaptable to the Club context, plus they have a lot of excellent learning tools for staff. While... Continue Reading →
