Grenville Baker Boys and Girls Club

Teens and tweens:grades 6-8 - for middle schoolers or "tweens," our Club provides a safe space to gather with friends, have fun, explore interests, and succeed academically. Middle schoolers have time to complete their homework, explore elective subjects through our arts and science offerings, and participate in sports and games. Tweens also have a chance to become involved in community service through our torch Club to introduce young people to the inherent rewards of community service. Tweens have the opportunity to participate in smart Girls or passport to manhood which helps them build up positive self-esteem, body image, and a sense of personal identity and responsibility. Grades 9-12 - at Grenville Baker Boys & Girls Club, we offer teens in grades 9-12 a holistic, positive, and practical approach to preparing for a college education and a productive and fulfilling future. Of note, many of the young people in our teen programs come from homes where english is not the primary language spoken and where they will be the first in their family to attend college. As such, our efforts focus on helping teens prepare academically for high school graduation and college entrance exams, and by exposing them to enriching cultural, leadership, and special interest experiences that will help guide them as they consider their futures. Our expected outcome is for all our teens to be on track to graduate from high school on time and to go on to college. We encourage this outcome through a number of programmatic initiatives. For example, through "project learn and stem programs, on a daily basis, our teens participate in high-yield learning activities, reinforcing their reading and math skills and focusing on their ability to analyze data, think critically and solve problems. Our staff works with our teens to strengthen their english and essay writing skills as part of the college prep program. Teens also receive technology training to strengthen their research skills needed for college searches and projects for school. Teens attend sat classes to learn the strategies, time-management and academic skills needed for standardized testing. The financial literacy needed for college is provided through a comprehensive program called money matters for both teens and their parents. and our keystone Club provides opportunities for our teens to build their leadership and personal skills and to give back to their community while building their resumes and their confidence. To help them envision their futures and find the right fit, our teens visit universities and colleges in the tri-state area on weekends, as well as through multi-day and night college tours to visits schools during school breaks. For our high school seniors, one-on-one assistance is provided to complete applications for admissions, scholarships, and financial aid. We also encourage teens to broaden their horizons through cultural and new experiences. In the past, this has come in the form of our "city Club," which took kids to various cultural venues in new york city. The success of our program relies on the strength of the mentoring relationships developed by our staff. The Club also offers programs in performing and visual arts to foster creative expression.

Sports & fitness:grenville Baker Boys & Girls Club has a strong tradition of promoting sports and fitness. From its earliest days, the mission has centered on providing a positive environment within which young people can thrive and grow. A big part of helping young people to reach their full potential is teaching them the keys to a healthy life. Our staff focuses on the practical steps each child can take in order to keep fit, to eat rightand to form the positive relationships needed to support a healthy lifestyle. Running and playing with friends at the Club keeps them active, avoiding sedentary behavior. Participation in sports teaches them valuable lessons in teamwork, competition and cooperation. Members of all ages are given the opportunity to try out a range of active pursuits. Our highly popular basketball program served 448 different youth in 2023.

Education grades k-5:for children in grades k-5, the Club offers comprehensive afterschool care, enrichment programs in the arts and sciences, athletics, and a safe space to gather with friends and play! Arriving directly from school, children arrive to enjoy a healthy snack, get their homework done, and explore their interests in the arts, sciences, and athletics. We also offer children many opportunities for social interactions, games, and play time. The long-term objective of Grenville Baker Boys & Girls Club's education initiative is to provide members with the academic skills and the technological tools they will need to succeed at school. Homework help is a comprehensive homework assistance and tutoring program for members in grades k through 5 that provides the support, resources and guidance necessary to complete academic assignments. In order to improve our homework help program for younger children, we have implemented a more structured environment to our power hour. Beginning at 4:00 p.m., children travel to their designated classroom with their group leaders, sitting at their assigned tables and starting their homework. Each child is given a healthy snack to eat while doing their homework. Assistance is available for children who have questions or need help. As children finish their homework, they show their group leaders their completed assignment. Any child who still has work to do at 5:00 p.m. is provided a quiet space to finish up and to receive the attention they need. In addition to our homework help program, we offer a wide variety of programs that help our children to develop their skills as a learner, a collaborator and a creator. These enrichment programs include stem, coding, cooking, science, reading, and music/theatre. In 2023, the k-5 elementary enrichment program served over 341 children.

The Club engages in various programs that build character, education, and morale in the younger members of the community.