FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 10, 2010

Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove Selected as Site for New High School Graduation Initiative

Met Life Foundation Awards Grants for Every Member, Every Year to Select Boys & Girls Clubs Nationwide

Garden Grove, CA (June 10, 2010) – America is facing an uncertain future because we are losing a child every 26 seconds!  Yes, every 26 seconds another young person drops out of high school – one of the highest rates of any industrialized country in the world. Most everyone agrees this startling statistic is a prescription for economic disaster – resulting in an epidemic of under-educated citizens who cannot possibly compete for the workforce of tomorrow.

Recognizing these dire circumstances, Metropolitan Life Foundation is providing a grant of $10,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Groveto identify best practices in support of Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s new high school graduation strategy – Every Member, Every Year. 

Central to this strategy is academic enrichment and school engagement – creating a learning-rich environment where every Club member is expected to move up every year – ultimately graduating high school and prepared for real-world success.

The goal of the MetLife Foundation grant is to learn how local Boys & Girls Clubs are promoting the message, “Education is important for your future” to young people ages 6 to 18 and to quantify the impact of this messaging by taking a look at the high school graduation rates of Club members.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Every Member, Every Year strategy is designed so that all Clubs, no matter their size, resources or demographics can partner with youth, parents, schools and other community agencies to implement at least one of the three approaches: Academic Enrichment and School Engagement; Targeted Dropout Prevention and Intensive Intervention and Case Management.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove has been selected as one of 11 to receive funding for Every Member, Every Year.  “We are delighted to receive this money because it will give us the necessary resources to make education a top priority for the children we serve,” said Pat Halberstadt, Chief Professional Officer of Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove.  “This kind of recognition will also help the general public view our Club as more than a ‘swim and gym’ operation.”

Just last year, BGCA released a 30-month longitudinal study, “Making Every Day Count: Boys & Girls Clubs’ Role in Promoting Positive Outcomes for Teens,” conducted by Public/Private Ventures which found that teens who regularly attend Clubs had better outcomes in academic success, healthy lifestyles and good character.

More specifically:            

• Teen-centric: Clubs provided meaningful experiences to attract and retain teens.
• More is Better: Teens who attended a Club more often enjoyed increased academic success, higher levels of integrity, and were less likely to engage in deviant behavior.
• Adult Support: Having a place to engage with positive adults is a driving force in a teen’s decision to attend a Club.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove at Santiago High School currently provides academic support and enrichment programs to over 100 students every day after school until 6pm.  Throughout the month of July, the Club at Santiago High School will be offering programs to support student academic progress including CAHSEE Preparation, SAT Preparation, English language, and College Preparation & Life Skills.   These programs will continue in the upcoming school year and are offered to encourage students to complete all requirements for graduation and to prepare for a successful life beyond graduation.

For more information on the programs offered or how to help teens “BE GREAT” and graduate, please contact Mikayla Curtis at 714-530-5399 x31.

ABOUT BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF GARDEN GROVE

For more than 50 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove (BGCGG)has helped kids “BE GREAT” by changing and saving young lives, playing an integral role in its community. Striving to help children succeed in life, Boys & Girls Clubs provide hope and opportunity through afterschool, family support, and community outreach programs. Our 57 program sites serve over 8,500 families annually and 5,000 young people daily, from “Diapers to Diplomas,” ages 18 months-18 years old.

The Clubs are open daily with programs in character and leadership development, education and career enhancement, the arts, health and life skills, and sports, fitness and recreation. Our family outreach programs such as Family Campus Preschool, School Readiness, REACH For Literacy (Reading Education for Adults & CHildren), ARCHES (Access to Resources for Children's Health, Education and Support), FYOP (Family & Youth Outreach Program), and TRC (Truancy Reduction Center) expand our services to ensure that the needs of the whole child are met. Through our efforts we do our best to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Please visit www.begreatgardengrove.org for more information. Great Futures Start Here.

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