Education & Career Development
Education and Career Development
The club offers programs that enable youth to become proficient in basic educational skills and embrace technology so they can achieve success in a career. Project Learn is a program that enhances and reinforces the skills young people learn at school during the hours they spend at the Club. Power Hour is a program designed to help members age 6 through 18 be more successful in school by providing homework help and tutoring and encouraging members to become self-directed learners. Goals for graduation introduces academic goal setting to members ages 6-13 by linking their future aspirations with concrete actions today. Career Exploration Day, a key component of our youth development strategy, offers juniors from Clifton high School the opportunity to visit businesses in the Clifton area, and shadow career professionals in their work environments. Our Technology Center programs help members understand and explore how computers work, the opportunities they provide, and the utilization of technology to support and enhance intellectual development. The internet is used safely as a learning tool for research, accessing information and for communication. Special initiatives, such as NASA’S Summer of Innovation Program, are specifically designed to help middle school children succeed in the STEM (Science; Technology; Engineering; Math) Curriculum. Special events include speakers from different disciplines: Local authors and life coaches, banking, law enforcement, fire safety, and energy industry representatives, as well as, local government leaders all support our youth development strategy.
BGCA’s “Brain Gain Summer Learning Initiative” was piloted in our summer program. Brain Gain consists of weekly learning modules for Elementary and Middle School students designed to mitigate or reverse summer learning loss. Each module is based on the Project Based Learning approach which supports youth through discovery learning activities, creative expression, and group work to create a final project. Each module is thematically focused and includes literacy, math fluency, and technology skill activities disguised within the discovery learning process. Over 570 campers participated in this initiative.
The Arts
Programs of this kind enable youth to develop their creativity and cultural awareness, through knowledge and appreciation of the visual arts, performing arts and creative writing. The Club provides arts and crafts programs as a part of our after-school activities as well as drawing, sketching, and painting in ten-week cycles. The Club participates in two BGCA’s National Photography Programs: ImageMakers Photography and the Photo Illustration category of the Digital Arts Festival. ImageMakers teaches youth the art and science of photography. Photo Illustration teaches youth to manipulate photos using digital technology. Both programs seek to engage youth to explore and build their skills in photography, digital arts, and self-expression. Local Club winners have the opportunity to advance to regional competitions and winners from regional competitions advance to the national competition.