Babysitters' Training Class

Babysitters' Training is an American Red Cross Certification class. This class is open to youth 11 - 15 years old. You will acquire the skills, knowledge, and confidence to care for infants and school-aged children. The American Red Cross Babysitters' Training combines video, activities, hands-on training and discussions for a complete learning experience. CPR and First Aid Training for Babysitters' is offered in a separate class.

Youth Sponsorship Program

MCCS New River Youth & Teen Activities Center also supports the Youth Sponsorship to facilitate youth and teen’s transition into a new community in accordance with CH 1 MCO.1320.11E Personnel Sponsorship Program, reference (d).

President's Volunteer Service Award Program

The President’s Volunteer Service Award is issued by the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation on behalf of the President of the United States to recognize the best in American spirit, and to encourage all Americans to improve their communities through volunteer service, and civic participation.

BOYS & GIRLS CLUB PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS

Career Launch: CareerLaunch(TM) is a career exploration and mentoring program for teens ages 13-18. This program includes the CareerLaunch Web site that allows teens to take an interest survey, explore careers, identify training or college requirements, seek out financial aid and play skills-building games. There's also an easy-to-use Career Exploration Quick Reference Guide with a broad range of career planning and job skills activities that Club staff or volunteers can use with teens. The CareerLaunch Portfolio contains a Teen Tips booklet with helpful interviewing and on-the-spot job tips. Funded by Gap Foundation.

CLUB Service: This program, the result of a partnership between Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the Corporation for National Service (AmeriCorps), provides education awards to Club members ages 17 and 18 and Club alumni ages 19-24 who serve their Clubs and communities. CLUBService recognizes young people's service, helps them access higher education opportunities and encourages them to pursue future careers as Club professionals. Funded by AmeriCorps

Date SMART: Date SMART is intended to increase young people’s understanding and build the skills they need to achieve healthy relationships free of violence and abuse. Through participation in Date SMART, Club members increase their ability to help friends and family members who may be experiencing dating, sexual or domestic violence.

Healthy Habits: Designed for ages 6 to 15, the program aims to incorporate healthy living and active learning in every part of the Club experience, Healthy Habits, which is also the "Mind" component of Triple Play: A Game for the Mind, Body and Soul, emphasizes good nutrition, regular physical activity and improving overall well-being. Funded by Kraft Foods Inc. and The Coca-Cola Company.

ImageMakers National Photography Contest: Funded by the Circuit City Foundation, this comprehensive photography program encourages girls and boys to learn and practice photography, expressing themselves in creative and innovative ways. The national initiative delivers a state-of-the-art photography curriculum, provides photographic resources and opportunities for Club members to compete on a national level. ImageMakers provides local, regional and national recognition through an annual photography contest. Winning photos will be displayed nationwide at museums as well as at BGCA's annual National Conference.

Keystone Club: Keystone Clubs are chartered small group leadership development clubs for young people ages 14 to 18. Keystoners elect officers, choose their own activities and plan and implement community service projects. A national charter entitles a Keystone Club to participate in regional and national Keystone conferences. This teen leadership program is funded by the Taco Bell Foundation.

Money Matters: Created with the Charles Schwab Foundation, this financial literacy program was designed specifically to help teens (ages 13 to18) expand their knowledge of money management and learn the skills that lead to financial independence and well-being. The Money Matters: Make It Count program consists of five components: Teen Personal Finance Guide, Program Facilitator's Guide, Money Matters Web site, Schwab eEmployee Volunteer Program and the Money Matters Awards. Via the volunteer component, Schwab employees can pass financial expertise to Club teens through their volunteer involvement. 

National Fine Arts Exhibit Program: This competition, which encourages creativity through a variety of media, is made up of local, regional and national exhibits. Young people are encouraged to create artwork in any of the following categories: monochromatic drawing, multicolored drawing, pastels, water color, oil or acrylic, print making, mixed media, collage and sculpture. Artwork selected through a national competition is displayed at BGCA's annual National Conference.

NetSmartz: NetSmartz teaches Internet safety skills through engaging multimedia activities and offline interaction with Club professionals in three age-appropriate modules: Clicky's Web World (for ages 6 to 7); NetSmartz Rules (for ages 8 to 12); and I-360 (for ages 13 to 18). Topics include personal safety, shopping safety and ethical use of the Internet. To learn more, youth ages 12 and younger can go directly to www.netsmartzkids.org; while teens, parents and Club staff can learn about Internet safety at www.netsmartz.org. BGCA collaborated with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children to develop NetSmartz. Funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs.

Passport to Manhood: Passport to Manhood promotes and teaches responsibility while reinforcing positive behavior in male Club members ages 11 to14. Passport to Manhood consists of 14 small-group sessions, each of which concentrates on a specific aspect of manhood through highly interactive activities. Each participant is issued his own "Passport" to underscore the idea that he is on a journey of maturation and personal growth.

Power Hour:Making Minutes Count A comprehensive homework help and tutoring program, POWER HOUR is designed to raise the academic proficiency of Club members ages 6 to 18.

Skill Tech (I and II): Through the support of founding partner Microsoft and Best Buy Children’s Foundation, BGCA offers the Skill Tech: Basic Training and Skill Tech II programs to members of all ages and technical abilities. In Skill Tech: Basic Training members learn how to use various Microsoft software programs, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Publisher and Digital Image Pro through animated lessons and instructor-led group activities. Skill Tech II features three modules for beginner, intermediate and advanced skill levels. Participants learn about hardware identification and installation, networking and technology-related careers. The Skill Tech programs, available at www.myclubmylife.com, are apart of Club Tech’s mission to prepare America’s youth for success in school and the 21st Century workforce.

Smart Girls: An outgrowth of the popular and effective SMART Moves program, SMART Girls is a health, fitness, prevention/education and self-esteem enhancement program for girls ages 8 to17. The program is designed to encourage healthy attitudes and lifestyles that will enable early adolescent girls to develop to their full potential. The SMART Girls program is sponsored by Tupperware Brands Corporation. Learn more about SMART Girls.

Torch Club: This small-group leadership development program, sponsored by Staples, is targeted to youth ages 11 to 13. Within some 1300 Torch Clubs across the country, members elect officers and plan and implement their own activities and community service projects. Each Torch Club receives an official charter from Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Triple Play: A Game Plan for the Mind, Body and Soul: sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company, is a dynamic wellness program currently being offered in Boys & Girls Clubs that demonstrates how eating right, keeping fit and forming positive relationships add up to a healthy lifestyle. The goal of the Triple Play program is to improve Club members’ knowledge of healthy habits; increase the number of hours per day they participate in physical activities; and strengthen their ability to interact positively with others and engage in positive relationships.

Program components include:

• Healthy Habits Nutrition Curriculum
• Daily Challenges
• Sports Clubs
• Triple Play Games
• Social Recreation

Youth of the Year: Sponsored by the Reader's Digest Foundation, the National Youth of the Year Program is designed to promote and recognize service to Club and community, academic performance and contributions to family and spiritual life. Competition begins with each Club selecting a Youth of the Year who receives a certificate and medallion then enters state competition. State winners receive a plaque and $1,000 scholarship then enter the regional competition. Each of the five regional winners receives a $10,000 scholarship and enters the national competition held in Washington, DC. The National Youth of the Year receives an additional $15,000 scholarship, totaling $26,000 in scholarships, and is installed by the President of the United States.