Where the Kids Are

America’s youth face a crisis. Too many young people do not receive the guidance they need to graduate from high school; to avoid the devastation inflicted by violence, gangs and drugs; or to become responsible adults.

The statistics are staggering. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, in 2006 alone, 30 percent of teen-agers did not graduate from high school in the United States. Every 24 hours, more than 15,000 teens use drugs for the first time (Teen Help). Sixteen percent of adolescents in the United States are overweight (National Center for Health Statistics).

There’s a better life and a brighter future for our kids – right around the corner; right in their neighborhood; right in their local Boys & Girls Club. Clubs are positioned to reach the hard-to-reach, and to discuss tough issues with today’s youth.

How are they able to accomplish this?
By opening in distressed communities – in public housing and on Native American lands – and surrounding children with every kind of social or educational service they might need, Clubs are there to help. Clubs work with youth to instill a sense of responsibility and encourage them to make a difference, starting in their own neighborhoods.

In this issue of The Positive Place, you’ll read how Clubs are finding effective ways to reach out to those who need it most. You’ll see the results of a recent Harris Survey of Club alumni that show how Boys & Girls Clubs changed – even saved – the lives of former Club members across the country and around the world. Clearly, Boys & Girls Clubs work. Thanks to people like you, Clubs can continue to be a critical ingredient in giving young people the support they need to overcome enormous odds.