2024 In Review
National Days of Advocacy
Our 10th annual National Days of Advocacy was held in Washington, D.C. More than 300 advocates, Club executives, youth, and volunteers from nearly 150 Clubs and all 50 states, plus D.C. and Puerto Rico, attended. They engaged members of Congress in over 300 meetings to build awareness and garner support for programs like the National Youth Mentoring Program and the Youth Workforce Readiness Act, which enable young people to reach their full potential. Our efforts resulted in securing $34 million in federal funding for youth mentoring and local Clubs.
Alumni Hall of Fame
We welcomed more than 300 Club staff from across the country to Atlanta for our 118th National Conference, where we inducted seven new members to our Alumni Hall of Fame. Hosted by ABC News correspondent and 2023 Alumni Hall of Fame inductee, John Quiñones, the star-studded ceremony honored alumni including “Today” anchor Al Roker, New Edition and Bell Biv DeVoe member Ronnie DeVoe, NBA champion Andre Iguodala, and “Good Morning America” correspondent Will Reeve.
Great Futures Gallery Opening
The grand opening of the Great Futures Gallery at our Atlanta headquarters was held in June. The Gallery shares the story of Boys & Girls Clubs and the collective impact of our more than 5,500 Clubhouses. It features the Hall of Heroes, highlighting National Youths of the Year and Alumni Hall of Fame members, a Club member Art Wall, and Military Youth Programs and Native Services exhibits. It also showcases alumni artifacts, including boxing gloves from Evander Holyfield and sneakers from Shaquille O’Neal.
National Boys & Girls Club Week
Since 1941, National Boys & Girls Club Week recognizes the invaluable service Clubs bring to communities and shares how great futures start at our Clubs. The 2024 theme, “Level Up,” emphasized how young people progress in Clubs every day through our activities, programs, and the support of dedicated staff. Clubs across the nation celebrated by participating in activities, including a live-streamed esports tournament, a workforce readiness day and panel discussion hosted by the Motorola offices in Chicago, a guided meditation, and a discussion on mental health with experts, teens, and Jacob Latimore, the star of Showtime’s “The Chi.”
National Keystone Conference
The 57th annual National Keystone Conference was held in Atlanta with the theme of “United & Brave: GET LOUD!” Keystone Club is our ultimate youth-led, service-learning, and social action teen program. Hundreds of “Keystoners” from 134 Clubs around the country attended the 2024 conference to engage and socialize with peers, explore relevant issues, and learn life skills through activities like the Money Matters Reality Store. The teens also attended a college and career expo and heard from thought-provoking speakers, including Dr. Bernice King.
Riya R. Collaboration with Pixar for “Inside Out 2”
Riya R., a 16-year-old member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound, was handpicked by her Club mentor for a life-changing opportunity. She became part of “Riley’s Crew,” a group of young women who consulted on Pixar’s animated film “Inside Out 2.” The movie spotlights the transition from childhood to teenage years. Riya attended the world premiere, where she walked the red carpet with actress and Oscar nominee June Squibb, who voiced the role of Nostalgia — a new character Riya pitched and helped bring to life.
Taylor R. Named National Military Youth of the Year
Our National Military Youth of the Year celebration was held in Washington, D.C. This event, part of our Youth of the Year program, celebrates the regional Youth of the Year winners from our Military Youth Centers both in the U.S. and abroad. Our 2024-25 National Military Youth of the Year is Taylor R. from the Naval Support Activity Bahrain Youth Center.
Nico F. Named National Youth of the Year
Our 77th annual National Youth of the Year Celebration was held in Atlanta. Staff and youth from Clubs throughout the organization came together with community members, leaders, dignitaries, alumni, and celebrities to honor our rising leaders. Our 2024-25 National Youth of the Year is Nico F. from Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida.
Youth Right Now
Our updated Youth Right Now survey findings were published in September. This in-house survey of Boys & Girls Club members features data from over 140,000 Club kids and teens nationwide, providing insights on their perspectives surrounding academics, mental health, career aspirations, and more. As the nation’s largest data set on kids and teens, Youth Right Now informs not only our Clubs, but also policymakers, educators, families, fellow youth-serving organizations, and other supporters on how America’s youth are faring in the areas most critical to their success.
Election Resources for Clubs
A core tenant of our mission is preparing our young people to be responsible, caring, and engaged members of society. During the 2024 presidential and local elections, we partnered with various organizations to provide Clubs with nonpartisan trainings, tools, and resources to educate and engage youth during the election season. The goal was to encourage them to get involved with the political landscape, inform themselves, elevate their voices, and address the issues affecting their communities with elected officials, fostering a lifelong sense of civic responsibility.
Support for Clubs in the Aftermath of Hurricanes Helene & Milton
Hurricanes Helene and Milton impacted more than 150 Club locations serving over 150,000 youth across Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. National staff, Club staff, and volunteers joined forces to support the youth and communities impacted. We also received an outpouring of support from donors totaling more than $165,000, allowing us to repair storm-damaged Club sites and provide nearby Club organizations with the resources needed to lead recovery efforts.
Native Summit
As part of our commitment to America’s Native youth, we host a biennial Native Summit – an event to help Native Clubs develop stronger, more sustainable organizations to meet the needs of their communities. Our 2024 Native Summit’s theme was “Weaving Our Future,” and it was held in Chandler, Arizona. Nearly 650 Club professionals and youth performers from nearly 250 Native Clubs attended the Summit to celebrate, learn, and exchange ideas to support our Native youth and communities.
