From Bully to Youth of the Year

Calvin had a troubled childhood and often let his troubles defeat him. Calvin’s parents had him at a young age, so his cousin stepped in to help raise him. As he started to grow up, he regularly had a bad attitude and verbally bullied kids at his school, calling kids names and taunting them. It wasn’t until he joined the Boys & Girls Club at age 10 that he started to change his ways. Joining the Club got Calvin out of the house, but more importantly gave him the opportunity to make friends and see a new pathway for himself. “I didn’t have a lot of opportunities until I joined the Boys & Girls Club, and that changed my outlook on life” Calvin said. Read more.

A New Land, A Brighter Future

Imagine starting your freshman year of high school with no friends, in a new country and not understanding the primary language. That was the exact situation 14-year-old refugee Farok R. was facing on his first day four years ago. That’s where the Boys & Girls Club helped! He was able to connect with caring role models who helped him learn about getting accepted into college, something he never thought was possible. Now a freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Farok is a Biochemistry major expected to graduate in 2022.

Washington Teens Prep for Careers

By 2020, 60 percent of all jobs will require education and/or training beyond high school. It is estimated that if the lack of a skilled workforce is not addressed, the U.S. economy will face a shortage of 5 million workers. Preparing the next generation prepare for the jobs of tomorrow is critical to ensuring a great future for young people. Read more.

Healthier Choices

Thanks to two staff members, Jesus and Kayla, at Boys & Girls Clubs of Dundee Township, their Club members have a new culinary arts program twice a week to look forward to. Learning culinary skills helps kids and teens learn what actually goes into their food and what they need to live a healthier lifestyle, making them less likely to pick up fast food that contains fillers and tons of fat. Overall, cooking is a major part of life and Boys & Girls Clubs are excited to teach members a new way of looking at food.
Check out recipes and other cool projects from BGCDT on their Pinterest Account.

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