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Arts and Culture
MAVerick Mobile Studio
The MAVerick Studio Live! Bus was funded by the State of Delaware. As a continuation of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware MAVerick program, the bus will travel across the state, allowing youth everywhere to create their own songs, podcasts and beats using the state-of-the-art equipment. These efforts will encourage youth to develop prevention focused media messaging.
National Fine Arts Exhibit
This year-round program encourages artistic expression among Club members ages 6 to 18 through drawing, painting, printmaking, collage, mixed media and sculpture displayed at local and regional exhibits.
Character and Leadership
Keystone Clubs
Our Keystone Clubs consist of dynamic leaders, between the ages of 14-18, who devote their time to leadership and service in their communities. Each Keystone Club elects their own officers and implements their own activities in three focus areas: academic success, career preparation, and community service.
Torch Clubs
Torch Clubs are leadership and service Clubs for our younger members, ages 11–13. The goal of Torch Club is to instill qualities of tolerance, civic duty, community involvement, and leadership that promote an appreciation for the responsibilities of citizenship and the democratic process.
Jr. Youth of the Year
In an effort to engage our younger members and pave the way for some exceptional teen YOY candidates, Boys & Girls Clubs of America has established the Junior Youth of the Year Program. Regional finalists are carefully chosen, with the winner selected by the Youth of the Year finalists. The winner is then revealed during the prestigious Youth of the Year Gala.
Youth of the Year
Club members who exemplify our core values and meet rigorous eligibility requirements for academic achievement, community involvement, and leadership have the opportunity to be recognized as Youth of the Year. Once Local Clubs recognize members, ages 14-18, as Youth of the Year for their Clubs, these young people then go on to compete for the Statewide Youth of the Year.
Education and Career
STEAM
Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics focused programming is offered at Clubs throughout the state. Clubs strive to provide learning opportunities which productively engage Club members in STEAM processes of inquiry and creative problem solving, and ultimately, encourage their pursuit of academic and professional opportunities in STEAM related fields.
First LEGO League
Guided by two or more adult Coaches, FIRST LEGO League* (FLL) teams (up to 10 members, grades 4-8) research a real-world problem (e.g., food safety, recycling, energy, etc.) and are challenged to develop a solution. FIRST LEGO League seeks to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders by engaging them in exciting Mentor-based programs that build science, engineering, and technology skills.
Reading is Fundamental (RIF)
Research shows that when kids do not read over the summer, they can lose up to two grade levels of comprehension. RIF’s goal is to boost the reading achievement of elementary school children–especially low-income and rural students–by stemming the “summer slide.” Statewide, thousands of youth participate, with 83% showing reading skills gains, compared with 57% of children in the RIF national study.
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BookNook
BookNook is a social enterprise on a mission to close the reading opportunity gap by using technology to provide every student access to world class teaching, whether at school or online. Founded in 2016, BookNook has quickly grown to partner with hundreds of schools, school districts, and nonprofits across 32 states. It has received national recognition for its impact on students’ reading ability and its unique equity-based pricing model.
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Power Hour
Homework completion is a critical component of young people’s academic success. Power Hour is an interactive homework help and tutoring program that encourages Club members to become self-directed learners. A short-term goal of this program is to help young people develop academic, behavioral, and social skills through homework completion; the long-term goal is to ensure that youth graduate from high school, pursue post-secondary education and become life-long learners.
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Mentoring Programs
Mentoring programs link youth with positive, caring adult role models. Volunteer mentors provide consistent support, guidance, and concrete help to encourage mentees to improve their academics, explore goals, solve life issues, and improve self-esteem. According to the National Youth Mentoring Initiative, one in three youth (an estimated 16 million) will grow up
without a mentor. Therefore, providing consistent mentorship to children and teens is essential to our mission.​
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College Scholarship Program
Thanks to generous donors who understand the importance of education, we are able to offer scholarships to offset the costs of tuition, books and other administrative fees for our Club Kids.
Over the past five years, the scholarship program and its generous donors have awarded 79 scholarships, totaling $112,000. Any former or current Club Kid interested in scholarship opportunities can email info@bgclubs.org.
College Awareness and Planning (CAP) Program
The CAP program helps students and parents navigate the college planning and completion process. Through this program, students receive individualized help with deciding a college major and career, exploring colleges and universities, preparing for college admissions tests (SAT/ACT), writing essays for college applications, and applying for financial aid and scholarships. Parents receive help with completing financial aid forms. The program’s goal is to help students secure financial aid and help them overcome the inevitable challenges of attending, applying, and graduating from college. The CAP program provides the kind of individualized help that high school guidance counselors and others simply cannot. You can learn more about the CAP program by contacting Dr. Patricia Smith at dr.pat@homessmithconsulting.com
UpNext
Up Next is BGCA's comprehensive in-Club work-based learning program. It replaces the national program historically known as Junior Staff. Chosen by Club teens, the new name reflects an unprecedented commitment to safety and emphasizes the life-changing benefits of work-based learning. Up Next provides teens with work experience right in the Club, where they can learn and practice key employability skills. Participation puts teens at the front of the line – or “Up Next” – for desirable placements in the workforce.