Youth Center

The Youth of the Year Program is designed to recognize outstanding Youth and promote service to Club and community, academic performance, and contributions to family and spiritual life. Each year a 14 to 18 year old eligible member of Youth Programs is selected as the “Youth of the Year” based on their character, leadership, and service qualities. Upon winning this great distinction, winners have the opportunity to advance through the state, regional, and national levels where they could meet our state’s governor and/or the President of the United States. Applications are typically due mid-February.

Power Hour is a program through which our staff helps club members ages 9-14 become more successful in school by providing homework help and tutoring while encouraging members to become self-directed learners. Our staff offers help to members in a structured, safe, quiet, allocated environment where all Club members can develop the daily habit of completing homework and preparing for class while being supported by staff and volunteer encouragement on a daily basis. Staff will utilize enrichment pages and educational software to provide supplemental work for members in a particular academic area.

SMART Girls Club is a health, fitness, prevention/education and self-esteem enhancement program for girls ages 9-14. The program is designed to encourage healthy attitudes and lifestyles that will enable adolescent/teen girls to develop to their full potential.

BGCA Fine Arts Exhibit Program is a program for ages 9-18 that encourages artistic expression among Club members through drawing, painting, print making, collage, mixed media and sculpture displayed at local and regional exhibits. A panel of distinguished judges selects works for inclusion in the National Fine Arts Exhibit, which debuts at B&GCA’s annual National Conference and is displayed throughout the year at other B&GCA events. This program is combined with our weekly drawing class and Image Makers Program to form our Fine Arts Club.

In addition to these featured programs, Youth Programs also offers several special events throughout the year. Some of those events are: Easter Egg Hunt, Pre-Teen Lock-In, Teen Lock-In, Missoula Children’s Theater, Kid Fest, Armed Forces Kids Run, Fall Fest, Father Daughter Princess Ball, Fine Arts Exhibit, Photography Contest, Bowl by Mail, Read by Mail, One Page at a Time, Lights on After School, Kick Butts, Kids Fest, Mother & Son Masquerade Ball, Olympic Day, Toy Foundation Event, World Wide Day of Play, National Kids Day, Operation Holiday Cheer, Cookies For Cops Program, and Give Parents A Break Program.

The Air Force Teen Council (AFTC) is a network of teens working to resolve issues and voice concerns to the highest levels of AF leadership on behalf of teens stationed across the globe. Meetings are held 2nd Thursday of each month. For more information or to get involved please call 225.2606.

Teens With a Purpose (TWP) is a peer-led, 501(C)(3) non-profit organization serving schools, churches and communities in Norfolk, Virginia Beach and across the Hampton Roads Region. TWP tackles issues teens face in today’s world such as prevention and education of HIV/STDs; distracted teen driving; dating abuse and violence; and many other challenges. Our mission: TWP-The Youth Movement, also known as Teens With a Purpose, is a 501(c) (3) non-profit youth development organization.

Their mission is “to create a platform to empower young people to use their voices, energy, abilities and talent to demonstrate their power to effect personal change and positively impact the lives of others through the arts and peer-led programs and events. We create a safe, non-judgmental environment for self-expression for all young people as we continue to promote healthy life choices.” Simply put, Teens Cultivating the Next Generation of Leaders.

Seven teens from this organization performed spoken word for us at the Operation Megaphone Teen Lock in and blew the Torch Club and Keystone members away! Three of the performers are representing Virginia in a Poetry Slam through Brave New Voices, and the national competition is being held in Atlanta Georgia this summer. The Keystone and Torch Club voted in their April meeting that they would both donate $1000 to the Teens With a Purpose organization to assist them on their journey to the national competition.

Keystone Club is a small group program designed to help teens become more productive citizens and leaders. It is a unique character development experience that gives young people ages 13 – 18 the opportunity to contribute something of value to others and to have a voice in how that contribution is made.

Career Launch is a program that helps teens prepare for the working world, explore career options and their educational/training requirements and assists them in making sound decisions about their education through engaging, interactive sessions and activities. Club Tech is a computer based program that helps participants ages 9-18 become tech savvy while exploring the Boys and Girls club of America core programs of character and leadership development, education and career development, health and life skills, the arts, and sports, fitness, and recreation.

Is a nationally acclaimed comprehensive prevention program that helps young people resist alcohol, tobacco and other drugs and avoid premature sexual activity. The program features interactive, small-group activities designed to increase participants’ peer support, enhance life skills, build resiliency and strengthen leadership skills. This year-round program uses age-specific modules that engage Club staff, parents, community members and older teen members in a team approach to prevention.

Start SMART, ages 10-12, presents information and skills needed to resist pressures to get involved In alcohol, tobacco other drugs or sexual activity. Group members analyze influences from the media and from peers; they also practice resisting peer pressure.

Stay SMART, ages 13-15, provides information about alcohol, tobacco, other drugs and sexuality and helps teenagers develop skills to make healthy choices. Teens practice problem solving and decision making, stress reduction techniques and strategies to resist peer and media pressures.