Teen Centers

The goal of TEENSupreme is to promote character and leadership among Club teens. Older adolescents need positive group experiences that help them cultivate good character and effective leadership skills so they can become productive, responsible, and caring citizens.

Boys and girls, ages 14-18, can join the TEENSupreme Keystone Club program, which is one of the premier youth leadership and service programs in America. It is also the Boys and Girls Clubs Movement’s most dynamic teen program. Founded in 1964, Keystone meets adolescents’ vitally important need for a positive group experience. With the guidance of an adult advisor, opportunities are extended to teens to make decisions and serve others.

Keystone is a small-group program designed to help teen members become more productive citizens and leaders. Young people get the chance to act on their humanitarian ideals through the Keystone experience by building self-respect and strong attachments to family and community.

Keystone Clubs consist of an adult advisor and eight to 15 young men and women who elect their own officers and plan and implement their own activities in six core areas: character and leadership, service to club and community, education and career exploration, free enterprise, unity, and social recreation.

Service and leadership are the hallmarks of the TEENSupreme Keystone Club experience. All Keystone Club activities stress service and leadership. Keystone is learning in the best sense of the word because it is integrated with action. It is a unique character development experience that gives young people the opportunity to contribute something of value to others and to have a voice in how that contribution is made.

The Youth of the Year recognition program for members ages 14-18, is the cornerstone of B&GCA’s Character and Leadership Development core program area. It promotes and celebrates young people’s service to the Club, community, and family; academic performance; moral character; life goals; poise and public speaking abilities. A mainstay of the Boys and Girls Club experience, the year-round program helps young people focus on personal development areas needed to be successful Youth of the Year candidates and productive adults. Several past winners have gone on to graduate school and to work in the U.S Peace Corps.

The program begins by recognizing youth at the club level, where Clubs are encouraged to select Youths of the Month to help build participation throughout the year. Winners go on to participate in state and regional competitions.

Club Finalists: Local judges choose a Club Youth of the Year from three finalists. By this point, candidates have been nominated, written essays, gathered support letters, and prepared short speeches. Club Youths of the Year and second-place winners who have completed 100 hours of service are eligible to receive a $1,000 Presidential Freedom Scholarship. All local winners go on to compete at the state level.

State, Regional and National Finalists: State winners advance to competitions in B&GCSA’s Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, and Pacific regions. The five regional winners then participate in the national competition, which takes place annually in Washington, D.C. Participants are recognized at a Congressional Breakfast and scheduled for a White House visit with the President. Each regional winner receives an engraved plaque and a $5,000 scholarship. The National winner receives the National Youth of the Year plaque and an additional scholarship award of $10,000.