Club Connection - Newsletter March 2023

TEEN PROGRAMS @ THE CLUBS

Teen programming at our Clubs is so important. Teen programs, just like our after-school programs, can provide social, emotional, cognitive and academic development. It can reduce risky behaviors, promote physical health and provide a safe and supportive environment for teens. This type of programming strengthens young people's sense of identity, belief in the future and improves social skills.

Our clubhouses are open regularly for Teen Nights. Teen Nights are Monday thru Friday from 6pm-9pm. These specific nights include: Dinnerand-a-Movie nights, field trips, college visits, special guests, access to the music studio, video games and so much more!

Photos: (Front page photo / Top & Bottom of this page) BGCMW Teen Night Glow-In-The-Dark event in Framingham

Photos: Marlborough members at the Framingham Clubhouse Glow in the Dark event.

MARLBOROUGHThe

Smart Girls group in Marlborough identified a need of support in Florida.

Theygottogetheranddecidedtodoaschool supply drive for kids who are in need of supplies after devastating hurricane, Ian. For weeks, they sought out donations and were able to put together three large boxes with supplies for school-aged kids in East Naples, Florida. All supplies were sent to the East NaplesPoliceDepartment.

According to the Philanthropy News Digest, studieshaveshownthatyouthwhodecideto volunteer and get involved in their communities, continue to give as adults. However, since the pandemic, studies also have shown that youth volunteers have drasticallygonedown.Wearedoingourpart at the Clubs in a way that would teach our members why it is important to give back, expose them to local community groups with thesamepurposeandtoworkonmeaningful groupprojectsthatcanmakeadifferencein livesoftheirowncommunitymembers.

Annually our members are encouraged to fill out an NYOI (National Youth Outcomes Initiative) According to 2022 results, 73% of our members have done Club-based service atleastonceayearwith27%ofourmembers doing it at least once or more every week. Volunteering efforts outside the club like school, neighborhood and our communities, 69%ofourteensvolunteeredatleastoncea year and 16% of our teens at least once or moreperweek.

We are so proud of our Smart Girls for identifying a problem of Massachusetts. They felt there was a need and they took action. Theyarealwaysencouragedtothinkoutside

the box and to always follow through with their amazing ideas!

SMARTGirlshelpsgirlsdeveloptoward healthyattitudes.

What is Smart Girls? SMART Girls is a smallgroup health, fitness, prevention/education and self-esteem enhancement program designedtomeetthedevelopmentalneedsof girls in three age groups, spanning ages 8 to 18. Through dynamic sessions, participatory activities, field trips and mentoring opportunities with adult women, Club girls explore their own and societal attitudes and values as they build skills for eating right, stayingphysicallyfit,gettinggoodhealthcare and developing positive relationships with peersandadults.

SmallKitchenUtensilDrive

Want to help members give back?

MarlboroughClubhousemembersisrunninga "SmallKitchenUtensil"driveineffortstohelp outlocalnonprofitFreshStartFurnitureBank. FreshStartcollectsdonationsoffurnitureand homegoodsfromthepublicanddistributes them, for free, to people in need Their volunteers have helped over 3,000 families turnemptyspacesintohomes.Ifyouhaveany donations such as can openers, eating utensils, etc. please drop them off at the Marlborough Clubhouse Thank you in advance!

Because of our new community partnership withFreshStartFurnitureBank,theydonated over 50 cases of brand new toys for our members Thesetoysweredistributedtoall

Photo: Toys donated by Fresh Start Furniture Bank.

"WEHAVETHEOPPORTUNITY TOCREATETHEFUTUREAND DECIDEWHATTHAT'SLIKE"

MaeJemison,formerNASAastronaut,engineer, physician and the first black woman to travel intospace,saiditbest.Itisimportantforour youthtoknowthoseexactwords.Onewaythe clubshelpshapethisisbytinkeringwithSTEM projects. Framingham members have been thinking outside the box and experimenting with different mediums through our STEM programming Here are some of the newest STEMprojectstheyhavebeenworkingon.

ShootingforLove!Valentine’sRocket

In February, there was love skyrocketing all month long! 30 members in the Framingham Clubhouse signed up to design and put togetherValentine'sRockets.Thiswasagreat lessononairpressureandchemicalreactions. Whenitwaslaunchtime,theyaddedanalkaseltzer tablet to the water. The reaction was explosive! Some member's rockets did not shootupandasagrouptheydeterminedthat iftheirmeasurementswereoff,therocketwill notshootup.Itwasgreattrialanerrorproject.

ExperimentingwithEpoxyResin

Lately, our social media accounts have been flooded with art inspired influencers and their epoxy resin art pieces. Members wanted to experiment on their own. They love hands on learning projects, especially when they are gooey!AcomponentintoSTEMprogrammingis experimenting with different mediums such as epoxy resins. They have been exploring their engineering sides by designing their own cup holders, keychains, and so much more. Members have to make sure there is functionality in their object. While having fun creating their object of choice, members practicetheirscienceskillsbymixingmediums

together and their mathematical skills by pouring the correct amount of fluids to create the final product!

Lighting up the way! Candle-making

Using the sense of smell is a large component to candle making Right in time for Mother’s Day this Spring, members have been experimenting with fragrance oils in order to make the perfect smell for their custom candles They mix and match scents to get the best scent. Once it is mastered, they experiment with how different materials react to different temperatures. For example, when the wax is heated up it turns into a liquid. Then when it starts to cool down it turns back into a solid. About 40 members created their own custom candle

STEM education is a critical part of our members experience at the Clubs. This programming provides youth who might otherwise not have access to STEM experiences with simple, fun, hands-on activities. Exposure to science, technology, engineering and math is critical during the teen years, when young people’s natural curiosity drives interest and builds capacity for success in these disciplines.

Photo: Framingham Clubhouse member creating candle.

DIDYOUKNOW? DIDYOUKNOW?

NEWWEBSITEFEATURES

Tobetterserveyou,thispastyearwegaveour BGCMW website a refresh with a whole new look! We have new features such as translations, targeted buttons for parents/ guardians, donors and supporters and added videosforyoutowatch!

OurwebsitenowcanbetranslatedinSpanish and in Portuguese Just simply click on the button below your web screen to change the websiteslanguage.

On our Donate page we have added the videos we shared during our Light the Room Blue giving segment at our Annual Gala & Auction night in October. The videos feature three of our members from each clubhouse If you did not attend our Gala event, now you have an opportunity to view the videos and see what it is to be a member in each one of our Clubs!

On the HOME page of the BGCMW website, you will quickly see two buttons that stand out –Parents & Guardians and Donors & Supporters. These buttons are a quick way to better find what you are looking for. Whether it is to sign your child up for the summer program, for a parent, or to find more information on how to help our Clubs out as a corporate supporter, you will have quick access to all the information you are searching for.

Yasmin is a sophomore in High School and is a Hudson Clubhouse member.

Samya is a fifth grader and is a Marlborough Clubhouse member.

Lais is in second grade and she is a Framingham Clubhouse member.

FEBRUARY VACATION RECAP

HudsonClubhouse:

In past years, we have gotten many families that have registered their elementary & middle school members for February Vacation week activities at our Clubs This year was no different Our Clubs were open all day from 8am-6pm. Parents were able to sign up their children ahead of time for $25 per child to receive a discount or they can sign up the day of for $35 per child. Vacation weeks registrations also include lunch Studies have shown that when kids are not in school they benefit from attending an out of school program like the Boys & Girls Club. It enhances school performance, improved social skills, and reduces problem behaviors.

Our Club staff spend time putting together meaningful activities for the week including fun hands on STEM challenges to obstacle courses.

Marlborough Clubhouse:

Our Marlborough Clubhouse had an average of 43 daily members attend during February Vacation week In February, Clubs integrated Black History Month with their daily activities In Marlborough, program staff coordinated a BHM Scavenger Hunt. They posted 25 pictures with names of current and historical figures throughout the club. They were numbered 1-25 and the kids had to find all 25 and write down the name of the person on the picture to the corresponding number on their paper If they found all 25 they received a prize!

Our Hudson Clubhouse had an average of 30 daily members attend during February Vacation week. In the Hudson Club, they have a large group of members who are into the game of soccer. During the week, they put together a World Cup Tournament. Members were put in teams and were enthusiastic about the tournament. We hear it was quite a tournament. Congrats to the winners! In honor of Black History Month, Hudson staff facilitated a Black History Month Trivia Game. The game got the kids active according to their answer. Each answer they chose, required a specific exercise. It was a great way to get members to have fun, learn new facts and exercise all at once Checkoutoursocialmediapagefor somefootage!

FraminghamClubhouse:

Our Framingham Clubhouse had an average of 53 daily members attend during vacation week with their highest attendance being 63 members in one day! One of the big highlights of the week was the Staff vs. Members Pinball game. Members get very competitive when they play against the staff! While most of the week was very messy with exciting hands on activities such as ceramic painting, moon dough (Play-dough), bubble art and verymessyshavingcreamartprojects,they also finished the week strong with movie making on the iPads. Framingham members got to express their creativity through the video lens and then they editedtheirfootageusingiMovie.

Photo: Marlborough Clubhouse members playing BHM Trivia game.

It REALLY takes a village.

INTERESTEDIN VOLUNTEERING?

If you are an individual who is looking to volunteer, we encourage you to connect with a Club near you to find out what volunteer opportunities they have and where your time can make the biggest impact.

Marlborough: (508) 485-4912

Hudson: (978) 562-9924

Framingham: (508) 620-7145

Groups who are interested in volunteering can reach out to Yarelis E. Garcia at 508485-4912 or email yarelis.garcia@bgcmetrowest.org

JOIN

NETWORK –THE GREAT FUTURES CLUB

Make your gift a lasting investment by setting up a recurring gift. By setting up a gift on a recurring schedule, charitable giving works on your time and within your budget! Most importantly, it allows you to continually support the needs of our local youth.

WEAREALWAYSOPENTOHEAR OTHERWAYSONHOWYOU CANHELPUS!

To make a contribution over the phone, or to ask for more information, please contact Laura Terzigni, Vice President at 508-485-4912 or laura.terzigni@bgcmetrowest.org

Photo: Marlborough Clubhouse members

HALL OF FAME BREAKFAST

A wonderful event celebrating those individuals that do so much for our organization. The event includes an induction ceremony into our Hall of Fame as well as recognition of our three Youth of the Year winners. Save the Date! The breakfast will be on Thursday, May 18th, 2023 at the Courtyard Marriott in Marlborough. Tickets are on sale starting April 1st!

VIRTUAL ART SHOW

The Annual Virtual Art Show was pushed back until May 2023. The show will consist of a Virtual Art Gallery & Auction featuring art pieces from our own BGCMW members from all 3 our our communities - Marlborough, Hudson and Framingham. It will have original artwork/drawings and paintings, digital artwork, photographs and beaded jewelry.

It's a virtual event! You can participate from your own home. Please stay tuned for more information coming soon.

Please spread the word! Everybody can participate!

ANNUAL GALA & AUCTION

Gathering MetroWest’s influential professionals, the Gala is a celebration of our Club members. This event includes an extensive silent auction, three-course dinner, as well as a Fund-A-Need portion. We present the Michael C. Sullivan Memorial Award, the Community Partner for Youth Award and the Alumni Impact Award

Join us for dinner and dancing on October 19th at the Verve in Natick!

BGCMWYOUTHBASKETBALL

LEAGUEONTOTHEPLAYOFFS

The BGCMW Youth Basketball League regular season has come to an end. We arehappytoannouncethatwehadatotal of 350 basketball participants this year, 80 more than last year. Now, the playoff's are nextinline!

We would like to thank all the coaches, staff and parents that have made the leagueasuccess.Thankyou!

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Photo: BGCMW Youth Basketball League 2023 season

BASKETBALLCOACHES PROVIDEEXTRACLINICS

Jeff Rudzinsky, MPS Director of athletics andsomeofourvolunteercoachesforthe K-2 basketball league have been running extra basketball clinics at the club. This has helped improve some of the skills for ouryoungermembersandhasalsohelped with pushing our vacation week program. We have had an influx of members register for our school vacation week who have never attended outside of basketball. This extra practice is now something we are looking to implement andcontinueafterbasketballends.

Thank you to all those coaches providing extratimewithourplayers! Formoreinfo

TEEN NIGHT FUN AT URBAN AIR

on registering for future clinics visit, https://www bgcmetrowest org/youthbasketball-league.

Welcome back to Felipe Ramos and Bridget HayeswhowerebothformerClubstaff. Bridget previously left to attend college and Felipe was dedicating his time playing football.

Both Felipe and Bridget returned because they missed working directly with our members.WelcomebacktotheClub!

IMPORTANT MARLBOROUGH CLUBHOUSE DATES

March 1 - Summer Registration starts

Teen Nights are fun designated time for the older Club members in middle and high school It is important for them to have their own safe space to grow and be themselves. One of the benefits of being a teen member is that you are able to sign up for Friday Field Trip Nights.

Members have gone to bowling alleys, roller skating and other fun places. This month Marlborough members went to Urban Air.

They had a great time on the zip line, climbing structure and a club favorite, playing dodge-ball. Some members even got to challenge their fear of heights!

This opportunity is a new community partnership by a former volunteer basketball coach, Andy Powell, who is the Urban Air branch owner

Overall, it was an adventurous night filled with lot's of thrills! Members can't wait to go back!

Photo: Marlborough Clubhouse members at Urban Air.

DISCOVERY CLUB HAS A NEW INSTAGRAM PAGE

Please Follow, Like and Share Discovery Club's new Instagram page!

PRESCHOOLERS CREATE AN ENORMOUS

This year our preschool classes got together for a group collaboration. They designed their own gingerbread house using a large appliance box and paint! They created their own gum drops and candy with markers and crayons in order to decorate their gingerbread house. This activity is a great way to help kids communicate with others, increase their social skills and selfconfidence They practice sharing, taking turns and teamwork. As a reward at the end of completing the project, they got to play in the actual gingerbread house! How fun! Visit our Instagram or Facebook page to see all our photos from that day!

HAPPY HOURS PRESCHOOL

GINGERBREAD HOUSE!

Photo: Happy Hours Preschool kids creating gingerbread house.

ANNUAL FATHER-DAUGHTER DANCE IS BACK!

The moment you have all been waiting for is finally here! The Annual Father-Daughter Dance, now a Knight for a Princess event, is back! Join us for a fun, memorable night with great music, dancing and light refreshments. You can purchase tickets for $10 per person at the door the day of the event. Please contact the Hudson Clubhouse for more details at 978-5629924.

HUDSON CLUBHOUSE

GALENTINE'S DAY PARTY

We would like to welcome our newest staff members in the Hudson Clubhouse, John Antigua and Hannah Cruciol!

The Hudson Clubhouse SMART Girls coordinated a Galentine's Day Party for future SMART Girls - the younger girls in the clubhouse. Only teens are able to stay after 6pm, but for this day only, the younger girls were able to stay past 6pm and hang out with the teen girls. The goal for this gathering was for the girls to feel comfortable in the teen room and for them to have a smooth transition. Great relationships were built that night!

IMPORTANT HUDSON CLUBHOUSE DATES

March 1 - Summer Registration starts.

March 13 - Professional Development Day. No school day. You can register your child at the front desk.

March 17 - Knight for a Princess dance. Club closes at 6pm.

March 29-30 - Elementary school half day. Club closes at 6pm.

Photo: Galentine's Day event at the Hudson Clubhouse.

GLOW-IN-THE-DARK EVENT FOR YOUNGER MEMBERS!

The Framingham Clubhouse recently had a successful Glow-In-the-Dark Teen Night event. As a result of this, Keystone Club members have decided to do a Friday Fun Night event for the younger elementary schoolkidsintheClub.

Parents can register their kids to stay past 6pm on Friday, March 3rd until 9pm. The fee is $15 per child and that includes dinner from Chick-fil-A. This is a great time for kids to hang out with their peers at the Club while parents have some free time on a Fridaynight!Youcanregister,HERE.

IMPORTANT FRAMINGHAM CLUBHOUSE DATES

February 21 - Summer Registration starts.

LOOKING FOR PARENTS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN HELPING FOR FAMILY DINNER/MOVIE NIGHT

The Framingham Clubhouse is looking to hold a Family Dinner & Game Night April 28th. The night will consist of a pot luck dinner with the participation of parents. The list of needs are as follows:

Prepared foods that are easy to grab for a large group of kids and parents

Desserts

Waters/Juice

Cups

Napkins

Plates

If you are interested, please contact the Club Director, Tammi Pudlo and call her at 508-620-7145.

TEENS WATCH SELMA IN HONOR OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH

In honor of Black History Month, members in Framingham watch the movie, Selma Selma is a chronicle of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s campaign to secure equal voting rights via an epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in 1965 In the month of February, clubs incorporated Black History Month in their activities.

Photo: Framingham Clubhouse members watching the movie Selma.

Photo: BGCMW staff at the Glow-In-The-Dark event