Fall 2021 Newsletter

GREAT NEWS FOR GREAT FUTURES NEWSLETTER | FALL 2021

The Club Experience Comes to Neptune This summer, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Monmouth County launched a new site at College Achieve Charter School in Neptune. This program is our first site in Neptune and offers our members a space with a field, a gymnasium, classrooms, and a stage, providing an environment that fosters creativity, confidence, and curiosity in our kids. Once the new location receives approval as a fully licensed childcare site, we will provide daily after-school programming throughout the academic year.

Launching this new site took innovation, planning, and creativity to ensure that the program could meet the needs of all eligible students. This required us to develop both full-day and half-day programs. We were able to incorporate wraparound programming including Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) activities like our Y-Media program; social-emotional learning; and health and fitness programs like SMART Moves. According to Crystal Monsanto, our Director of Programming and Wellness Integration and Site Coordinator, “Kids needed camp more than ever this summer.

By being able to partner with College Achieve to offer a safe, on-site camp jam-packed with trips, weekly themes, and swimming, kids were able to have flip-flopping fun in school and a better-than-ever summer!”

Launching this new site took innovation, planning, & creativity to ensure that the program could meet the needs of all eligible students.

Pioneering Programs at the Club As we continue to move forward and be there for our kids in whatever ways they need us, we provide innovative activities and programs each day. Social-emotional learning programs took center stage this summer, and all staff were trained on trauma-informed care practices before camp began. Every day of summer camp started with staff-led mindfulness activities.

This proved to be a vital component of camp, as many of our kids are struggling from the effects of the pandemic.

Innovative programs did not end there. If you ask our kids what their favorite program is at the Club, it would be the Y-Media video production class. In Y-Media, our members learn the various aspects of digital video production and editing and create their own student-led talk show. Participants have mastered on-camera performances, interviewing skills, camera operation, and audio techniques.

Most importantly, they have learned how to express themselves and build self-esteem. Henri Lee, our Technology Coordinator, has created a unique and engaging program that gives kids the chance to develop their own platform for communication. You can view their latest talk show creation on the Club’s YouTube channel!

Participants have mastered on-camera performances, interviewing skills, camera operation, & audio techniques.

Most importantly, they have learned how to express themselves & build self-esteem.

Staff Spotlight One of our newest staff members, Tylik, is not a new face around the Club. Tylik has been a Club member since he was five years old. He was recently enrolled in our teen employment and empowerment program, Project L.E.A.D. (Learning, Earning, and Advancing Dreams) and started working this summer as a staff member. It has been great to see Tylik progress, and we are excited to hear about his experience.

How was it being on the “other side” as a staff member this summer instead of a participant in camp? It was actually good to switch from being seen as a

participant to being recognized as a staff member after being here for so many years. You see things differently, especially about what members do and the choices that they make.

It was great working with the staff and learning from them.

What was something you learned during the three-day staff training that prepared you for employment? Something I learned during training was how

to run activities and how to give the kids the energy that you have. When I was a member, I didn’t know what went into running different programs and activities. I thought that the

Board Spotlight Michelle Gladden

We are excited to announce the addition of Michelle Gladden to our board of directors.

Michelle has been an integral part of the Asbury Park community, and we had a chance to ask her a few questions.

What motivated you to join the board? As a

former journalist, I’ve covered the Boys & Girls Clubs of Monmouth County for over 15 years and watched the development and growth of the Club. I’ve always found the programs to be innovative, and so when this opportunity came up, I jumped at it.

How long have you been involved in the Asbury Park community and in what capacity?

I was raised in Point Pleasant Beach, so I’ve been in the shore area for a long time. I’ve lived in Asbury Park for about a decade now. I started out as a community journalist, and prior to that I worked for the Asbury Park Press. Today, I’m the Communications Director and Business Community

staff were just coming up with things in the moment. I learned what went on in planning.

What was your favorite activity to supervise this summer? My favorite activity was

playing games with the kids in the gym, like freeze dance and dance battles. If I was a member, I would want to do those things! When we would do them, I was having fun like I was still a member, but at the same time I was working with the staff.

After your employment experience this summer, what do you think it takes to be a good staff member?

What I think is it takes listening skills and recognizing that everybody is not perfect. Kids will make mistakes. You just need to be a good person and treat everyone well and use your intelligence.

Any advice for the younger members now that you have moved up? The advice that I would give to

young members is don’t let anything get in your way. You have dreams to accomplish, go chase your dreams. Today, anybody can be anything. You just have to put your mind to it, do the work, and you will get there.

Liaison for Interfaith Neighbors. There’s something unique about Asbury Park. It not only has a lot of churches, but there are a lot of nonprofits located in this 1.4-square-mile community, and I think that says a lot about its diversity.

You balance that with the arts and culture and the hospitality industry, and there is a lot of richness here that can help our young kids develop.

Have you learned anything new about the Club that you didn’t know since you joined the board?

I think for me the fundraising aspect and the importance of it to sustain the programs is something that is new. The importance of this resonates as a new board member. I have also enjoyed meeting my board colleagues; I have learned so much already.

Would you like to share anything about yourself?

Aside from being a resident of Asbury Park and my work with Interfaith Neighbors, I am the Executive Director of the Asbury Park Arts Council. My personal vision is to help our young people get on a pathway to success, particularly if it is within the arts. For youth in underserved communities, art is an outlet for expression, and I see it as a perfect synergy.

Our Boys & Girls Club young people were part of a collaborative downtown mural project that we did this summer, and their piece is showcased in Springwood Avenue Park. This project gave me the opportunity to experience just how completely they understood the value of art and culture. I was impressed to see that kind of connection to the community.

Innovative Collaborations Bring New Experiences to Our Members By continuing to pursue how we can help young people in our community grow and thrive, we are consistently striving to increase our impact and meet the needs of those we serve. Collaborating with key partners has always been an integral part of what we do. It is even more vital now to keep our members engaged by providing a framework for positive development. Two exciting new partnerships are bringing innovative programs to the Club.

Konscious Youth Development & Services (KYDS) is working with the Club to train staff and provide a foundational culture of social-emotional learning and mindfulness. On Saturday, July 17th, KYDS and the Club joined forces to provide a full day of Saturday programming for children and families in Monmouth County. Kids were able to play basketball, swim in our pool, and participate in several high-

yield learning activities with Club staff. At the same time, KYDS personnel facilitated a group discussion with parents and caregivers addressing community issues.

During this event, another exciting partner joined in the day’s activities.

Food for Thought by the Sea, a local nonprofit organization whose mission is to support and nourish the community through the culinary arts, brought their food truck to provide healthy snacks to participants at the event. As a partner in our Project L.E.A.D. (Learning, Earning, and Advancing Dreams) initiative, our Club teens are working on the food truck and learning culinary and hospitality skills.

With a common goal of empowering youth in Monmouth County, we have planned additional programs and activities with these organizations during the next year to mutually reinforce the message of wellness, while providing a unique context for engagement.

A Most Unusual Evening The Boys & Girls Clubs of Monmouth County will be hosting the party of the year with our innovative annual signature fundraiser, “A Most Unusual Evening” on Saturday, October 23rd at Asbury Lanes. Guests will embrace a 1920s meets 2020s theme as they enjoy an unexpected evening of live music by Ian Gray and the Ocean Avenue Swingers, period entertainment by B-Xtreme, auctions and raffles, dancing, an open bar, and fantastic food.

Tickets and sponsorships can be purchased at www.bgcmonmouth.org.

Letter From Our Executive Director Childlike curiosity and inquisitiveness is a precious resource that, when nurtured and cultivated, becomes the seedbed of dreams and hopes for the future. But when curiosity and inquisitiveness are smothered and suppressed, children can struggle to imagine a future for themselves. One of the biggest challenges our Club members face is exposure to layers of complex trauma. Physical or sexual abuse, drug and gang activity, and domestic violence can rob children of their curiosity as they withdraw into themselves in an effort to survive. It darkens their vision of the future. At the Club, we pride ourselves on doing whatever it takes to create an ecosystem of opportunity, exploration, and connection that encourages our members to lean into their curiosity, try new things, and discover their full potential. To do this successfully, it requires constant innovation and experimentation.

No two kids are alike, and each child has a unique set of experiences, desires, and hopes that rely on a healthy, safe, and secure environment. The past year and a half, laboring under a cloud of uncertainty due to COVID, our team has been forced to constantly think outside the box and explore new ways to show up for our Club members.

THANK YOU TO...

Jules L. Plangere, Jr. Family Foundation for

their continued support in providing scholarships to our Asbury Park campers this summer. Their support allowed us to provide a fun and engaging summer camp to even more children.

TD Bank for supporting our educational programming, including homework help, tutoring, high-yield learning activities at all of our Club sites, and for supporting our annual fundraiser, A Most Unusual Evening.

Bank of America for supporting teens by providing

funding for Project L.E.A.D., our teen empowerment and employment program, helping youth develop workforce skills through mentorship, employment, and educational attainment.

“ The past year and a half, laboring under a cloud of uncertainty due to COVID, our team has been forced to constantly think outside the box and explore new ways to show up for our Club members.”

One of the biggest innovations we’ve undertaken is to restructure the culture of the Club around trauma-informed principles. Recognizing how exposure to trauma can rob our kids of the hope and curiosity needed to imagine a brighter future, we’ve worked hard to create an environment where kids can safely explore their curiosity, develop strong healthy relationships with friends and staff, and, most importantly, have fun.

Thank you for your continued support,

Doug Eagles Executive Director

Your Future Gift Can Make Great Futures Happen Did you know that by including the Boys & Girls Clubs of Monmouth County in your estate plan, you can make a gift that will benefit future Club members and support the Club’s mission of making great futures happen?

This future gift could be a bequest in your will, a charitable gift annuity, a trust arrangement, a real estate gift, or a life insurance policy. Whatever type of future gift you make, it will help to create a higher horizon of possibilities for every child who participates in the Club’s programs.

To learn more about these opportunities, including the Heritage Club, our association of donors who have included the Boys & Girls Clubs of Monmouth County in their estate plans, please contact Ray in the Club’s Resource Development Office by calling 732-775-7862, extension 12 or by emailing ray@bgcmonmouth.org.

Main Office - Asbury Park Unit 1201 Monroe Ave Asbury Park, NJ 07712

Greater Asbury Park Area Director Daniel Rivera

Treasurer Marion L. Candrea

Unit Director, Red Bank Ebony Holloway

2nd Vice President Brian A. Cheripka

Chief Operating Officer Karen Odom

1st Vice President Bruce P. Fromer, Esq.

EXECUTIVE STAFF Executive Director Douglas Eagles

BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Russell M. Johnston

Secretary Janice Fuller Bill Arnold Michelle Gladden Chris Harrison Oliver Jones Nancy Karpf Joan McManus-Massey Frank Scheuer Deborah L. Smith Jennifer Smith, Esq. Adam Taylor Robert White

Director of Programming and Wellness Integration Crystal Monsanto Manager of Finance and Administration Nicole Donadio Communications Director Lisi Klus Development Director Ray Brush Grant Director Cindy Fagan

START HERE

508 3rd Ave, Asbury Park

COLLEGE ACHIEVE 1201 Monroe Avenue Asbury Park, NJ 07712 Phone: 732-775-7862 Fax: 732-775-4065

ASBURY PARK

138 Drs. James Parker Blvd.

Red Bank, NJ 07701 Phone: 732-530-0065 Fax: 732-530-0064

RED BANK

bgcmonmouth.org

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GREAT FUTURES