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A PlAce to Belong and Become

The first day Jaylon came to the Boys & girls club at age ten, he never wanted to leave. “As a sports lover, the Boys & girls club was heaven,” he shared. “they had huge gyms, outdoor basketball courts and a big grass field. I spent the whole summer playing basketball, football, any kind of sport I could find.” these summers at the Boys & girls club of truckee Meadows became something Jaylon looked forward to all year. While his summers were spent with his grandparents in Reno, he spent the rest of the year with his mom in oakland, and life there was difficult. His mom worked long hours and was often away from the house, and as a result, Jaylon became the primary caretaker for his younger brother and sister.

“Without that consistent adult presence, I stepped up as the man of the house and made sure my siblings were taken care of. I helped them get ready for school, helped them with their homework, and tried to make sure we went to bed on time each night. I didn’t think much of it at the time, I stepped up because that’s what needed to be done.”

With those responsibilities awaiting him at home, summers with his grandparents and the Boys & girls club became his respite. those few months were his favorite part of the year, not only because school was out, but because they gave Jaylon a glimpse of a different life. A life where he didn’t have to take on adult responsibilities. A life where he could simply enjoy being a kid.

A few years later, Jaylon’s mom was arrested and sent to prison for car theft. After a short stay in foster care, Jaylon and his siblings got to move back to Reno for good. “I will never forget the day we moved back. We pulled into my grandpa’s driveway, and I remember feeling like I was finally home.” But his grandparents’ house wasn’t the only place that felt like home in Reno. Jaylon couldn’t wait to get back to his second home at the Boys & girls club. “I was so excited the night before my first day back at the club that I could hardly sleep. I couldn’t wait to see my friends. And now that I was a teenager, I could attend the teen center and get a whole new club experience.”

Since returning to Reno full-time two years ago, Jaylon has attended his Boys & girls club nearly every day. In fact, his accomplishments and incredible story of perseverance and resiliency earned him the title of BgctM’s 2019 Male Youth of the Year. He’s now a sophomore at Spanish Springs High School and has found the club to be a great place to work on assignments and keep his grades up. He’s connected with many different staff mentors who continue to provide guidance and encouragement.

He also loves giving back to his Boys & girls club and rarely misses an opportunity to do so, whether it’s preparing food in the club kitchen, refereeing a youth basketball game or donning a bunny costume at the club’s Breakfast with the easter Bunny. “I take pride in contributing to my community in these ways, because it is my hope that I am creating a home for someone else who may have struggles like mine. Maybe I can help someone live in the moment, forget their troubles and feel like a kid for a little while. I think all children deserve that.”

“Without that consistent adult presence, I stepped up as the man of the house ... I didn’t think much of it at the time, I stepped up because that’s what needed to be done.”

A Place to Belong and Become

For the past 43 years, the Boys & girls club of truckee Meadows has provided young people just like Jaylon a place to meet friends and caring mentors, build character and leadership skills, and simply be a kid. In 2019, BgctM will serve more than 14,000 youth at 24 locations spanning four northern nevada counties (Washoe, lyon, Humboldt and White Pine).

Across all sites, the mission remains the same: “to inspire and enable youth, especially those who need us most, to become responsible, productive and caring citizens.” BgctM accomplishes this mission

by offering a blend of programs that build knowledge and skills in a fun and interactive environment with an emphasis on five core areas:

• Education & carEEr

dEvElopmEnt: Academically, the goal at the Boys & Girls Club is to see every member progress to the next grade on time, ultimately leading to high school graduation. To this end, the Club offers daily afterschool homework help and tutoring through Power

Hour. They also offer money management classes, college and career preparation, computer classes, science and technology camps, literacy programs and much more.

• charactEr & lEadErship

Development: Fostering growth into a well-rounded child means not only reaching tangibles like education and health, but also addressing the intangibles of character and leadership skills.

Through programs like Peanut

Patrol, Torch Club and Keystone

Club, members participate in Club and community service projects that build integrity and a positive work ethic while teaching the importance of becoming responsible, engaged and caring citizens. • hEalth & lifE skills: The

Club plays an important role in helping members make smart decisions now and establish healthy habits that will carry over to adulthood. Through programs like Positive Action, Passport to Manhood and SMART Girls, members of all ages learn to build self-esteem, develop positive social and self-management skills, deal with peer pressure and avoid

dangerous behavior like drug and alcohol use. • thE arts: Programs that promote artistic creativity have been proven to help youth improve academically, build self-confidence and grow into well-rounded adults. The Club offers a wide range of art programs that are as broad as their members’ interests, including music, fine arts, digital media, photography, drama and dance.

• sports, fitnEss &

rEcrEation: As today’s youth lead an increasingly sedentary lifestyle, the Club encourages members toward less screen time and more physical activity. This includes leagues and camps for football, basketball, baseball and indoor soccer; instruction and informal play in sports like karate, skiing, lacrosse and skateboarding; plus, plenty of time for cooperative games and play to get kids of all sizes and abilities up and moving every day.

This blend of programming, implemented by well-trained staff, allows the Boys & Girls Club meets each child where they’re at and become the best possible version of themselves. “I truly believe the Club has saved my life,” Jaylon said. “I’ve faced seemingly impossible obstacles that could have led me down so many wrong paths. Thankfully, the Club was right there when I need it the most. I am the person I am today because of my Boys & Girls Club.”

To support their mission and make a year-end gift to the Boys & Girls Club of Truckee Meadows, visit www.bgctm.org or call (775) 3602450.

avery Maddison

BOYS & GIrLS CLuB OF TruCkEE MEAdOWS CONSTruCTS Mater Academy’s new building on east 9th street

Charter schools are quickly gaining more popularity in northern Nevada, particularly as a growing number of parents are seeking alternative learning environments for their children. For many families, charter schools are the best option as they offer more flexibility, smaller class and school sizes, and unique experiences that can make a significant difference in a student’s academic success. For the Boys & Girls Club, Mater Academy offers a distinctive partnership and a revenue generating opportunity.

With a significant lead gift from the William N. Pennington Foundation, we are excited to announce a grand opening in February 2020 of our 20,000 square foot, three story state of the art school. The Boys & Girls Club will own the facility and BGCTM has entered into a long term lease agreement with Mater Academy for the space. Mater is part of a well-established charter school network, Academica, which provides a range of supportive services to more than 100 charter schools across six states from coast to coast. Initial plans for the school put the capacity of the new facility at 500 students, providing Mater with the space to expand to seventh and eighth grade and still have room to grow.

The East 9th Street neighborhood is one of the most challenging areas in our region, with high levels of poverty and crime and low rates of educational attainment among adults. BGCTM has proudly served the 9th Street neighborhood since we first moved to this facility in 1981. Our location has proven an ideal spot for Mater Academy as their model specifically target youth from low-income and disadvantage backgrounds. Mater’s goal is to provide academic services to these students in order to propel them toward success as they enter high school, college and the workforce.

If you wish to be a part of this terrific project, there are a limited number of classroom naming sponsorships available for businesses and/or families. Your name will be proudly displayed in the school lobby, outside your sponsored classroom and you will receive special recognition on the Club website and in grand opening eblasts and press releases. The new building will house three STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) classrooms which are available for naming rights at $50,000 each. In addition, there are 12 classrooms (out of 17) that are still available with naming rights at $25,000. Please contact Lisa Anderson at landerson@bgctm.or or 775-360-2455.