LEGACY: YESTERDAY, TODAY, TOMORROW
“When you think back on your childhood, who are the mentors you think of that made a difference?�
2017 CAMPAIGN FOR GREAT KIDS
Holly Shannon Campaign Chair Carson Law Group
Who are the mentors that made a difference in your life? For me, as an attorney, it was my teachers. They were always there to encourage me and helped me to realize I could accomplish anything I put my mind to. Their mentoring led me on a journey to law school and the career I have today. When I think about the Clubs, and the work that goes on every day for youth in our community, I am continually surprised by the caring, mentoring relationships that make Clubs so unique, and lead to our youths’ great futures. We all appreciate & frequently reflect on the investment our mentors made – in our lives, and in our futures. We see, and experience their legacy every day. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Skagit County has been growing, serving more youth, engaging more families, and seeing the daily impact in the lives of over 1,700 members throughout this community. The staff at the Clubs make that impact possible, supporting the members through programs that ensure their Academic Success, their Healthy Lifestyles, and their Character & Leadership. But more than that, the staff personally invest financially in the lives of these youth. This year the staff of the Clubs pledged over $9,750! The average staff gift was $350 for the year. From a part-time staff, working 15-20 hours a week, this is significant investment in the futures of those members they serve, every day. Our campaign generates the support that ensures the continued success of the Boys & Girls Clubs in our community. As you reflect on who those mentors who established a legacy, and made a lasting impact in your life, please join us in celebrating those people who enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.
Yesterday In 1995, a dynamic group of community members started work on serving the 18,000 youth who needed a safe, positive, and supportive place to go after school. Under the leadership of Jack Gubrud, the group included as many people as they could. Committed to providing for the safety, health, and wellbeing of young people, the group engaged friends and neighbors from around the Skagit Valley to carry the work forward. The Skagit Valley Youth Association was formed. In 1997, the first Boys & Girls Club opened in Skagit County. A few short years would see the opening of Clubs across the Valley. As community support increased, the number of youth served increased, and the impact of the Clubs became apparent. Boys & Girls Clubs alumni stepped forward to help out, making clear the Legacy of the Clubs, far-ranging. Tony Salas, of EDASC, who attended the Holly Park, Greenwood, and Ballard Boys & Girls Clubs, began focusing his attentions on Sedro-Woolley. Troy Kunz, an Edward Jones advisor, hailing from Boys & Girls Clubs in the Midwest, served on the Board of Directors, and helped with Anacortes. In 2015, Justice Lively was named the first Washington State Youth of the Year from Skagit County, fulfilling the mission of the Clubs, and demonstrating the growth of the Clubs, from their fledgling beginnings.
Today Today the Clubs are present in nearly every town & city in Skagit County, truly representing the families, and communities, here. With over 1,700 active members attending the Clubs after-school & during the summer, the Clubs deliver on our mission: to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. • We lead the nation in out-of-school outcome-based programming, that is engaging & developmentally-appropriate • We provide Academic Success Programs and help all our members LEARN, get tutoring help with their homework, and stay on track to graduate with a plan for the future • We provide Healthy Lifestyles Programs that help our members LIVE, stay active & fit, learn nutritional wellbeing, and avoid risky behaviors. We provide snacks & meal to all our members, after-school, so they never go home hungry • We provide Good Character & Citizenship Programs that help our members LEAD, become engaged in their communities, understand their rights & responsibilities as citizens, and model great character • We partner with all our local school districts to ensure that all youth have access to the Clubs, after school, regardless of where they’re coming from • We ensure that a family’s financial situation is never a barrier for any member to attend the Club
Tomorrow What will the future look like, with mentors & partners like you? We think about the legacy of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Skagit County, and how to shape our goals for the future.
Reaching all Youth Every youth deserves the opportunity for a great future, supported by caring, mentoring adults. Though we represent a significant portion of the community, there are still more youth not currently served through after-school & summer programs. With increased risk factors in many of our youths’ lives, the importance of Clubs is growing, and we need to be there for all youth in Skagit County, and beyond.
Increasing Capacity Every sustainable organization depends on the staff team who strive daily for greater performance, and on the partners who work along beside. As the Clubs have expanded, and partnered more fully, throughout the community, we have also worked to build the staff team that will strive for & ensure the greatest work. Increased capacity is made possible through the best people, and the best relationships.
Program Quality Initiatives Every Club member deserves the greatest support, and the best programs that we can provide. Through careful surveys, increased data reporting, and regular reflections from staff & youth, we are working to ensure that all our programs are providing the outcomes that we strive for, and that we can demonstrate the significant case for support. As we continue leading other youth-development organizations, in this regard, our goal is to set the bar for outcome-driven programming.
CHANGING LANDSCAPES Boys & Girls Clubs have been around for generations, going back to 1853. At that time, the concern amongst the citizenry was child labor and non-compulsory education. From that came one of our most simple principles, still in effect more than 150 years later: To go to the Club on any given day, you must have attended School that same day. Clubs have been, and hopefully always will be, beacons to youth in any community. The pull of wanting to engage with their favorite staff member, share about their day, receive homework help and guidance in life, and just hang out with friends, is palpable, and could be considered the carrot. The statistics point to this. Youth who attend their Club two or more days a week attend school 55% more regularly than peers. This is direct from the Office of the Superintendent for Public Instruction, after compiling comparative data from all over our state in 2015. However, times change, and Clubs must remain relevant. Even within the last decade, considered quite recent history by staff with a long tenure in the Boys & Girls Club movement, the depth at which our professionals and volunteers must be prepared has grown significantly. It is no longer just about training on how to develop and implement impactful programs and activities. While a foundational element of the Club experience, the needs of our youth have dictated inclusion of grief counseling, trauma response, anti-bullying initiatives, and much more. Clubs have always held the safety of our members as the top priority, with our long standing mantra of our facilities, dedicated to youth, being a safe, fun, and positive place for kids. That sense of safety has shifted though, far beyond providing a building free from hazards, staffed with individuals who are screened annually, and prepared to respond in an emergency. The concept of emotional safety is integral to the success of our young people—from simply being an ear when there are troubles at home, to recognizing signs of depression early on, and connecting those youth affected with the resources they need to be healthy in all aspects of their life. Growing up is always hard. It was before 1900, and it will be at the turn of the next century. Clubs will be there, ready to respond.
OUR MISSION
TO ENABLE ALL YOUNG PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO NEED US MOST, TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL AS PRODUCTIVE, CARING, RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS.
OUR VALUES
FUN, RESPECT, INTEGRITY, COMMUNITY, AND ACCEPTANCE.
OUR OUTCOMES
ACADEMIC SUCCESS Graduate from high school ready for college, trade school, military or employment
LEARN HEALTHY LIFESTYLES Adopt a healthy diet, practice healthy lifestyle choices and make a lifelong commitment to fitness
LIVE GOOD CHARACTER & CITIZENSHIP Be an engaged citizen involved in the community, register to vote and model strong character
LEAD www.skagitclubs.org