BOYS & GIRLS CLUB MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Carson Shockney rides a zipline while playing at the Boys & Girls Club.
BY LISA SAVAGE
Z
ach Baker has visited the Boys & Girls Club in Ardmore since he was in first grade. His father worked long hours, and it was a good, safe place to stay. He’s a junior now at Ardmore High School and still goes to the Boys & Girls Club most days. “The Boys & Girls Club has had such a big impact on my life,” he says. “It’s a good place to have fun and learn some things along the way.”
From helping with homework to physical fitness activities, it’s about making a difference in the lives of the children, says Damien Chisholm, unit director of the Boys & Girls Club in Ardmore. “We’re always looking for ways to stimulate the children, both physically and mentally,” he says.
12 | January/February 2019
The Ardmore club averages between 30 and 40 members in attendance daily. The goal of the Boys & Girls Club is to make sure each member is on track to make good grades and graduate from high school with a plan for the future. They learn about character, citizenship and living a healthy lifestyle. “We want to make sure success is within reach of every young person who comes through our doors,” Chisholm says.
OPTIONS FOR ALL Kids ages 8 to 18 can attend, and activities are geared to the different age groups. Older students can participate in the teen club, which opened three years ago. It’s a space next door dedicated to ages 13 to 18. It offers activities like budgeting, ACT preparation and high-speed internet students can access for homework and research projects. Activities for younger children are suited more to their needs and interests. A designated time for homework begins soon after the school day ends. “When kids first get here, they get a snack, and then we start homework,” Chisholm says. “We call that the Power Hour.”
Ardmore Telephone Company
