BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF NORTHERN WESTCHESTER

BGCNW IS LICENSED BY NEW YORK STATE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES. YOUTH DEVELOPMENT INCLUDES AN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION ("ECE") PROGRAM WHICH FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS HAS PREPARED CHILDREN TO SUCCESSFULLY ACCLIMATE AND PERFORM IN KINDERGARTEN WITH SMILES. THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO EXPOSE ALL CHILDREN TO A STRUCTURED PRESCHOOL SETTING. THE CREATIVE CURRICULUM FOR CHILDREN AGES 3 TO 5 FOCUSES AROUND SPECIFIC GOALS, INCLUDING COGNITIVE AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT. THERE ARE FOUR (4) DEDICATED CLASSROOMS TO BILINGUAL LEARNING FOR APPROXIMATELY 60 CHILDREN.THE CURRICULUM IS THEME-BASED AND INCLUDES READING STORIES, HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES, AND DISCUSSIONS. THE PROGRAM RUNS FOR 12 MONTHS OF THE YEAR WITH A FULL-DAY PROGRAM OFFERING EARLY DROP-OFF AND LATE PICK-UP. IT IS TAUGHT BY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS WHO ALLOW THE CHILDREN TO EXPLORE AND PARTICIPATE IN HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES TO HELP THEM DEVELOP A FOUNDATION AND LOVE FOR LEARNING. STUDENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER IN A PEER-MEDIATED, AGE-APPROPRIATE SETTING. THE PROGRAM SUPPORTS CHILDREN'S COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT THROUGH OBSERVATION, DISCOVERY, EXPLORATION, AND REPRESENTATION. CHILDREN CONNECT EXPERIENCES AND USE IMPORTANT PROCESS SKILLS. THE CURRICULUM PROMOTES PRO-SOCIAL BEHAVIOR BY REINFORCING THAT THE CHILDREN PLAY WELL WITH OTHERS, RECOGNIZE THE FEELINGS OF OTHERS AND RESPOND APPROPRIATELY. IN ADDITION TO THE INTERACTIVE NATURE OF THE CREATIVE CURRICULUM, THE PRESCHOOL ALSO INCLUDES AN ON-SITE LEARN TO SWIM PROGRAM WHERE PRESCHOOLERS HAVE SWIM LESSONS AT LEAST TWICE A WEEK, DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES, A GARDENING PROGRAM, A PHYSICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM, NUTRITION AND COOKING, YOGA, ART, AND MUSIC TIME, AMONG MANY OTHER PROGRAMS. HOT, NUTRITIOUS BREAKFASTS, LUNCHES AND HEALTHY SNACKS ARE PREPARED DAILY ON-SITE FOR ALL PRESCHOOLERS. MANY OF OUR MOST INFLUENTIAL COMMUNITY AND BUSINESS LEADERS STARTED AT BGCNW EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM. THE MAJORITY OF OUR YOUTH OF THE YEAR FINALISTS ATTENDED THE BGCNW ECE.FUN CLUB AND TEEN PROGRAMMING ARE BASED UPON A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED, SUCCESSFUL YOUTH DEVELOPMENT MODEL BY BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA. HAVING THE BENEFIT OF OVER 85 YEARS OF PROGRAM EXPERIENCE LED BY THE VERY BEST YOUTH PROFESSIONALS THE BGCNW TEAM COMPLIMENTS THE BGCA PROGRAMMING INCLUDING RESOURCES FROM NEIGHBORING SCHOOLS, EDUCATIONAL AND LEADERSHIP CENTERS, AND YOUTH PROFESSIONALS. THE CLUB KEY DIFFERENTIATOR INCLUDES ADVOCACY AND COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP, WHICH IS APPLIED TO ALL PROGRAMMING. PRESCHOOL CHILDREN PREPARE CAPES FOR CHILDREN IN THE HOSPITAL SO THE PATIENTS CAN FEEL LIKE SUPERHEROES AND SUPPORTED BY NEIGHBORS, MIDDLE SCHOOL MEMBERS WORK ON SUSTAINABILITY PROJECTS TO EDUCATE PEERS AND THE COMMUNITY ON THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ADVOCATES OF THE ENVIRONMENT. KEYSTONE OUR TEEN LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY SERVICE CLUB MEMBERS SPEAK BEFORE LOCAL STATE AND NATIONAL LEADERS REGARDING IMPACTFUL LEGISLATION FOR YOUTH. CLUB PARTICIPANTS CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATE INCREASED ATTENDANCE AND GRADUATION RATES, CONFIDENCE AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, IMPROVED PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELLNESS, AVOIDANCE OF RISKY BEHAVIOR, IMPROVED LEADERSHIP, ENGAGEMENT IN COMMUNITY SERVICE, AND IMPROVEMENT IN HOMEWORK QUALITY, COMPLETION, AND GRADES. 87% OF CLUB MEMBERS WHO REGULARLY ATTEND CLUB PROGRAMMING WILL INCLUDE COMMUNITY VOLUNTERISM IN THEIR LIVES AS ADULTS. FUN CLUB AND TEEN PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO HELP FOSTER YOUNG PEOPLE'S CHARACTER, PERSONAL GROWTH, AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND TO ENCOURAGE COMMUNITY SERVICE WHILE PROVIDING ROBUST ACADEMIC, WELLNESS, AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT:(1) EDUCATION AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT - POWER HOUR HOMEWORK, TUTORING, PROJECT LEARN ACADEMIC STRATEGIES, STRIDE ACADEMY COMPUTER-BASED PROGRAM, LEARNING CENTERS TWO SUPERVISED LEARNING CENTERS FOR GRADES K-5 AND GRADES 6-8; BRAIN GAIN READ - EXPANDED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE SUMMER TO YOUTH GRADES 1-4; TEEN PROGRAMMING INCLUDES COLLEGE QUEST; WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, MONEY MATTERS AND FINANCIAL LITERACY.(2) CHARACTER AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT - TORCH CLUBLEADERSHIP/SERVICE CLUB, LIBERTY KEYSTONE CLUB LEADERSHIP, "YOUTH OF THE MONTH" AWARD, YOUTH FOR UNITY, YOUTH OF THE YEAR, KEYSTONE, S.M.A.R.T. LEADERS; S.M.A.R.T. GIRLS, PASSPORT TO MANHOOD, SMART MOVES, STREET SMART; FRIDAY NIGHTS EVENTS.(3) PHYSICAL FITNESS PROGRAMMING - PHYSICAL FITNESS EDUCATION PROGRAM, SPORTS CLUBS, LEAGUES, TRIPLE PLAY GAMES, SOCCER, LACROSSE, YOGA, TRACK, SWIMMING, CHEERLEADING, BASKETBALL, DANCE, WEIGHT TRAINING. (4) HEALTH AND LIFE SKILLS PROGRAMMING - HEALTHY HABITS NUTRITION, CULTURAL ENRICHMENT INITIATIVE, MENTORING; WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT; WELLNESS INITIATIVE; MEDITATION.THE BRILLIANT DIVERSE CREATIVE INTELLIGENT KIDS ARE THE UNIQUE MAGIC OF THE CLUB. AS A RESULT OF PARTICIPATION IN OUR FUN CLUB AND TEEN PROGRAMS THE FOLLOWING ARE OUTCOME HIGHLIGHTS:- 100% OF PARTICIPANTS INCREASED READING, WRITING, MATH, AND SCIENCE KNOWLEDGE/ABILITIES;- 100% GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL ON TIME AND CONTINUED TO COLLEGE TECHNICAL SCHOOL AND OR THE MILITARY;- 100% OF PARTICIPANTS DEVELOPED COLLEGE/CAREER ASPIRATIONS;- 78% EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN EXPLORING STEM CAREERS;- 100% OF ESL CLUB PARTICIPANTS LEARNED TO SPEAK, READ, AND WRITE ENGLISH MORE QUICKLY;- 95-100% OF MEMBERS HAVE A MORE POSITIVE OPINION OF PHYSICAL FITNESS, GOOD NUTRITION, AND WHAT CONSTITUTES HEALTHY LIVING;- 100% OF CLUB MEMBERS EXERCISE AT LEAST FOUR HOURS WEEKLY;- 100% HAD IMPROVED ATTENDANCE AT SCHOOL;- 87% OF PARTICIPANTS REPORT THEY ARE INTERACTING MORE POSITIVELY WITH FAMILY MEMBERS AND PEERS AND ARE OVERALL ENGAGED IN HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS;- 100% OF PARTICIPANTS ENGAGE IN COMMUNITY SERVICE THROUGH THE CLUB;- 98% OF PARTICIPANTS DEVELOPED A POSITIVE ATTITUDE TOWARD LEARNING AND KNOWLEDGE;- 90% OF TEEN PARTICIPANTS WERE BETTER ABLE TO SET PERSONAL AND ACADEMIC GOALS;- 95% OF TEEN PARTICIPANTS ACQUIRED EMPLOYMENT READINESS SKILLS AND EXPERIENCES, INCLUDING CAREER MENTORING AND WORK OPPORTUNITIES.

THE AQUATICS PROGRAM INCLUDES A LEARN TO SWIM PROGRAM, AN ADULT MASTERS PROGRAM, AND A NATIONALLY ACCLAIMED BGCNW MARLINS SWIM TEAM.COMPETITIVE SWIMMING IS A PATHWAY TO SECONDARY EDUCATION. OVER 51% OF THE SWIM TEAM IDENTIFY AS NON-WHITE. BEING A COMPETITIVE BGCNW MARLINS SWIM TEAM MEMBER, ATHLETES MAINTAIN A STRONG ACADEMIC RECORD, AND CONSISTENTLY GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. OUR LEARN-TO-SWIM PROGRAM TEAM HAS TAUGHT MORE THAN 80,000 CHILDREN TO BE WATER SAFE. ALL MEMBERS LEARN TO SWIM, EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, FUN CLUB TEEN MEMBERS, AND SUMMER ADVENTURE PARTICIPANTS. THE BGCNW MARLINS SWIM TEAM SUPPORTS OVER 250 ELITE ATHLETES. WE OFFER A YEAR-ROUND SWIM PROGRAM FOR ATHLETES OF VARIOUS AGES AND ABILITY LEVELS. THROUGH A DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE PROGRAM PROGRESSION AND A COMMITMENT TO ATHLETE EDUCATION, OUR PROFESSIONAL STAFF OFFERS AN ELITE YOUTH SPORTS EXPERIENCE TO ALL OF OUR ATHLETES. WE ASPIRE TO PROVIDE OUR ATHLETES WITH THE TOOLS NEEDED TO PURSUE THEIR INDIVIDUAL GOALS IN LIFE AND IN THE SPORT OF SWIMMING WHILE ALWAYS GIVING BACK TO COMMUNITY. MARLIN SWIMMERS ARE AGGRESSIVELY RECRUITED FROM THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS US COLLEGE SWIM PROGRAMS AND OFTEN ARE SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS. MARLINS CONSISTENTLY RANK AMONG THE TOP 100 PROGRAMS NATIONALLY. THE 12-MONTH PROGRAM PRODUCES QUALITY ATHLETES WHO STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE BOTH IN AND OUT OF THE WATER. OUR SWIM TEACHERS ARE THE FINEST IN NYS AND ARE 100% COMMITTED TO SAFETY AND ENSURING THAT CHILDREN ARE COMFORTABLE AND SECURE WHEN LEARNING TO SWIM. WE HAVE UNIQUE TECHNIQUES AND METHODS THAT HAVE BEEN HONED FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS. WE ARE A US MASTERS SWIMMING TEAM (USMS) TEAM. WE WELCOME SWIMMERS 18+ OF ALL ABILITIES TO JOIN US IN OUR 8-LANE, 25-YARD POOL. COACHES ARE ON DECK EACH PRACTICE TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON STROKE MECHANICS WHILE GUIDING SWIMMERS THROUGH A STRUCTURED WORKOUT. COMPETITIONS ARE OPTIONAL AND ENCOURAGED.