You can be too!

Newly, appointed Boys & Girls Clubs of America President & CEO Jim Clark had no idea what kind of Club tour he was embarking on when he walked through the doors of A. Worley Brown Boys & Girls Club on January 3. By the end of the tour, Clark learned a little more about himself through a self portrait, conquered some fun reading problems through online sporting games and ended up in his suit and sneakers running a math relay race.  That sounds fun, right?

BGCMA believes every child has a great future! When given personal attention and exciting educational activities, every child can and will excel academically, and Clark experienced first-hand how learning at a Boys & Girls Clubs is made fun.  Kids are engaged in learning from the moment they walk through the doors of a Club, whether they are in the learning center, the gym or the arts room. Research shows the more a child can engage in hands-on activities, the more they learn. Boys & Girls Clubs believes in experiential learning and through it, we are helping kids learn, stay active and gain leadership skills.

And the Journey Begins... 

Clark walked through the Club doors and was immediately transformed into a Club member - that’s where the thrilling experiential journey began. He received his very own Club membership card and was eagerly led to the art room.

He created a self-portrait, inspired by Andy Worhal, and learned a little more about himself. A few young aspiring Club artists provided him with critiques and tips on how to improve. Just down the hall, Clark jumped on a computer and created his very own avatar with the help of some “young computer wizards.” Through Kids College, an interactive and fun educational computer program, Clark was able to use his avatar to play online sports games that helped him improve his in math and reading literacy - not that he needs to improve any!

After conquering the computer lab, Clark transformed into a musician and stopped by the Club’s recording studio for a 101 lesson on audio recording. He enjoyed an original song written, performed and produced by some impressive Club teens.

And, last but not least, he threw on his sneakers and hit the gym. Through a math relay race, Clark and 15 excited kids worked together on challenging math problems while exercising.

“This is a great example of how the Club integrates learning and fun into everyday activities. Running in sneakers and a suit is always interesting, and I had a blast with these very smart kids,” said Clark.

If you are interested in taking a Club tour, contact Lauren Race at lrace@bgcma.org or 404.688.2765. She’ll take you on your own exciting Club tour so you can see for yourself how Great Futures Start at Boys & Girls Clubs.