What Is the Boys and Girls Clubs of America?
For more than 100 years, the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing, and on Native American lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. Clubs provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun and friendship. They also provide high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. For more than 20 years, BGCA has championed environmental concerns through its effective delivery of environmental education programming.
Courtesy of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America
National Park Service and Boys and Girls Clubs of America Partnership
In 2014, the National Park Service and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America signed a formal Memorandum of Understanding to develop joint field trips and programs that encourage healthy lifestyles, outdoor recreation, citizen stewardship through educational and volunteer service, and job skills through internships and summer jobs.
What is the Ultimate Journey Program?
The Ultimate Journey is the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s (BGCA) environmental education program and is one of the BGCA’s oldest and most successful programs. This program was revised in partnership with the National Park Service in 2016, and speaks to children from urban, rural, military, and native settings. It introduces young people to history and aspects of environmental stewardship. Supplemental activities will also present opportunities to engage national parks to increase relevance and to enrich the learning experience.The program is a hands-on STEM curriculum designed for ages 9-13 that inspires curiosity and creates a thirst for adventure where young people rediscover the joy and excitement of learning. The activities can also easily be modified for both younger and older participants. Many of the activities include opportunities to get participants outside, exploring the environments around their Club, at national and local parks, and at cultural heritage sites. Many opportunities also incorporate technology. This will allow participants to explore environments both near and far, and discover how we are all connected as global citizens.
NPS Photo
The Impact
Clubs provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs during those critical non-school hours. Boys & Girls Clubs have changed and saved young lives during that precious out-of-school time. They provide that safe haven for nearly four million kids and teens every year, but there are still millions more who need it. The BGCA also reaches underserved communities—they have 290 Clubs in public housing, 170 Clubs on Native lands, 480 BGCA-affiliated youth centers on U.S. military installations worldwide, and 1,520 Clubs in schools.Find a Club Near You HERE
Last updated: June 9, 2023