By Jeanette A. Koechner | Director of Community Development
The Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Charles County continues to take a very active roll in our children's education and the children's future. The Education Program at the Boys & Girls Club encourages all students to reach academic success. Children participate in Power Hour and the Reading Program which help prepare them for school the next day. Being prepared for school enables them to feel good about classroom participation. They are eager to show that they have completed homework. Recent research shows students continue to fall behind in education. Only 33% of 4th graders, 32% of 8th graders and 38% of 12th graders read at or above the proficient level. Over 60 percent of the children we serve are considered to be at- risk or low-income and fare even worse.
In Science, Technoloby, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) classes, current graduating seniors rank 25th in math and 17th in schience amont industrial nations. Only 16% of graduates are proficient in math and are interested in STEM careers. Math and science skills are not just important for thousands of technology jobs that are being created but for many other employment positions.
These unsettling statistics are no exception to the children we serve. There is a large population of students that have been overlooked and are being left behind. Children of Club families in the low-income bracket score below the state average and well below other students in the community. Many teens from low-income families have limited or no access to technoloby with very little understanding on how math and science skills can apply to their life, careers and future. The Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Charles County is located in the community that has a higher population of low-income families, putting the Club in the position to address this problem and serve those who need us the most. These are exactly the students that the Clubs target.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Charles County recognizes the fact that in order for children to remain interested in their academic success, they must be prepared to meet the daily homework requirements,be eager to graduate from school and progress to the next grade level. As a child suceeds in school, he or she will be interested to continue their education or pursue a trade that will allow them to plan for gainful employment and a promising future.
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