Education United States Project #2561

Saving Lives through Youth Guidance & Development

by Boys & Girls Clubs of Portland Metropolitan Area

Project Report | Jul 10, 2018
Summer Brain Gain

By Stephanie Lindstrom | Development Coordinator

Field Trip to the Art Festival

Every summer, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Portland Metro provide safe, structured, and fun programs for youth. From Rockwood to Hillsboro, the Boys & Girls Clubs engage young people in hands-on activities and outdoor adventures, guided by caring mentors, which help them return to school in the fall ready to show off their new skills.

Summer is a crucial time for making sure that kids retain what they learned over the school year and continue to grow their minds while having fun. On average, youth lose 2 months of what they learned in school over the summer. With help from our supporters, we are to provide amazing summer experiences for Portland area kids and teens. We help fight summer learning loss through three hours of daily brain gain activities, provide art supplies and keep kids active through sports, and encourage healthy lifestyles with yummy, nutritious daily meal and snack options. Additionally, we broaden kids' horizons with field trip opportunities to the Oregon coast, OMSI, the Oregon Zoo, and more, as well as provide college tours, driving safety programs, and career development opportunities to teens.

Summer Sports

Summer Trip to the Zoo

Teens visit Oregon State University

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Feb 14, 2018
BGCP Teens Explore Higher Education Options

By Stephanie Lindstrom | Development Coordinator

Teens visit Oregon State University

For the past few years, Boys & Girls Clubs of Portand has worked hard to improve the attendance of teens in our Clubs because for teens, out-of-school time can be filled with many negative opportunities. By creating programs that interest teens in a healthy, safe environment, teens can find a positive way to spend those hours after school.

One of our most successful programs for teens is YouthForce. This is a unique employment and career development opportunity for teens that provides job readiness training, employment opportunities and overall career planning. Teens participating in the program work at the Portland Timbers and Thorns professional soccer games.

Another program offered helps prepare teens for life after highschool. Recently Teens from our YouthForce program and the Blazer’s Club visited Oregon State University in Corvallis.They were given an in depth look at several of the key buildings on campus in addition to the variety of majors OSU offers. They visited the Student Experience Center, the Memorial Union Building, and the Dixon Recreation Center. After the tour Zachary, one of our YouthForce interns, said, “I am highly interested in this school… this college is definitely on my top 5 list”.

OSU freshman and YouthForce alumni, Henok and Adrianah, met up with the group to share their experiences at Oregon State so far. They got to see their dormitories, dining halls, and the engineering makerspace. After, they had lunch at one of the restaurants in the quad and learned all about clubs, research opportunities, bridge programs, and cool outdoor activities available at OSU.

Gia, from the Blazer’s Club, shares her first impression of Oregon State with us after her visit, stating “this college tour has opened my eyes to a possible new learning experience.”

Teens meet the OSU student

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Nov 15, 2017
Regence Club Youth Named City Youth of the Year

By Stephanie LIndstrom | Development Coordinator

Youth of the Year with the Judges

Teya, a junior at Benson Polytechnic High School and 11-year member of the Regence Boys & Girls Club in New Columbia, was selected as the Boys & Girls Clubs of Portland Metro’s Youth of the Year on Wednesday, November 8, 2017.

During the selection process, a panel of judges heard speeches from each of five Metro Area Youth of the Year candidates, conducted one-on-one interviews, and then announced the winner at the Youth of the Year Luncheon at the Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum.

“The Club has positively shaped my life in so many ways. They have always been a family to me and the whole community,” said Teya. “Seeing the power of community building has shown me that I am part of a community and should be nice to everyone, and because of that I volunteer as much as a can. I want to make a positive impact on the younger kids in my community.”

Teya grew up in the New Columbia neighborhood and is dedicated to giving back and advocating for social justice in her community. She volunteers with Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), Rosa Parks Elementary School, Charles Jordan Community Center, and her Club. She is also a member of the Women’s Empowerment Club at Benson High School. After high school, Teya plans to attend Occidental College to become a doctor.

Along with the title, Teya received a $1,000 scholarship and will continue on to represent the Portland Metro Clubs at the Oregon State Boys & Girls Clubs Youth of the Year competition in March to be held in Portland.

Throughout the year, Portland-Area Clubs select a Youth of the Month. From the Youth of the Month candidates, a young person is chosen to represent their local Club as Youth of the Year. Teya competed with four other outstanding Club members representing Club communities from Hillsboro and North Portland. All four runners-up received a $500 college scholarship.

2017 Youth of the Year Winner

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