Education United States Project #2561

Saving Lives through Youth Guidance & Development

by Boys & Girls Clubs of Portland Metropolitan Area

Project Report | Aug 11, 2017
Club Youth Head to College

By Stephanie Lindstrom | Development Coordinator

College Bound!

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Portland Metro are excited to announce the 19 seniors who graduated from our Clubs in June. They were honored with a Senior Celebration held on May 18th at Daimler Headquarters in North Portland. These teens come from across the Portland area and represent nine area high schools, including; Hillsboro H.S., Grant H.S., Roosevelt H.S., Century H.S., Milwaukee H.S., Jefferson H.S., Lincoln H.S., La Salle College Prep, Miller Education Center and Centennial Park School.

This Senior Celebration was in alignment with the Better Make Room initiative put forward by Michelle Obama and Reach Higher to celebrate all teens' next steps after high school and create an excitement for future generations to see post-high school education as an important step in their personal growth. Additionally, Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Alumni & Friends drive to engage our graduates in their Clubs and community was featured as each graduate was awarded their alumni pin.

The 2017 graduating class will be attending Portland Community College, Oregon State University, Fleming College, University of San Francisco and Portland State University. One graduate has also enlisted in the U.S. Army to serve our country. These remarkable graduates will be pursuing a wide range of career interests including; engineering, film making, computer science and early childhood education, to name a few.

This diverse group of teens has come together to work, travel and learn in our Clubs and YouthForce Program. They are each a product of all the support around them and Boys & Girls Clubs of Portland Metro is lucky enough to be in that exclusive group. We love their passion, dedication, and leadership and look forward to seeing their successes in the future!

Oregon State here I come!

Proud to be a Panther!

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May 12, 2017
Teen Programming on the Rise at Boys & Girls Clubs of Portland

By Stephanie Lindstrom | Development Coordinator

Recently a number of our Clubs underwent major facelifts for their teen centers. As Club youth grow older, they tend to start attending less and less. But these are the youth who need the most the structure and something to do after school.

Nearly 20 percent of students don’t graduate on time, and the odds are far worse for most young people of color.

Some 4,000 young people are arrested each day, all but guaranteeing an adulthood characterized by incarceration rather than careers.

The greatest risk facing teens, is pessimism. Half of teens BGCA surveyed at the 2015 Keystone Conference said they are not hopeful about the future. Without hope, teens are even more vulnerable to the forces encouraging poor choices.

By providing fun, cool spaces that are just for our teens, it encourages them to attend the clubs more regularly. Once in the Clubs they are exposed to many opportunities and programs to help them become successful young adults.

One of the most popular programs offered is YouthForce. YouthForce is a unique career development program which integrates adult coaching and mentoring, skill-building workshops, and service learning, with hands on work experience in paid internships to develop the assets and competencies that under-served teens need in order to realize their educational and professional potential.

Included in the YouthForce program is the TeamWork Internship Program which is a unique partnership between Boys & Girls clubs of Portland YouthForce and Timbers FC, offering teens meaningful entry-level work experiences with the Guest Services Department during Timbers and Thorns games. Interns are supported by adult mentors, positive peer and professional networks, and receive on the job training.

Teens also have the opportunity to particpate in YouthForce University which is our training arm, offering un-paid workshops and drop-in hours that prepare teens for life after high school. We collaborate with community partners to support youth with college and career planning, networking, financial and workplace etiquette, and community engagement. Youth are also encouraged to discuss social justice and equity.

We have a department of staff whose sole job is to work with teens. They send weekly email updates to the teens with information on available scholarships, or opportunities to visit businesses to learn from executives what is needed to excel in a certain field. They are invited to attend seminars on how to choose the right college or can attend career information days to learn about careers in a variety of industries.

Finally during the summer our teens can attend THE CLUB Summer Programs. They can do something new each week with their fellow Club teens as they plan and implement service projects and grow their leadership skills through team challenges. They learn how to inspire others to greatness, make tough decisions, and develop creative solutions to tricky problems.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Portland is making a difference in the lives of our teens with the targeted teen programming available at all our Clubs.

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Feb 14, 2017
KALEHA NAMED 2017 YOUTH OF THE YEAR

By Stephanie Lindstrom | Development Coordinator

2017 Youth of the Year

Kaleha, a sophomore at Roosevelt High School and 10-year member of the Regence Boys & Girls Club in New Columbia, was selected as the Boys & Girls Clubs of Portland Metro’s 2017 Youth of the Year on Friday, February 3, 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 a small gathering at the Blazers Boys & Girls Club on MLK JR. Blvd.

“The Club has taught me to never back down from any challenge and to always believe in myself,” said Kaleha. “I cherish those lessons and look forward to the day I can share that with my community as a lawyer helping people stand up for their rights and for equality.”

Kaleha is an only child and the Club has served as a second home and family for the past 10 years. Kaleha is a leader in and out of her Club, serving as the freshman class president, a mentor to youth in the Club, and a participant in the K-CHING Program. Kaleha was also an organizer for “Hoodies Up Day” at her school – an Action Project that calls for solidarity in speaking out against racism and inequality.

Along with the title, Kaleha 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 Salem. After high school, she plans to attend Spelman College to become a lawyer.

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. Kaleha competed with four other outstanding Club members representing Club communities from Hillsboro and North Portland. All four runners-up received a $500 college scholarship.

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