Sponsor a child at the Boys & Girls Club

At the Boys & Girls Club, we add "teaching moments" to everything we do. Your support for our programs means that while kids are having fun, they're also learning something. And when we can bring different topics together – like mixing art and science in one fun project – it gets even better!

The kids at our Oak View Branch recently did just that by participating in MUZEO’s TrashARTist Challenge. In this annual art contest, Orange County youth learn about zero-waste recycling by turning trash into art. Our Oak View members collected cardboard, chip bags, and newspaper for months to make their TrashART project: a giant 5’ piñata. The idea started with a dialogue about the positive and the negative aspects of the community. The kids loved talking about the taco trucks in the neighborhood, the traditional dances that many of our students participate in, and the elements in their culture that make them happy. Unfortunately, the negative outweighs the positive at times, and trash is the first problem the kids pinpointed. So for the TrashARTist Challenge, the kids decided to bring the positive and the negative together to create an art piece that provided a solution to the issue of waste, while also representing one of the best traditional moments at a children’s party - breaking the piñata!

The kids had a great time putting the piñata together. And in the process, they got to learn lots of different things. They put their geometry skills to the test by using ratios and measurements. They used their creativity to tackle the problem of litter in their neighborhood. They celebrated one of their favorite community and cultural traditions with their piñata design. They learned the importance of conservation and sustainability. They discovered careers in architecture and urban planning. And, they learned how to work as a team.

Our members' hard work paid off when their piñata won 2nd Place in the TrashARTist Challenge’s 3rd-5th Grade category! And to top it all off, the piñata will be featured in the TrashARTist Challenge “Winner’s Circle” within MUZEO’s "Transcending Trash: The Art of Upcycling" exhibit all summer long.

Thanks to your support, kids are realizing all the amazing things they can accomplish every day at the Boys & Girls Club – like making an art piece that gets displayed in a real museum! Thank you for helping our community's kids find creative ways to open the door to their great futures!