Program Fact Sheet
2014-2015
Character and Leadership Development
Torch Club* (ages 10-13) Weekly. Chartered small-group leadership and service for boys and girls. Torch Club
members learn to work together to plan and implement activities in four areas: service to Club and community;
education; health and fitness; and social recreation. Examples in include the Club’s recycling program and the kids’
advocating a smoke free zones in town parks.
Youth of the Year & Member of the Month (ages 14 -18) Annual – This recognition program is the cornerstone of
BGCA’s Character and Leadership initiatives. It promotes and celebrates young people’s service to the Club,
community and family; academic performance; moral character; life goals; and poise and public speaking abilities
Youth for Unity* / Caring Community - Weekly - a comprehensive, broad-based set of programmatic interventions
that build the capacity of local Clubs to help their Club members: appreciate themselves as unique and special
individuals; understand our society’s diversity; recognize bias and unfairness; and take personal leadership in
confronting bias.
Cowboy Ethics –Weekly (all ages) – A program that reflects on some of the “cowboy’s unspoken codes” to challenge
youth and adults alike to: 1. Live each day with courage. 2. Take pride in your work.3. Always finish what you start. 4.
Do what has to be done. 5. Be tough but fair. 6. When you make a promise, keep it. 7. Ride for the brand. 8. Talk
less, say more. 9. Remember that some things are not for sale. 10. Know where to draw the line.
Keystone (ages 13-18) Youth participate, both in and out of the Club, in activities in three focus areas: academic
success, career preparation and community service. With the guidance of an adult advisor, Keystone Clubs aim to
have a positive impact on members, the Club and community.
Education and Career Development
Junior Staff* (Middle school and High School) Weekly - a practical small-group program that assists Club teens in
exploring a career in youth development or other human services through practical work within and outside the Club.
Money Matters* (ages 13 and up) 8 Week Session - Helps teens gain useful knowledge and skills on various aspects
of financial literacy, including managing a checking account, budgeting, saving, investing, entrepreneurship and
paying for college.
Power Hour* (all ages) daily – Conduct engaging homework help programs for Club members, strategies to make
homework fun, with recognition and incentive strategies. Led by designated staff but assisted by community
volunteers.
Club Tech* (all ages) weekly – Teaches members, in age-appropriate sessions, technical skills and integrates
technology into core program areas. Each program emphasizes the safe, ethical use of technology and explores hightech career options.
Wonders of Science* STEM- Gives youth of all ages the opportunity for hands on learning through science-based
activities and experiments. Examples include rocketry, chemistry,
KHAN Academy* STEM -A highly engaging math tutoring program led by trained coaches, utilizing hands on
instruction, practical “real world” problem solving and active games that make learning math fun.
Minecraft EDU* STEM-an educational version of the popular game Minecraft designed by teachers for classroom
use. It contains many additions to the original game that make it more useful and appropriate in an after-school
setting. Participants learn about math, science, art, history, music as well as digital citizenship.
Arduino*STEM- An open-source electronics platform based on easy to use software and hardware. It’s intended for
anyone making interactive projects. It also teaches members about writing & understanding coding.
OJP Mentoring*- A staff led mentoring program that matches experienced, trained program staff with high-risk
members (mentees), assisted by qualified/trained volunteers. Participants are placed in targeted programs to
respond to their specific needs and interests, with weekly “check-ins” by mentors.
Knights of the Round Table/Chess Club- Weekly programing open to all members with weekly instruction provided
by staff and experienced community chess players. Participants also engage in monthly tournaments.
Paws for Reading-Volunteers with “citizen certified” dogs work with members who have challenges reading.
Members are paired with a dog as their book buddy, reading aloud to their furry partner.
Health and Life Skills
Healthy Habits* (ages 6-8, 9-12, 12-18) 10 week session - Known as the Mind component of Triple Play, the Healthy
Habits program is designed to incorporate healthy living and active learning in every part of the Club experience.
Sessions help youth understand the benefits of eating smart and being physically active.
Cooking Club - 13 sessions – Building on Healthy Habits, this program teaches youth to make healthy snacks and
meals.
SMART (Skills, Mastery and Resistance Training) Moves* (ages 6-9, 10-12) 8 week session - Skills Mastery and
Resistance Training is a nationally acclaimed comprehensive prevention program that helps young people resist
alcohol, tobacco and other drugs and avoid premature sexual activity. The program features interactive, small-group
activities designed to increase participants’ peer support, enhance life skills, build resiliency and strengthen
leadership skills.
SMART Girls* (ages 8-17) 10 week session - a health, fitness, prevention/education and self-esteem enhancement
program for girls. The program is designed to encourage healthy attitudes and lifestyles that will enable
adolescent/teen girls to develop to their full potential.
Date SMART (ages 13-18)
Teens learn how to achieve mutually supportive relationships free of violence and abuse. The program also
encourages youth to become community advocates for relationships that promote equality and respect while
combating the attitudes and behaviors that lead to dating, sexual and domestic violence.
Passport to Manhood* (ages 11-14 in Salida) 14 week session - a program that concentrates on specific aspects of
manhood through highly interactive activities. Each Club member participant is issued his own “passport” to
underscore his personal journey of maturation and growth.
Healthy Lunch/Healthy Snack-During the after-school program, members receive a healthy snack to boost their
mental and physical energy. During the summer the Club provides a free lunch to all members, in addition to their
daily snack.
Garden Club- Through a partnership with Guidestone and Salida Middle School, members of all ages plan, plant,
harvest and sell (weekly at the Club’s weekly Farm Stand) their fruits and produce of their labor.
Career Track- Monthly- The Club welcomes area professionals for meet-and-greet talks with Club members. Guests
talk about their careers and what it took to get to their position, followed by Q&A and pizza!
The Arts
Digital Arts Festival* (all members) ongoing - Each festival is the culmination of one of the five Digital Arts Suite
(DAS) programs: Music Tech, Photo Tech, Movie Tech, Web Tech and Design Tech. Members will work on their
projects throughout the year.
National Fine Arts Exhibit* (all members) Year round - Enables members to develop their creativity and cultural
awareness through visual arts. The exhibit has ten categories including monochromatic drawing, multicolored
drawing, pastel, watercolor, oil/acrylic, print making, mixed media, collage, sculpture and group project. Works are
showcased in a county wide competition with selected winners moving on to regional and national BGCA
competitions.
Image Makers Photography* (all members) weekly - Encourages members to learn and practice various
photography methods. The program includes: a resource guide for local Clubs, a national photography contest and a
Web site.
Fiber Arts -weekly – Members work with volunteers from the county’s vibrant arts community to learn and practice
knitting, looming, weaving, crochet, and rope creations. Participants design and create weekly art projects under the
guidance of art professionals.
Arts and Crafts- Daily art activities engaging all members, working in various mediums, from watercolor painting to
sculpture to bead making and more.
Cajon Drumming- A hands on Caribbean drumming class open to all members led by a local musician.
Talent Show- Summer program featuring Club members performing solo and in groups: singing, dancing, comedy,
poetry and more.
Salida Circus- Area circus professionals teaching trapeze, juggling, stilt walking, tumbling, culminating in a season
ending showcase for parents and a public audience.
Sports, Fitness and Recreation
Triple Play & Spark* (all ages) daily – Program designed to increase Club members’ knowledge of healthy habits,
good nutrition and a love for lifelong physical fitness. Daily challenges engage members in activities that teach skills,
such as football, running, etc. These skills are then put to use in club wide events twice a month.
.
Mountain Club – (all ages) A summer program in which members are given the opportunity to learn skills in camping,
fishing and mountain biking, with regular trips to put these skills to use in the outdoors.
Bike Club- (all ages) A seasonal program focusing on the joy of riding a bike with friends and seeing the town on two
wheels.
Pickle Ball- (all ages) Pickle Ball is growing in popularity nationwide and is now a regular sports program at the club.
Similar to tennis and ping-pong, the sport engages members of all ages with play days, emphasizing good
sportsmanship and physical fitness.
Floor Ball- (all ages) Similar to floor hockey but with lighter/safer sticks, this sport excites and motivates our kids with
weekly games for boys and girls.
Fun Run- (all ages) This monthly program welcomes members, parents, teachers, volunteers and community
partners to run together through a one mile trail with a special t-shirt provided to members who run 5 or more times.
Pick-up Sports (all ages) Weekly fun games of basketball, soccer, dodgeball, relay races and more, open to all
members.
Ninja Club-(all ages) The goal of Ninja Club is to get members competitive with themselves. Through a mastery of
skills in flexibility, stealth, core strengthening exercises and reflective mind focus mediation, members learn regulation
skills, challenging themselves to always be in control of their mind, body and soul.
Stackers- (all ages) Sport Stacking is a fitness based sport that kids from all backgrounds and abilities can do and
have fun. Sport stacking promotes physical fitness and academic learning.
Specialized Initiatives
Card Club-(all members) Members learn social recreation, math and strategy skills through competitions with various
trading card games.
Field Trips- Trail hiking trips, min-golf, zip line, movies, community service projects, art museums, Great Sand
Dunes, Denver Zoo and Aquarium are just a few of the trips we’ve taken our kids on over the past year.