in this issueOwning the Back-to-School Season

Club Kid Goes to Olympics

Youth Feedback Fuels ADA Upturn

GOOD FRIENDS, GREAT FUTURES

A week in Washington provides our five exceptional Youth of the Year

winners with a lifetime of memories

WINTER 2012-13c o n n e c t i o n s

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGEIt’s hard to believe a year has passed has since my first day on the job at Boys & Girls Clubs of America. It’s been a busy year for me – meeting so many of you, taking the pulse of the Movement, and working with national staff to determine how we can best serve our local Clubs going forward. It’s been a busy year for our Movement, too, with an impressive amount of forward momentum toward the goals of our Great Futures Impact Plan. I’m especially proud of the initiatives we’ve launched to focus on child safety, and increase average daily attendance to promote better outcomes for youth.

Recently, we convened a town hall meeting at the national office to address a topic of great concern to the Movement, and to America. The latest high school graduation statistics are out, and the news is particularly alarming for Latino youth. Only 63 percent will graduate this year, compared to 73 percent of the overall population.

We cannot ignore this achievement gap. Education is the great equalizer. And that’s what we do in Clubs: provide programs to help kids achieve the academic success they need – and deserve. At BGCA, we’re rolling up our sleeves, forming Innovation Teams, and working to identify and implement the best strategies to reach out to and serve Latino youth – and all kids who enter our doors.

This effort fits squarely with our mission to serve youth who need us most. Latinos represent 23 percent of American kids, as well as 23 percent of Club members. By 2020, 1 in 4 U.S. school children will be Latino. We cannot achieve academic success and on-time high school graduation for all members without addressing the achievement gap and dropout crisis among these youth.

There’s also an economic value: as the fastest-growing racial or ethnic group in U.S. schools, Latino students are an important part of our future workforce. To continue to be a vibrant, economically viable nation, we must do better by these young people.

As the largest segment of Americans living in poverty today, children are far more susceptible to challenges that can derail them on their path to successful futures. It’s time for a better life for all kids in this country. It’s our job to make that possible.Connections is published by Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

It is distributed without charge to member Clubs of Boys & Girls Clubs of America as a service of their memberships.

Articles or article ideas should be submitted to the Editor, Connections, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, 1275 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30309. Use or return of material cannot be guaranteed and no remuneration can be made. Opinions expressed by contributing authors do not neces-sarily reflect policies of Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Copyright ©2012 by Boys & Girls Clubs of America. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America.Job No. 2185-12

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FSC_MS_2_LPC.EPS

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA & FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA

Honorary Chairpersons

ROBBIE BACHRICK GOINGS

PETER L. HAYNESM. ANNE SZOSTAKChairmen Emeriti

EMIL J. BROLICKChairman of the Board

JAMES L. CLARKPresident and CEO

EVAN MCELROY Senior Vice President

Marketing & Communications

c o n n e c t i o n sv o l . 3 2 , n o . 3

KELLY GAINESEditor in Chief

JOHN COLLINSManaging Editor

MICHELLE McQUISTONWriter/Editor

BGCA CREATIVE SERVICESDesign & Layout

JAMES L. CLARK PRESIDENT AND CEO

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TSFEATURES

2 Good Friends, Great FuturesA great week for our Youth of the Year finalists

8 The More Things Change…Good Character and Citizenship

10 Owning the Back-to-School SeasonEstablishing Clubs as national leaders of academic success

12 Strength from SwimmingPhelps honors courageous Club member at Olympics

16 Ask the KidsSurvey data leads to increase in Club’s fun, safety and ADA

18 Capacity to ServeMaxed-out membership puts focus on partnering, donors

20 Open the Door. Take the Tour.Getting the whole Movement behind National Boys & Girls Club Week 2013

22 The Work of Art ArtCreativity fosters enthusiasm, motivation to learn

24 Mentoring’s MightCareer development guidance for Club professionals

COLUMNS

14 Chairman’s ReportFrom BGCA leader Emil Brolick

26 Excellence in ActionBuilding a better board meeting

28 View from the PotomacPols praise Clubs’ impact on youth

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ON THE COVER 2012-13 National Youth of the Year

Trei Dudley was in the middle of all the action in Washington, D.C.

Flanking Trei are co-finalists (from left) Denzell Perry, Mai Tong Yang,

Crystile Carter and Tyler Merriweather.

W W W . B G C A . O R G

“So, how many different laughs do you think you have?” the teenage girl asks her new friend. The two are sharing a light-hearted moment, midway through a momentous week of National Youth of the Year festivities in Washington, D.C.

Both are among the five remarkable regional finalists preparing to tell their life stories, polishing their heartfelt – and, at times, heart-

breaking – speeches about the journeys that brought them to this moment, to national competition for the highest honor Boys & Girls Clubs of America bestows upon a Club member. This afternoon, they’re waiting their turns to stand under a bright spotlight, in an otherwise dim hotel conference room, and tell their stories to a film crew.

By the end of the week, all five finalists will have shared their personal triumphs and challenges before a ballroom full of business and civic leaders at the National Youth of the Year Dinner, at a Congressional Breakfast, and in face-to-face interviews with the judges who will name one of them 2012-13 National Youth of the Year. But even with the prestigious title and thousands of dollars in college scholarships at stake, there is something else on the minds of these five teenagers: each other.

Each grew up in a different Boys & Girls Club, in a different town. Each traveled from a different region of the country to arrive in the nation’s Capitol and meet the others for the very first time. And yet, they have so much in common. They’ve filled out the applications, written the essays, and cleared the hurdles of state and regional Youth of the Year competitions. Each one has overcome difficult challenges in their young lives; each one nevertheless holds tightly to ambitious dreams. And each one has arrived here, on the very cusp of a great future, following a path that went through a Boys & Girls Club.

“It’s just so amazing,” says Trei Dudley, from the Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence, Kan., “to meet these other kids

who are just as motivated as you are, who have faced some of the same struggles and have the same goals as you do.”

If there’s an adult here who can truly understand the profound bond between Youth of the Year finalists, it’s Stephen Miller. He’s here as advisor to Tyler Merriweather, the finalist from the Southeast. But Miller is also a Club alum. When he first travelled to Washington, D.C., eight years ago, it was as Southeast Regional Youth of the Year. Now the senior unit director at the Boys & Girls Clubs of West Alabama, Miller stays in touch with his fellow finalists, who are organizing a reunion of the Youth of the Year “Class of ’04.”

At Wednesday morning’s Congressional Breakfast, Dudley is named 2012-13 National Youth of the Year. Immediately, she’s whisked out of the room to pose for official photos, and into a car with her two predecessors, Nick Foley and Mona Dixon, on their way to an advocacy event for BGCA. After speaking to a room full of reporters at the National Press Club and giving television interviews alongside BGCA National Spokesperson Denzel Washington, Dudley is asked to identify her favorite part of the week in Washington. She says, without a moment’s hesitation,

“The relationships I’ve made with the other candidates. People always say things like that, but it’s true.”

The national honor Dudley has just won includes $61,000 in college scholarships from Tupperware Brands and The Rick and Susan Goings Foundation, as well as a new car from Toyota Financial Services. The four outstanding Regional Youth of the Year winners are each awarded $11,000 in scholarships. And all five will share the bonds of lifelong friendship. Their inspiring stories are told in the following pages.

GOOD FRIENDS, GREAT FUTURESWEEK IN WASHINGTON MEANS NEW FRIENDSHIPS, NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR FIVE FINALISTSBy Michelle McQuiston

2 WINTER 2012-13

“The Boys & Girls Club has given me a safe place, filled with caring adults, and the opportunity to better myself.”

It’s Her Turn to InspireNational Youth of the Year

TREI DUDLEYOver the years, Trei Dudley’s Boys & Girls Club provided her with so many important things – a refuge from domestic violence, a place to just be a kid when the burdens of helping out at home weighed heavily on her, and mentors who made sure she had every opportunity to pursue a brighter future.

“The Boys & Girls Club has given me a safe place, filled with caring adults, and the opportunity to better myself,” Trei says. Club staff were always willing to listen and offer words of encouragement and support. “They lifted me up with their positive spirits.”

Trei started attending the Club, which was just down the street from her house, when she was in kindergarten. There were nights, she says, that knowing she could go to the Club the next day gave her hope that she could get through the problems at home.

When Trei was in the fourth grade, her parents split up, and her family no longer had to endure the fear of violence. But her mother was forced to take on a second job to make ends meet. As the oldest child still living at home, Trei had to assume new responsibilities, including housework and helping to raise two younger siblings. Having the Club to go to each day allowed Trei to just be a kid and enjoy the company of other children.

After years of seeing the Club as a place to have fun with friends, Trei’s point of view changed as she grew into a teenager. For one thing, she realized that the Club could open doors to opportunity. Trei’s mentors at the Club encouraged her to push herself academically. Through her favorite program, “Go, Girls, Go” (a version of BGCA’s national SMART Girls program), they helped her learn how to handle difficult real-life situations.

Trei also relished the chance to work as a junior staff member. Club staff were always there to support her, she explains. “It was my turn to be that positive role model I once had as a child. I wanted the younger kids to feel that they can achieve anything they desire because they have a support group that will always be there for them.”

The kids who know Trei couldn’t ask for a better model to emulate. Still following a steady path toward her dreams, she is now in her freshman year at the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville studying business management.

Above: Trei Dudley learns that she has earned the national title.

Left: BGCA Governor Rick Goings; BGCA National Volunteer Susan Goings; Trei Dudley; Ashanti Douglas; and 2011-12 National Youth of the Year Nick Foley.

Trei Dudley

CONNECTIONS 3

Dreaming of HeroesNortheast Youth of the Year

CRYSTILE CARTERCrystile Carter has a dream. At just 18 years of age, she’s well on her way to fulfilling it. Since she was a child, she’s wanted to join the New York City Police Department. To get an early start, she took advanced placement courses in criminal justice while still in high school. Now, she’s a freshman at Monroe College in New York, working toward the four-year degree that will allow her to one day rise to the rank of sergeant, her ultimate goal.

“I had an experience as a kid where a police officer had to step in,” Crystile says, explaining why she feels so driven to pursue a career in law enforcement. “She didn’t even know me, but she was so welcoming, so caring. She guided me during the toughest time of my life.” One day, Crystile says, she wants to be in the same position to help children in tough situations.

While Crystile’s future is bright, her childhood was often difficult. For a time, she lived with her great-grandmother and 13 siblings

and cousins. Their home was full of love, says Crystile, but it was simply too much for one adult to manage. So Crystile was placed in foster care and then moved from one temporary home to another. “I was just another lonely foster child,” she says.

But the Madison Square Boys & Girls Club in New York City served as the one constant in her life. There, she found a consistently safe and supportive environment – even as violent crimes took place in the street outside her home. She also found opportunities to develop her career aspirations and leadership skills. She joined Keystone Club. She volunteered for the DiverCity dance troupe, helping to choreograph performances and assisting younger Club members as they learned not only dance steps, but also the importance of physical activity to a healthy lifestyle.

Club staff always had Crystile’s back academically, too, knowing that she attended a notoriously failing high school. “Out of 62 seniors in my class, only 14 graduated. The Club made sure I was one of them,” Crystile says. “I am a high school graduate because of my Boys & Girls Club.”

A Voice Strong and ClearPacific Youth of the Year

DENZELL PERRY“Imagine a world where the birds in the sky are actually police helicopters, a neighborhood where your life is pre-determined as a statistic, and a home where your mother works two full-time jobs to provide a roof over your head and a daily meal. This is my world.”

As the opening lines of Denzell Perry’s speech at the 2012 National Youth of the Year Dinner, these

“My Boys & Girls Club not only kept me off the streets and out of gangs, but also helped me go from special education classes to graduating with honors.”

“I am a high school graduate because of my Boys & Girls Club.”

4 WINTER 2012-13

words were remarkable not only for the powerful images Denzell evoked – but also for the clarity and eloquence with which he delivered them.

As Denzell went on to explain to the audience, by the age of 5, he had not yet begun speaking. Doctors were certain he suffered from an intellectual disability. But Denzell proved them wrong. At age 6, he quite literally found his voice in the warm, welcoming setting of the Watts/Willowbrook Boys & Girls Club in Los Angeles.

Denzell’s journey to Washington, D.C., for the National Youth of the Year festivities began when he saw the cover of “Connections” magazine, featuring the five 2010-11 Regional Youth of the Year finalists, on his advisor’s desk.

“He said to me, ‘Miss Jones, I want to be on the cover of this magazine! What do I have to do?’” recalls Denzell’s advisor, Andreatee Jones.

Denzell’s Club had never participated in state or regional Youth of the Year competitions. Nevertheless, Denzell decided to go for it. He submitted an application detailing his accomplishments: In the Club, he volunteered his time developing a teen-friendly website to promote the college readiness program. In high school, he was class president and served as a student member of the board of education.

Next, Denzell composed his speech describing what the Club meant to him. “My Boys & Girls Club not only kept me off the streets and out of gangs,” he wrote, “but also helped me go from special education classes to graduating with honors.”

Not only did Denzell’s drive and determination transform his own life, it also transformed his Club. Excited to follow in Denzell’s footsteps, teen members are now establishing a Youth of the Year small-group club. There’s no doubt we can expect more great things from Denzell – today a freshman at the University of California Irvine – and more great Youth of the Year contenders from the Watts/Willowbrook Boys & Girls Club.

The Light in Their EyesMidwest Youth of the Year

MAI TONG YANGMai Tong Yang doesn’t remember the months her family spent in a crowded refugee camp in Asia; she was too young for memories. But her mother once showed her a photo, she says, and it revealed something remarkable.

“It was clear that living conditions were cramped, and the beauty of nature was beyond the reach of those behind the fences,” Mai Tong recalls. What stood out most to her, though, were the children. In the images of her very young self and her siblings, Mai Tong found a surprise. “Rather than blank, hungry expressions, our eyes communicated laughter, energy and hope,” she says.

Born in war-torn Laos, Mai Tong was forced with her family into a refugee camp in Thailand, before relocating to Minneapolis when she was just a toddler. When she joined the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities in St. Paul, Minn., at age 6, she found the support she needed to learn a new culture and a new language. “I found a place where I belonged,” she says. “I felt a rush of optimism.”

But her family’s difficulties were far from over. Mai Tong’s parents struggled to support nine children. Some nights, there was not enough to eat. When she turned 14, Mai

“The single most important lesson that my Boys & Girls Club taught me is that my circumstances do not define me.”

CONNECTIONS 5

Tong began working at the Club, using her earnings to help her family buy groceries and make ends meet.

Club staff helped Mai Tong focus on academics and encouraged her interest in languages. She earned a prestigious scholarship from the National Security Language Initiative for Youth to study abroad in South Korea for a year. There, she learned yet another language, shared her knowledge of American culture with South Korean youth – and took an important step toward her career goal of becoming an international diplomat.

“The single most important lesson my Boys & Girls Club taught me,” says Mai Tong, “is that my circumstances do not define me.” She credits that lesson with helping her achieve a high school GPA of 4.08 and admission into the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, Minn., where she is now a freshman. It’s also the reason, Mai Tong says, that her eyes, and those of her family members, still hold the light of optimism she first spotted in that old photo.

So Much More than a NumberSoutheast Youth of the Year

TYLER MERRIWEATHERIt’s not uncommon for a child to dream of a profession he’ll pursue in adulthood. He may want to don a doctor’s white coat or a judge’s robe, or pick up an artist’s brush. Tyler Merriweather, on the other hand, has long known what he did not want to be when he grew up: a statistic.

“My story will not sound unique to many African-American males,” Tyler explains. “A single-parent

home, economically below the poverty level, watching my mother struggle financially, going days without food and lights. But it is my story.” And, with the help of the Boys & Girls Clubs of West Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Tyler is making his a tale of triumph.

In addition to taking advantage of the opportunities his Club offered him to learn and grow, Tyler worked hard to encourage more teen members to participate and helped Club staff design programs that would interest his peers. He served as a spokesperson for his Club, addressing local businesses, and represented the teens of his community in presentations to the county commission, city council and school board.

When a devastating tornado struck his hometown last year, Tyler immediately sprang into action. He coordinated with his teachers and various community agencies to organize a relief operation in the school gym. Later, he worked with FEMA and other organizations, providing input for a long-term disaster relief plan.

Tyler attributes much of what he’s achieved to his mentors at the Club. In programs like SMART Moves and Passport to Manhood, he gleaned important lessons about leadership and perseverance. “With each endeavor I make, each obstacle I overcome,” Tyler explains, “it will always be a skill, idea or personal philosophy learned at my Club that allows me to move forward and achieve greatness.”

Tyler is now studying accounting and management at the University of Alabama; he credits the Club with helping him get there, too. “It is because of my Boys & Girls Club that I am a first-generation college student,” he says. “It is because of my Club that I am not a statistic.”

Michelle McQuiston is writer-editor for BGCA.

“It is because of my Boys & Girls Club that I am a first-generation college student. It is because of my Club that I am not a statistic.”

6 WINTER 2012-13

In a nation abuzz with election coverage, our newly named 2012-13 National Youth of the Year Trei Dudley stood with her predecessors Nick Foley and Mona Dixon in an advocacy event at the National Press Club in

Washington, D.C. – and reminded America that addressing the needs of our youth is a pressing issue in any year.

“There are a lot of things I’m proud of about this country, but the state of our kids is not one of them,” said Rick Goings, chairman and CEO of Tupperware Brands and a member of BGCA’s Board of Governors, against a backdrop of display boards noting the high rates of youth poverty, the childhood obesity epidemic and the high school dropout crisis.

At the end of World War II, the United States had the highest high school graduation rate in the world. But today we rank 18th. Many experts fear that our country’s declining stature in educational attainment will ultimately lead to a dire economic future.

It was Mona who perhaps most eloquently captured how the challenges facing today’s young people can derail them from their path to graduation and successful futures. Remembering her own difficult childhood, she posed the question, “How could I think about a hard math problem when I had to think about where my next meal was coming from?”

BGCA National Spokesperson Denzel Washington also spoke movingly of his youth and how the Club kept him on track to attend college and make a better life for himself. He issued an urgent challenge to national media to focus more attention on the needs of youth – and to tell the positive stories of young people like Trei, Nick and Mona who have achieved so much despite the odds against them. Club supporter Michael Phelps, fresh off his history-making performance at the London Olympics, and National Youth of the Year Ambassador Ashanti Douglas rounded out the panel of speakers.

“Every child has the innate potential to be as successful as our outstanding Youth of the Year winners,” said BGCA President and CEO Jim Clark. “But they need the support that a Boys & Girls Club provides,” he went on to explain. Clark then presented our Great Futures Impact Plan for assuring that more young people can achieve the important outcomes of academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles.

The message struck a chord with media representatives. The event garnered coverage for the important work of Boys & Girls Clubs – including interviews with Dudley, Washington, Clark and Phelps – on “Meet the Press,” Fox News, CNN, several MSNBC outlets, and in The Washington Post.

AMERICA’S KIDS:TIME FOR A NEW PLAN

CONNECTIONS 7

THE MORE THINGS CHANGE…

From the start, character development and community service have been vital to the Club Experience. In this photo

from 1949, for example, a Boys Club member recognizes our country’s democratic values by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

Nowadays, community service takes many forms. At the Boys & Girls Club of Green Bay, Wis., for instance, the program Enviro-Team empowers members to be good environmental stewards. Taking part in projects such as planting trees, cleaning up parks, and raising an organic vegetable garden gives Club youth confidence they can make the world a better place.

Across the country, Clubs have made Good Character and Citizenship a priority outcome area. As a result, children and teens are realizing they’re not just helping their communities. They’re helping themselves, too.

8 WINTER 2012-13

Micah often cried herself to sleep at night due to her crooked teeth. Not from physical pain, but the dread of yet another day of high school classmates making cruel comments about her smile. A mentor at the Boys & Girls Clubs of East Central Alabama referred Micah to Tomorrow’s Smiles, a program that provides free dental care to Boys & Girls Club members, ages 12-19.

Through a partnership between Boys & Girls Clubs of America and National Children’s Oral Health Foundation, qualified Club members can receive dental services that include:•Comprehensive restorative functional and aesthetic treatment•Education on the importance of good oral health•Guidance to maintain their healthy smile

Her smile and confidence restored, Micah went on to be named her Club’s Youth of the Year. Today, she is focused on achieving her dream to be a teacher.

If you know a Club youth who needs dental care but can’t afford it, let Tomorrow’s Smiles help.

Learn more at TomorrowsSmiles.org.

TOMORROW’S SMILES FOR TODAY’S CLUB TEENS

BEFORE DURING AFTER

CONNECTIONS 9

On Aug. 21 in New York, more than 200 members of the Madison Square and South Queens Boys & Girls Clubs descended on Manhattan’s Union Square. They’d traveled cross-town and borough-to-borough for Boys & Girls Clubs of

America’s second annual “Wake Up Call” – an event to send students into a new school year ready for academic success. Kids enjoyed a number of fun education-themed activities, including an obstacle course symbolizing the daily challenges they’ll face during the school year.

The event was also the launching pad for “Tools for Back-to-School,” BGCA’s national campaign to raise awareness about all the things kids need to succeed in school – from pens and paper to quality after-school programs – and all the things Clubs do to support them throughout the year. Tools for Back-to-School’s online school supply drive and partner promotions resulted in more than 400,000 classroom supplies for Club youth.

With the back-to-school season top of mind for not only our Movement, but communities nationwide, local and national media coverage of the event generated nearly 80 million TV, radio and online impressions. Actress and singer Keke Palmer did interviews with CNN, Good Day L.A. and New York Live. BGCA’s President and CEO Jim Clark and Senior Director of Education Erica Stevens participated in more than 30 TV and radio interviews.

The national event wasn’t the only celebration. BGCA also provided resources and a Tools for Back-to-School tool kit for Clubs to host their own local events. More than 120 Clubs around the country embraced the campaign by hosting family dinners, supply drive parties and rallies to spur excitement for the new school year. In California, more than150 Club members and their parents attended the Boys & Girls Clubs of Carson’s “Back-to-School Bash.” Staff member Wilfredo Flores said the Club hopes to make the event an annual tradition. “Having members, staff and school faculty come together was very beneficial in helping members see that we are all working together to ensure their success in school.”

PREMIER PARTNERS BGCA developed Tools for Back-to-School as a national, multi-partner promotion with a simple but strong message: to provide kids with the tools they need to do well in school. The strategy worked well. Businesses were eager to align themselves with the Boys & Girls Club brand and give consumers a cause to rally around. More than a dozen partners supported the campaign with promotions, sponsorships and supply drives.

Retailer jcpenney was the presenting sponsor of the campaign’s New York launch, and also provided generous support for local Boys & Girls Clubs. During August, jcpenney shoppers could round purchases up to the next dollar. The promotion raised nearly $1 million for local Clubs. In addition, the retailer’s partnership with online gaming site WeTopia enabled the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale in Arizona to earn new computers for its Tech Center.

Establishing Clubs as national leaders of academic success By Dvon Holland and Lucy McDonald

OWNING THE BACK-TO-SCHOOLSEASON

OWNING THE BACK-TO-SCHOOLSEASON

10 WINTER 2012-13

The Walt Disney Company also played a vital campaign role. As the sponsor of the online school supply drive, the company’s support resulted in more than 21,000 supplies being donated to Clubs. In addition, Disney Stores donated a school supply kit to a Club for each specially marked Tools for Back-to-School backpack sold. And Radio Disney held dozens of supply-drive events and energized our Wake Up Call with on-site entertainment by the Radio Disney Road Crew.

A GOLD MEDAL EFFORTBy positioning Boys & Girls Clubs as the leading advocate of academic success in the out-of-school hours, our Movement has an opportunity to “own” the Aug.-Sept. back-to-school season. That’s a good position to be in. In terms of retail sales, the period is second only to the holiday shopping season. Forbes.com has reported that the “back-to-school season is big business. Consumer surveys consistently put support of education high on the list of causes favored by the highly sought-after ‘Mom demographic.’” (U.S. mothers represent a $2.4 trillion market.)

Industry experts at Cause Marketing Forum were impressed by BGCA’s efforts. The Forum’s blog post reads,

“It’s refreshing to see a nonprofit take hold of a season that fits its mission, gathering momentum to attract a multitude of partners. Everywhere you turn this back-to-school season, it seems BGCA is front and center. BGCA and its partners left no marketing platform unturned, always ensuring a solid tie between promotion and mission. A gold medal for this comprehensive full court press!”

With national and local involvement, and thousands of engaged consumers, Tools for Back-to-School was BGCA’s largest, most successful cause marketing initiative yet. But just wait till next year.

To learn more about Tools for Back-to-School and how you can take part in 2013, please email bts@bgca.org.

Dvon Holland is public relations director and Lucy McDonald is cause marketing director for BGCA.

BGCA President/CEO Jim Clark reminded the crowd how important academic readiness is for kids.

Challenges included packing a backpack with essential school supplies.

Club youth ran a fun obstacle course symbolizing all they must do to prepare for school success.

CONNECTIONS 11

William Watson, a 7-year-old member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley in Knoxville, Tenn., received the opportunity of a lifetime last summer. Along with his mother, Kenya, William attended the Olympic Games in London to see his hero, swimmer Michael Phelps, compete in his final race.

STRENGTH FROM SWIMMING OLYMPIC GREAT MICHAEL PHELPS HONORS COURAGEOUS CLUB YOUTH IN LONDON By Adam Guy

12 WINTER 2012-13

Like many of the kids Boys & Girls Clubs serve, William has faced serious challenges in his young life. After nearly drowning as a toddler, he developed a severe fear of water. Far more devastating was the death of his father, William Watson Jr., the victim of a senseless shooting this past April. It’s a lot for a child to handle.

Kenya says her son turned to the pool to get through that very difficult time. “William told me it was his way of dealing with his grief,” Kenya told a local TV station. “That he wanted to do it for his father.”

NO MORE FEARAt the age of 5, William began attending the Tennessee Valley Club’s Haslam Family Club University Unit. Staff members encouraged him to take part in im, the learn-to-swim program created by the Michael Phelps Swim School and KidsHealth. With nurturing and coaching, William overcame his fear of water to become the youngest member of the swim team.

William’s achievements inspired one of his coaches to share the boy’s story in an essay to the Michael Phelps Foundation. It led to William being invited to the U.S. Olympic Trials in Nebraska to see Phelps compete. Then, he was asked to come to London.

CONFIDENCE CONFIRMEDPhelps’s first duty following his remarkable Olympic performance was to present William with the inaugural Head & Shoulders Confidence Award. The award honors a person or group that exemplifies what it means to embrace confidence and strive for success despite adversity.

At the award ceremony, Phelps told William, “I want to congratulate you because I know that anything you set your mind to, you’ll be able to achieve.” The young boy and the world’s greatest Olympian then shared a tearful embrace.

Phelps helped give William the chance to learn to swim and provided him with an experience he’ll never forget. William is now safer in the water, has the confidence to explore his world and is on the path to a great future.

Not every young person will attend the Olympics or meet their hero. But William’s journey is symbolic of the incredible opportunities Clubs provide young people to gain meaningful experiences that help yourh recognize their true potential.

Adam Guy is director of sports, entertainment & alumni development for BGCA. He accompanied William and Kenya on their trip to London.

PHELPS HONORED AS CHAMPION OF YOUTHOn Sept. 19 in Washington, D.C., Michael Phelps received the BGCA Champion of Youth Award. BGCA National Spokesman Denzel Washington presented Phelps with the honor during the annual National Youth of the Year ceremonies. The award honors an individual who has gone above and beyond in service and commitment to youth at Boys & Girls Clubs across the country.

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Emil J. Brolick

columns Chairman’s Report

My term as chairman of Boys & Girls Clubs of America will come to its completion on Dec. 31. The past two years have been

an exhilarating time to be a part of the Boys & Girls Club Movement, as we worked together to address the serious issues that will define the future of our young people and our country.

I’ve had the good fortune to work alongside not one but two world-class leaders in President and CEO Jim Clark and President Emeritus Roxanne Spillett. I’ll continue to serve on the board and look forward to working with incoming chairman Ron Gidwitz, managing partner of GCG Partners consulting group in Chicago.

Above all, I want to extend my thanks to the professional staff and volunteers at Clubs across the country and in military Youth Centers worldwide. Your commitment and hard work impact young lives every day.

I’m proud of our many shared accomplishments, perhaps none more than the development and launch of our Great Futures Impact Plan. As a Movement, we came together to examine and discuss the challenges facing America’s youth. What we learned – from the Commission on Impact, focus groups and town hall-style meetings throughout the country – informed our strategic plan. It made clear how very critical our work will be to the future of this nation.

The centerpiece of the plan, of course, is the Formula for Impact. I’m proud of the way our Clubs have wholeheartedly adopted the Formula, using it to heighten the Club Experience and ensure our youth can achieve Academic Success, Good Character and Citizenship, and Healthy Lifestyles.

We also realized the critical role measurement will play to keep our Movement competitive for donor dollars and laser-focused on the evolving needs of youth. We launched the National Youth Outcomes Initiative to gather and aggregate data that will show us how to make the Club Experience even more powerful, and produce a picture of our collective national impact. The data from our first National

Outcomes Survey, administered by more than 700 Clubs to some 40,000 kids, is already providing us valuable insights. If your organization has not joined the National Youth Outcomes Initiative, I urge you to do so today. (Contact measurement@bgca.org.)

MILESTONES FOR THE MOVEMENTDuring my tenure as chairman, I had the privilege and pleasure to preside over several important milestones for the Boys & Girls Club Movement. Last year, we celebrated the 20th anniversary of our military partnership. Nothing makes me prouder than the way our Clubs serve the children of the brave men and women who serve our country.

This year, we marked two decades of Boys & Girls Clubs on Native American lands. These organizations in Indian Country are truly bringing hope and opportunity to the young people who need us most. They combine the very best of Boys & Girls Club traditions with the rich cultures of the communities they serve.

Finally, I’d like to take a moment to thank my colleague on the board, BGCA’s national spokesperson, Denzel Washington. For 20 years, Denzel has spoken eloquently, genuinely and publicly of the difference the Club Experience made in his life. No other spokesperson, for any organization, has done more than Denzel has to shine a spotlight on the vital work of Boys & Girls Clubs.

INVESTING IN KIDS AND COUNTRYI’ve worked in the business world for some 30 years. In that time, I’ve found that any successful enterprise requires one vital element: a solid return on investment. Regardless of the product or the service, the bottom line of success is always ROI. After more than a decade of working in our Movement, I know I’d be hard-pressed to find a more reliable investment in our nation’s future and sustainability than Boys & Girls Clubs.

THE SOLUTIONIS ALL OF US

14 WINTER 2012-13

Chairman’s Report columns

Clubs are building our future citizens, our future parents, our future civic and business leaders, our future workforce. Building great futures means impacting the life of every young person we serve. But it also means reaching out to all youth, especially the millions at risk of falling short of their full potential. Their uncertain fate also puts the future of our nation in jeopardy.

No issue illustrates this better than the high school dropout crisis. A recent study by Columbia University estimated each dropout will earn $209,000 less over a lifetime. The 1.2 million students who failed to graduate last year represent a loss of as much as $250 billion to the U.S. economy.

A MOVEMENT LIKE NO OTHER Our goal is simple: to achieve substantially better outcomes in these critical areas, paving the path to great futures for millions more Club members. By boosting average daily attendance and teen membership, we will increase our impact on the youth we serve and grow our Movement in a smart, strategic way. Increasingly, we will build Club

capabilities to serve more young people and boost their participation. At the same time, we must ensure that Clubs continue to be the fun, safe places that keep kids coming back.

No other organization has the experience, scope and knowledge to serve the children who most need the chance to succeed. No other group of people transforms the lives of so many young people. By serving more kids, more often and providing them with outcome-driven programs in the areas of Academic Success, Good Character and Citizenship, and Healthy Lifestyles, we will realize our vision for all Club members to graduate from high school with a plan for the future.

There’s an old saying: If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. In the Boys & Girls Club Movement, we believe that every citizen, every organization and every business has a role to play to solve the challenges facing our youth. Only by working together can we provide our country’s young people with the opportunities they deserve to achieve a great future.

CONNECTIONS 15

This past spring, 43,000 kids sat down and told us what they think of their Boys & Girls Clubs. They also

answered questions about school, how they eat and exercise, and avoiding risky behaviors. It was Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s first National Outcomes Survey. What the kids had to say couldn’t be more important to our Movement.

The most significant finding validated what common sense has long told us: When the Club Experience is good, young people achieve more positive outcomes in all three priority areas of Academic Success, Good Character and Citizenship, and Healthy Lifestyles. (See sidebar for details.)

There’s more good news. Boys & Girls Club members overwhelmingly expect to graduate from high school and college. Expectations like these, research shows, are related to academic achievement. And, Club members compare favorably to national averages in regard to a number of risky behaviors. (See chart for details.)

This research is invaluable for proving our impact to parents and communities, as well as potential donors and partners. “It used to be that all our evidence was anecdotal,” says Colleen Braga, chief professional officer of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Ada County, Idaho, which participated in the 2012 survey. “But some people want hard data. They

want to know that you’re moving the mark. It’s great for grant writing. The fact that I can say, for example, that 90 percent of our teen members abstain from using marijuana, is so powerful.”

In 2011, the Ada County organization also participated in the pilot test of the National Outcomes Survey, a major component of BGCA’s National Youth Outcomes Initiative. In the pilot year, the Club received a survey result that was not good news. That gave Braga and her team an opportunity to use the data for its other critical purposes: identifying areas for improvement and determining how to make the Club Experience even better.

Risky Behaviors: How Club Kids Compare

Club youth score better than the national average on a number of risky behaviors. Above: Club 9th-graders compared to 9th-graders in the CDC’s national Youth Risk Behavior Survey.*

ASK THE KIDSSurvey data helps create a safer, more fun Club Experience, boost attendance and raise fundsBy Michelle McQuiston

16 WINTER 2012-13

Safer and more funHer organization was happy to help pilot test the National Outcomes Survey, says Braga. “We really embraced the Formula for Impact,” she explains. “We had been very focused on the three priority outcome areas, so we were excited to get input from our kids and see how we were doing.” Having used the Formula for Impact as their road map to positive outcomes, the Ada County team was now ready to use NYOI data to see exactly where their Clubs and their kids were on that road.

Most of Ada County’s results were positive – but the Overall Club Experience at its Garden City unit was a glaring exception. Members’ perceptions of safety in the Club were particularly poor. “That was kind of devastating,” says Braga. “We really think, as probably everyone involved in Boys & Girls Club work does, that safety is a basic expectation.”

Braga took the findings to the Garden City staff, who formed a committee to address the issues. Their first suggestion was a staff code of conduct. The code outlines ways for staff members to focus attention on youth, such as not using phones or mobile devices around members.

Next, Braga and her staff focused on the facility and program design. The Garden City Club features long hallways, bathrooms that are removed from program areas and other places where kids might wander unsupervised.

Club staff made changes to minimize such opportunities. They began requiring bathroom passes. They developed a more structured program schedule with separate,

age-appropriate activities for 6- to 9-year-olds and 10- to 12-year-olds. When switching program areas, members are now required to walk in straight lines. “Coming from a Club background, it was hard for me to swallow these changes,” admits Braga, “because it felt like school.”

Some staff members did not like the changes, either. “We did have a few positions turn over,” says Braga, because staff were unwilling to adjust to the new rules and expectations.

“It was painful, but it needed to happen,” she adds, because safety was such a critical priority.

The efforts worked. In the 2012 survey, the Club’s rating for Overall Club Experience improved dramatically, particularly in the area of safety. While Braga had worried that the Club might sacrifice its “fun” rating as result of the new rules, it scored four points better on that measure, too.

Average daily attendance at the Garden City unit also increased by 12 percent, from 186 to 208. Why? “If kids don’t feel safe, that affects their desire to be at the Club,” posits Braga. “When kids feel recognized, when they feel safe, when they’re having fun, average daily attendance is going to increase.”

In other words, when the Formula for Impact is in place, when outcomes are measured and data is used to improve the Club Experience – it all adds up to more members in the Club and better outcomes for kids.

Sign up for the National Youth Outcomes Initiative today at http://bgca.net/formulaforimpact/measurement.aspx.

Michelle McQuiston is writer/editor for BGCA.

A POSITIVE CLUB EXPERIENCE, BETTER OUTCOMES FOR KIDSWe asked members about their perceptions of the Club in six areas related to the Formula for Impact:

fun, recognition, connection to an adult, staff members’ expectations, sense of belonging and overall safety. Members who gave their Club Experience an overall high rating also reported better

outcomes in all three priority areas. For example, they were:

• Morelikelytoexpect to go to college

• Lesslikelytoskipschool

• Morelikelytoconsiderschoolwork meaningful and important

• Morelikelytovolunteer

• Lesslikelytogetintofights

• Lesslikelytogetarrested

• More likely to eat the recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables

• Lesslikelytousetobacco

• Lesslikelytoconsumealcohol

• Lesslikelytousemarijuana

Source: National Outcomes Survey, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, 2012 *Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data. Atlanta, Georgia: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011.

CONNECTIONS 17

Being under capacity was never an issue for the Boys & Girls Club of Elgin, Ill. Its first facility was a single-family home purchased 15 years ago from

the city for $1.

With 2,000 square feet, the Club could serve about 40 members daily in its building, but often saw up to 80 kids a day.

“We were over capacity on a daily basis,” says Executive Director Rose Reinert. “We had to do a lot of field trips and other creative things [outside the Club] to serve everyone. But the need for the Club was huge.”

Following a capital campaign that raised more than $3 million, a new facility, the Boys & Girls Club of Elgin Education & Enrichment Center, opened its doors in June 2008. Club staff thought the new facility, at 15,000 square feet, could easily handle the increase in membership, projected to grow from 690 to 750.

But that’s not what happened. The demand for the Club was so great, it opened over capacity. In the first year, membership doubled to 1,300.

BALANCING NEEDS AND RESOURCESClub leaders faced a delicate balancing act. To ensure that the Club Experience was not compromised for existing members, further growth had to be strategic and sustainable.

Reluctantly, the Club established a waiting list. The first 60 applicants from each elementary school grade were granted membership. There was no such limit on teenagers, the

majority of whom are served at the Club’s four school-based sites.

Knowing that so many youth still needed their services led the Club to forge several partnerships. “It’s all about leveraging and working

CAPACITY TO SERVEMAXED-OUT MEMBERSHIP LEADS TO RENEWED FOCUS ON DONOR RELATIONSHIPS By John Collins

For 15 years, the Elgin Club served up to 80 youth a day in this single-family home purchased from the city for $1.

“We started to change our dialogue around donors

to talk about relationships, not money.”

18 WINTER 2012-13

together to make sure kids are served,” says Reinert. Club staff led sports, art and cooking activities for a police department summer program that served 400 kids a week. To help local educators fulfill federal grant requirements, Club professionals delivered SMART Moves and Triple Play programming in schools. Working with the city, staff and teen members provided outreach services at housing developments, engaging youth in high-yield games and other positive activities.

This past year, the Club reconfigured its summer program by scheduling the teen offerings from 5:30 to 8 p.m., which opened up morning and afternoon slots for elementary-age kids.

“We can’t absorb them all during the school year,” says Reinert. “But we were at least able to move some off the waiting list for the summer.”

Entering the new school year, more than 100 youth remained on the waiting list. “We talk a lot about the list,” says Reinert. “We’re kind of the safety net for making sure kids have a safe place. But the safety net’s just not big enough.”

RELATIONSHIPS, NOT MONEYThe new facility also brought other new concerns, most notably sustainability. State funding and special events had been key means of support in the past. But Illinois was projecting a multi-billion dollar deficit and the Club’s top special event had seen attendance and revenue decline for several years.

Club leadership decided to terminate the event and to not include state funding in the annual budget. Instead, they turned their focus to their annual campaign and strengthening relationships with individual donors.

“With the stress of a new building, you talk a lot about money,” says Reinert. “But when you only talk about money, you lose sight of the people behind the money. In 2009, we started to change our dialogue around donors to talk about relationships, not money.”

Rather than financials and events, the first items covered at board meetings became stakeholders and stewardship. Board members took a much more strategic approach when speaking with supporters, asking personal questions like how they first became involved with the Club. They also documented every conversation in their donor database. Before meeting with donors, board and staff members could now review their profiles to learn more about them and their current relationship with the Club.

ACTIVE STEWARDSHIPThe Club developed a stewardship plan to regularly engage donors of different levels. All supporters receive holiday cards. Those who donate several years in a row

are sent more frequent, detailed communications, such as an impact letter with outcome measurement and program updates. Some donors receive personal visits. It’s different based on their relationship with the Club. And it’s not all based on money.

“If someone is writing a check to us every year or every month,” says Reinert, “that’s definitely somebody who values us and what we’re doing. It might not be $10,000, but it’s definitely something to them and to us. So we want to be sure to keep them engaged.”

Educating supporters about “cost per child” has been an effective strategy. Donors are informed of the $388 cost to serve each member over one year. By making their gifts more tangible, donors are better able to see how their support directly impacts children. It’s been especially successful in moving donors up in giving.

Club tours are also a good way of engaging supporters. “It’s showing off what you want them to invest in,” says Reinert. “To see the mission in motion and feel the energy, it becomes very real to them. It’s impossible to say ‘no’ once you walk through the Club.”

Though their approach to fundraising continues to be donor-centered, Club leaders are mindful to maintain a diverse development portfolio that includes events, grants and government funding – but always with a focus on cultivating individual relationships. Now, an annual dinner and golf outing are more “friend-raisers” than fundraisers, where the goal is educating new people about the mission. As a result, the Club’s annual campaign has grown at least 50 percent the past two years.

“People give to people,” says Reinert. “It was important for the board to learn this. Face-to-face conversations are most effective because people feel the passion; they can hear why somebody who volunteers for this organization is so passionate.”

After a decade of exceptional service to the youth of Elgin, Rose Reinert recently left the Boys & Girls Club to spend more time with her family.

John Collins is senior writer/editor for BGCA.

Executive Director Reinert and members at the state-of-the-art facility that opened in 2008.

CONNECTIONS 19

In 2012, Boys & Girls Clubs of America worked to increase National Boys & Girls Club Week’s visibility through cause promotions with such national partners as Party City and eBay. Public relations efforts included outreach to

“mommy bloggers” and national media. Simultaneously, Clubs nationwide worked to secure local TV/radio air time and ad space for the Great Futures Start Here celebrity public service announcement during the month of April.

This new focus on National Boys & Girls Club Week is part of a broader, year-round initiative to coordinate national and local marketing efforts to boost our collective brand awareness. This strategy provides Clubs with opportunities to build on the momentum created by national marketing efforts. Imagine the impact of some 4,000 Clubs reaching out to local media and community members with one common message – as BGCA simultaneously broadcasts the same clear message through national channels.

These opportunities, or “push periods,” are: National Boys & Girls Club Week in the spring, the fall back-to-school season, and winter holiday promotions. (Read more about Tools for Back-to-School in the article beginning on page 10.)

It’s an 80-year-old tradition, it’s fun for kids and adults – and it should be a big part of your

Club’s year-round marketing strategy. It’s National Boys & Girls Club Week.

This is the week, every year, when we celebrate the magic that happens in Boys & Girls Clubs. Across the country, Clubs host events like ice cream socials, spaghetti dinners and talent shows. From coast to coast, blue doors open to show communities how Clubs do what they do – build great futures for kids.

That’s why National Boys & Girls Club Week is such an important marketing opportunity for local Clubs. From focus group studies, we know that the Boys & Girls Club brand is widely recognized. That’s the good news. But while the public knows who we are, most say they don’t really understand what Clubs do or why the Club Experience is so valuable to kids. Together, we can change that.

OPEN THE DOOR.TAKE THE TOUR.Getting the Whole Movement Behind National Boys & Gir ls Club Week 2013

By Michelle McQuiston

Left to right, entries from BGCA’s 2012 Blue Door Decorating Duel by: BGCs of Cleveland; BGC of the Hi-Desert in Yucca Valley, Calif.; and the Watertown BGC in Massachusetts.

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Chattahoochee Valley members celebrate BGC Week in Columbus, Ga.

20 WINTER 2012-13

All Together NowBGCA also introduced a new, unified theme: “Open the Door. Take the Tour.” Inspired by the tradition of Clubs holding open house events as a signature celebration at the end of National Boys & Girls Club Week, this new theme has universal appeal. It also lends itself to the perfect call-to-action for our messaging efforts: To see where the magic happens, to understand how we start great futures for kids, tour a Club.

At the local level, it’s a call to attend an open house or tour of your Club. At the national level, BGCA will reinforce the message through cause promotions, public relations outreach and social media. The centerpiece of BGCA’s social media offering will be the online Club tour launched in 2012 – which attracted more than 4,000 visits in less than one week! Clubs can also capitalize on this compelling content by sharing it on Facebook, Twitter and other social channels.

Other components of National Boys & Girls Club Week in 2013 will create social media, public relations and marketing opportunities for Clubs. BGCA will once again coordinate the “Blue Door Decorating Duel.” Decorate your blue door, and send us a photo. The entry that receives the most online votes will win its Club a great prize.

The real prize, of course, is the impact of raising your Club’s visibility and credibility with parents, donors, the media and your entire community through a coordinated National Boys & Girls Club Week marketing campaign. The time to get started is now.

For more information, contact Meredith Carter, director of marketing strategy and operations for BGCA, at bgcweek@bgca.org.

Michelle McQuiston is a writer/editor for BGCA.

Scan the QR code fo r a f un , v i r t ua l C l ub tou r tha t you can share wi th suppor te rs .

Looking for a fun way to include your local partners in National Boys & Girls Club Week? “Blue Jeans for Blue Doors” is an easy employee engagement promotion that you can plan in conjunction with a partner. For one week, a partner’s employees make a small donation to support the Club. In exchange, they can wear jeans to work all week long!

BGCA’s turnkey Blue Jeans for Blue Doors tool kit features step-by-step instructions,

sample communications to potential partners, and art

files to provide partners everything they need to run

a successful campaign. Download the tool kit at

Marketing.BGCA.org.

BGC of Greeneville & Greene County, Tenn., members after a sack race at their Boys & Girls Club Week celebration.

The fun rolled on at BGC of Greeneville & Greene County, left, and the BGCs of Central Sonoma County’s Jefferson Club in Cloverdale, Calif.

CONNECTIONS 21

THE WORK OF ARTBy John Collins

Art is a core program area at all Boys & Girls Clubs. It helps members to express themselves,

and take creative risks in a safe and nurturing environment.

Of course, art has a tremendous impact on every child’s development. Youth who regularly engage in creating art tend to develop strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. They take pride in their responsibilities and set goals – skills that serve them well in the classroom.

Two of Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s leading arts programs are the Digital Arts Festivals and the National Fine Arts Exhibit. The photos on these pages offer a glimpse of highlights enjoyed by youth participants of both programs last summer: a trip to Philadelphia by the Festivals’ national winners in photography, music, graphic design, game design, animation and film; and the opening of a permanent gallery of rotating artwork by Fine Arts winners and ImageMakers photography projects at the BGCA national office in Atlanta. You can tour the online exhibition at BGCA.org/FineArts. The Festivals are supported by Comcast, Sony Electronics and AMD foundation.

“Dread” – Karis, 10, and his parents, Amisha and Karis Sr., with the monochromatic drawing he created at the BGCs of Metro Atlanta.

“Empathy” – A collage by Genesis, 9, of the BGCs of Broward County, Fla.

“Father Time” – Painted by Chris, 18, who attends the BGC of Venice, Calif.

22 WINTER 2012-13

COMING OUT FOR ART“Acceptance” won the 2012 Digital Arts Festival Movie Tech national prize. Allie, Cheyanne and Courtney of the Boys & Girls Club of Oshkosh in Wisconsin created the video. Its overall theme speaks to accepting people for who they are, such as Allie, who is a lesbian.

Herfamily’sandherClub’sunqualifiedsupporthelped give Allie the courage to come out when she was 12. “It means the world that my parents taught me I can be whoever I want. And the Club has totally supported me in everything I’ve ever done and every choice I’ve ever made.”

After frequent harassment by her peers in middle school, life is more stable as a high school sophomore. “Several people have come up to me and told me they’re gay and scared to tell anybody else. To me, if I’m inspiring people, it means the world to me.”

Oshkosh Club CEO Marc Dosogne says when Allie revealed she was gay, “We looked at it as another part of who she is. We’re more interested in how do we help kids succeed. We want to make sure kids are safe and making goodchoices.Allie’sjustonemorekidattheBoys & Girls Club.”

After high school, Allie plans to study at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. Her goal is to workfortheItGetsBetterProject,anonprofitthat strives to show young LGBT people thehappiness, potential and positivity they can attain if they can get through their teen years.

“I want to inspire kids,” says Allie. “I’ve gone through a lot. I’m a gay teenager.”

To watch “Acceptance” and to see all of the winning DAF entries, go to BGCA.org/DigitalArt.

Cheyanne, left, and Allie accepted their award. Co-winner, Courtney, was unable to attend.

Philadelphia provided Festival winners with a variety of fun, educational opportunities.

CONNECTIONS 23

MENTORING’S MIGHTNEW INITIATIVE PROVIDES CLUB PROFESSIONALS WITH CAREER DEVELOPMENT GUIDANCE By Misti S. Potter

Over the past 17 years, my career path has allowed me the privilege to work with some incredible Boys & Girls Club professionals. That represents

a lot of people, each of whom has taught me valuable lessons. All of these lessons, including what not to do or things to avoid, have been equally important and beneficial to my professional path.

MY MENTORSThroughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to have mentors to guide me and provide advice when I have requested it – and sometimes when it was unsolicited. People like Clyde McGuire, a Southeast Regional Service Director whom I admired and studied as he orchestrated the operations of the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Alabama prior to moving on to Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Clyde always led by example. On several occasions, he shared his knowledge about what I needed to do to make my Boys & Girls Club job into a lifetime career.

I also had the opportunity to work at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis under the leadership of one of the most influential mentors in my life, CEO Brad Baumgardner. He provided great encouragement in helping me learn how to work with board members and the community. His guidance also helped me broaden and further develop my skills as a fundraiser, and strengthen my ability to successfully implement various strategies and campaigns.

In addition, I’ve been inspired by such strong professional leaders as Roxanne Spillett, Pat Shannon, Sue Gross

24 WINTER 2012-13

Reed, Mary O’Connor, Lorraine Orr, Mary Ann Mahon- Huels, Missy Dugan, Teresa Walch and many others who have blazed a path and set a high bar for women in our Movement.

CAREER COUNSEL FOR CLUB PROSThere are countless others, past and present, whom I look up to and who have influenced my leadership style. I can confidently say that, without the support of my mentors over the years, I would not have experienced the success I have. Their mentoring has been key to helping me ensure that our Club is doing all it can to serve our members. That is why I am so excited to be a part of the new Professional Mentoring and Career Consultation initiative, a collaboration between The Professional Association and Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Working together, TPA and BGCA will provide career consultation sessions to Club professionals of all levels at local and regional conferences throughout the country. These one-on-one consultations will pair Club professionals with TPA mentors, who will provide expert advice in areas such as career development, training, resource development and marketing. By doing so, TPA will provide the foundation from which the next phases of professional mentoring and

career coaching will be established by BGCA. Through their commitment to providing Club professionals with valuable guidance like I have benefitted from, TPA and BGCA share goals of impacting the lives and career paths of Movement professionals who seek not just a job, but a lifetime opportunity.

A VALUABLE RESOURCE FOR YOU!The Professional Association is here for you and all Club professionals. Your involvement as an active TPA member offers significant opportunities for growth, training and recognition, as well as opportunities to network with fellow Club professionals. In addition to being eligible for scholarships and award recognition, career consultations are now one more asset available to you as a member of The Professional Association.

Please visit bgcpros.org to learn how you can request a Career Consultation session, find out where upcoming sessions will be offered or to learn more about TPA membership.

Misti Potter is chief professional officer of the Boys & Girls Club of Rockwall County in Texas and a board member of The Professional Association. In 2005, she was honored as TPA’s National Club Professional of the Year.

WHY MENTORS MATTERThe following citations from various publications and studies suggest a mentor’s guidance can significantly enhance one’s career as well as contribute to a more dynamic workplace.

95% of mentoring

participants said the

experience motivated

them to do their very best.

- The War for Talent, Harvard Business School Press -

“Mentoring helps employees contribute faster. They understand how to get things done.”- Tegwin Pulley, director of diversity and staffing services, Texas Instruments -

Mentees were promoted five times more often with

higher retention rates (72% of mentees; 69% of

mentors) than those not in a mentoring program.

- Gartner Inc., information technology research and

advisory company -

CONNECTIONS 25

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to run an effective, productive board meeting. It does require attentive management and a strong framework.

A well-organized meeting can encourage constructive dialogue, keep board members focused and help avoid overly procedural presentations – listening to repetitious reports isn’t the best use of a board’s limited time.

It all starts with an agenda. At the Boys & Girls Club of Worcester, Mass., our monthly board meeting begins at 4 p.m. at the Club, when we are at our busiest. It is important for our board members to see what we do, and how we work with members.

The meeting always starts with a program report. (The only exception to this would be action items that demand immediate attention.) The report helps to answer each board member’s unspoken question of, “Why am I involved?” We don’t want the board to micromanage the program, but they must be informed and engaged.

Routine items and resolutions that don’t need to be discussed are quickly approved via consent agenda. This saves time that we can use to discuss more strategic matters. A resource development update is provided at all meetings. This is done with the entire board as it was decided that resource development is a board job, not just a committee job.

GENERATING POWERFUL DISCUSSIONWe set aside time at each meeting for generative questions. These are open-ended queries designed to

“generate” creative thinking and dialogue to engage our board and build their interest in attending every meeting. Chief Professional Officer Ron Hadorn will often leave before such discussions. This gives board

members a chance to talk frankly and say things they may not say in front of professional staff. This only works when there is a high level of trust between the CPO and the board – especially the chief volunteer officer. It helps that Ron has been with us 11 years and that we have several long-standing members on the board.

These questions have helped to engage our board and build their interest in attending every meeting. For instance, like every nonprofit, we are required to hold an annual meeting of the corporation. Ours, like many, was boring and perfunctory. So we asked ourselves: How can we better align our program and kids to transform it into an event that the whole community will want to attend?

As a result, we modified our annual meeting to honor our Club members who are graduating from high school and completing their time at the Club. This past year, we recognized 37 seniors, 36 of whom are going on to college! We had a great turnout, too, including board members, Club youth, parents and friends.

ALP TOOLSWe’ve also incorporated takeaways from our participation in Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Advanced Leadership Program (ALP) on board leadership. This includes a board development tool called GRPI, short for the Goals needed to function as a team; Roles that define what everyone on the team does; Processes to make decisions and resolve conflicts; and Interpersonal skills that help members get to know each other better.

Through GRPI, we’ve developed a mutual trust that has made our board very strong. Every board member is clear on their responsibilities, communication is clearer and leadership is shared. Our common goal

columns Excellence in Action

Mary DiBara is chief volunteer officer for the Boys & Girls Club of Worcester and a member of

The Jeremiah Milbank Society.

BUILDING A BETTER BOARD MEETING A STRONG AGENDA PROVIDES STRUCTURE AND ENGAGES BOARD MEMBERSBy Mary DiBara

26 WINTER 2012-13

Excellence in Action columns

to serve Worcester’s youth who most need the services the Club provides has brought us closer together.

Another technique we took from ALP is the Teachable Point of View – a leader’s position on what is required for his or her organization to be successful. We feel it’s important that our entire board is engaged with the program to the point they have a personal story. So we invested in additional ALP training to enable each board member to develop their own Teachable Point of View.

Boards want to do meaningful work that enables them to use their skills, knowledge and relationships. With a culture of accountability, team- and trust-building opportunities, and tools like GRPI and Teachable Point of View, our board members are better prepared and more fully engaged. And that is the kind of board a Club needs to keep giving young people the programs and guidance they need and deserve.

Above: BGC of Worcester, Mass., transformed its mandatory annual meeting into an event the entire community wants to attend by including a ceremony to honor graduating Club members; Below: The Club’s Harrington unit.

CONNECTIONS 27

columns View From The Potomac

POLS PRAISE CLUBS FOR IMPACT ON YOUTHBy Kevin McCartney

Per tradition, Capitol Hill was the setting last September for the naming of the 2012-13 BGCA National Youth of the Year. Once again, Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD-5) and Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) graciously

co-hosted our annual Congressional Breakfast.

Each finalist described the path they’d traveled to get there, their stories of success over adversity visibly moving the esteemed audience. Even their immediate predecessor, 2011-12 National Youth of the Year Nick Foley, was impressed. “Am I ready to pass on the torch?” he mused from the podium. “I’ve met all five candidates, and they are all so great. I’m ready to pass the torch to any one of them.”

Leland Melvin, associate administrator for education at NASA, also expressed appreciation for the accomplishments of the finalists. “I find myself thinking about Neil Armstrong walking on the moon,” he said, “and I wonder – will one of these kids walk on Mars?” Melvin went on to speak about the new partnership between NASA and BGCA to bring critical science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) educational experiences to more young people. “It’s these out-of-school learning opportunities Clubs provide that allow kids to choose paths like the Youth of the Year, that show them they can be the ones to walk on Mars.”

In prepared remarks, Congressman Hoyer spoke further of the essential role Boys & Girls Clubs play as youth development institutions: “Frederick Douglass said, ‘It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.’ He didn’t say it was easy to build strong children; he said it was easier than repairing broken men. He didn’t say it wasn’t expensive. But the return is inestimable. The Boys & Girls Club is one of the best investments you can make with either your public or private money.”

We couldn’t agree more, Congressman. Thank you.

Kevin McCartney is senior vice president of government relations for BGCA.

“You hear a lot of talk about spending in Washington these days,” said Congressman Hoyer. “All spending is not equal. A lot of spending is investment. The Club is as good an investment as you can find anywhere in the world.”

28 WINTER 2012-13

View From The Potomac columns

29CONNECTIONS

Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA-2) said the House of Representatives resolution he’d introduced (H.RES.774) commending BGCA for its unique role improving outcomes for millions of youth and thousands of communities had bi-partisan support.

Midwest Youth of the Year Mai Tong Yang was introduced by Congressman Bobby Schilling (R-IL-17).

Northeast Youth of the Year Crystile Carter shared her heartfelt story as BGCA champion and Club alum Congressman James McGovern (D-MA-3) looked on.

Trei Dudley is congratulated for being named National Youth of the Year by BGCA Governor Rick Goings.

Deputy Assistant to the President Michael Strautmanis represented the White House at the Congressional Breakfast. A close ally and friend of Boys & Girls Clubs, Mr. Strautmanis thanked BGCA for its support of Administration initiatives, including Let’s Move and the summer jobs program.

For 20 years of inspiring great futures...

THANK YOU, DENZEL.See video highlights from Denzel’s 20 years of service at BGCA.org.