Successful Summer Programming at the Boys & Girls Club

Summer programming at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Brookings, Moody County, and Yankton includes field trips to zoos and museums, camps to make soaps and catch fish, programs to stop summer learning loss, and much more. More importantly, the Clubs’ summer programming helps kids continue their academic success, make and maintain friendships, and provides a safe, fun place to go so their families can work with peace of mind.

The impact these programs, field trips, and camps have on each child varies, but we see it in all three of our Clubs.

At the Boys & Girls Club of Brookings, staff have seen the impact of our academic success Book Club/Pen Pal program. Youth have maintained or increased their reading and writing skills through reading these books and writing letters to their pen pals.

Two of the books youth have read in this program are Last Stop on Market Street by Matt De La Pena and Fry Bread by Kevin Noble Maillard. The first one tells the story of how a grandmother opened her grandson’s eyes to all of the opportunities around him to meet and appreciate all kinds of people, and the latter shares Native American tribal culture and traditions, especially the common tradition of eating fry bread and spending time with family.

Not only has the Book Club/Pen Pal program helped youth with their academic success skills in reading and writing, but reading these books also provided another avenue for youth to learn about diversity and inclusion. It has helped them better understand and celebrate each other’s differences in fun ways, like making fry bread with each other.

Ms. Bekah, the Executive Director at the Boys & Girls Club of Moody County, said that summer programming there has helped a new 12-year-old member “really excel at the Club in making friends and building confidence.”

The member just moved to Flandreau this summer and he would have started sixth grade at a new school without knowing anyone. But through the fun Club programs and field trips, he now knows people at the school and has enjoyed the summer there.

At the Boys & Girls Club of Yankton, summer programming at the Club provided an Academy youth a head start to the school year with figuring out how to adjust to large groups of people. When the summer started, this member struggled to interact with other members positively, isolated herself, and stopped listening to staff.

Recently, Ms. Rachel, the Academy Coordinator, and other Youth Development Specialists worked together to create a different approach to help this member. They started allowing her to bring her own journal to draw or write in when she felt overwhelmed or upset, which has been effective with helping her express what she is feeling.

The member is now doing well with using her journal when needed, resulting with her making more positive choices among her peers and staff.

These are only three of the many different ways that summer programming at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Brookings, Moody County, and Yankton make a positive impact on youth and help prepare them for the upcoming school year. We are excited to continue helping youth have fun and grow this summer and into the school year!