Our Programs

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale offers more than 100 quality youth development programs designed to develop character and life-enhancing skills. When members leave the Club at age 18, they will have:

• A positive self-identity
• Scholastic, career, social, emotional and cultural competencies
• A desire to remain involved in their community
• Health and well-being
• A moral compass

Programs are built around five core areas: the arts; character & leadership development; education & career development; health & life skills; and sports, fitness & recreation.

The Arts

Enables youth to develop their creativity and cultural awareness through knowledge and appreciation of visual and tactile arts and crafts, performing arts and creative writing.

• Advanced Art – focuses on in-depth art exploration and education for older and interested members. Members prepare entries into the fine art exhibits and semi-annual art shows.
• Day for Art – participate in art activities (such as puppet-making, beading, face painting, and T-shirt printing) while watching periodic performances from members (including puppet shows, dance, etc).
• *Design Tech – learn artistic concepts and technology skills to create professional-quality print materials and animation. By the time members complete the program, they have developed logos, posters, animation and other materials requiring the expertise of a graphic artist.
• *ImageMakers National Photography Exhibit – encourages Club members ages 6-18 to learn and practice black-and-white, color, alternative process, and digital photography. The program culminates in an organization-wide exhibit.
• *Music Making – explore a variety of digital music software applications and basic music theory and learn to write sheet music, mix musical loops, and compose and record original songs.
• *National Fine Arts Program – encourages artistic expression among Club members ages 6-18 through drawing, painting, printmaking, collage, mixed media and sculpture. The program culminates in an organization-wide exhibit.
• *Photo Illustration – take digital photos, explore the effects of distance and angle, and learn about photo composition and manipulation.
• *TNT Drama Matters – learn and participate in the basics of putting on a play or show – script, acting, and production and set design.

Character & Leadership Development

Empowers youth to support and influence their Club and community while developing relationships, a positive self-image and respect for cultural differences.

• C.L.E.A.R. Vision – combines many of the national programs centered on education and employment (goal-setting, career exploration, job seeking skills and education requirements) as well as those focusing on character and leadership development (such as community service and moral decision making) are addressed.
• *Junior Staff Career Development – provides teens 14-18 hands-on work experience to teen members at the Club while developing their interpersonal skills, a strong work ethic, a sense of community engagement and an introduction to the Boys & Girls Clubs as a career choice.
• *Keystone Club – small group leadership and service club for youth ages 14-18. Keystoners elect officers and implement activities in six areas: service to Club and community, character and leadership development, education and career exploration, unity, free enterprise and social recreation.
• Leaders In Training (LIT) – allows members ages 11-15 to volunteer and learn basic job responsibilities and work habits during our summer months as unpaid staff assistants.
• *Torch Club – small-group leadership and service club for youth ages 11-13. Torch Club members learn to elect officers and work together to implement activities in four areas: service to Club and community, education, health and fitness and social recreation.
• *Youth of the Year – recognize teen member for their accomplishments in service to their Club, community and family; academic performance; moral character; life goals; and poise and public speaking ability. Members begin preparing by meeting weekly in October with the process culminating in the awarding of the organization’s Youth of the Year in March.

Education & Career Development

Enables youth to improve academic skills, apply learning to everyday situations, embrace technology and develop job skills.

• *Be Great Graduate – national pilot program who goal is academic success, on-time grade progression and ultimately high school graduation. Mentors are provided for youth in fourth-eighth grades that have been identified as at-risk of dropping out of school.
• *Career Launch – explores careers, learn about educational requirements and decision-making and learn about the world of work.
• *CLUB Service – This partnership with AmeriCorps allows us to provide educational awards for members that volunteer/work at our branch and attend college.
• Immersion Presents – develops and implements high quality, multi-media programs that engage our members in a better understanding of research, exploration, and the natural environment. It is designed to help youth succeed in science, mathematics and literacy while using technology to explore the world's oceanic natural resources.
• *Power Hour and Homework Assistance – reinforces the importance of school and education within a club setting. Through the combination of homework help, tutoring and power activity pages, staff and volunteers assist members to become self-learners and build their academic skills for education success.
• *Money Matters – promotes financial responsibility and independence among middle and high school Club members by building their basic money management skills. Members learn about managing a checking account, budgeting, saving, investing, the cost of living and education costs.
• *Movie Making – Members learn the movie making production process from screen writing, story board creation, set and costume design to the actual acting, directing, filming, and then editing of the productions.
• *NetSmartz – internet safety program is conducted for new members before they use the computers in our technology centers.
• *Project Learn – reinforces and enhances the skills and knowledge young people learn at school during the hours they spend at the Club through high-yield learning activities, such as leisure reading and writing activities.
• *Skill Tech I and II – basic computer skills program that develops members’ proficiency with word processing, spreadsheet and other productivity software through fun, hands-on, engaging lessons and projects. Skill Tech II teaches advanced yet practical technology skills to Club using animated, interactive tutorials on courseware, as well as hands-on, instructor-led group activities.
• *Web Design – Introduces members to the principles and practice of Web design and development.
• Organization-Wide Events:
  • Around the World – organization-wide program which allows all branches in our organization to educate Club members about a country. Staff and members turn their clubhouse into another country. Members then travel to the other clubs and take part in a variety of activities (food, music, art, sports, decorations and technology) related to that country.
  • Battle of the Brains –compete in branch teams at this organization-wide event which is a culmination of geography, history, science, math, and language arts skills learned from our Learning Center activities.
  • Cruisin' the Country – one day event brings members to one location that turns each program area into an individual state from the USA.
  • Spelling Bee – compete in branch bees to qualify for the organization-wide event that crowns a champion in each first-eighth grade division.
  • Saturday for Science – conduct experiments and do hands-on activities from the different sciences (geology, biology, chemistry, etc.) at this organization-wide celebration of science.
  • Techathalon –technology-focused event features Clubs from around the state competing in teams of three in a day-long event that incorporates digital storytelling, architectural designs, Google Earth, skill tech trouble-shooting, and brain buster challenges.

Health & Life Skills

Encourages young people to make positive lifestyle choices that will nurture their well-being by setting personal goals and learning skills to be successful, self-sufficient adults.

• *Healthy Habits (Triple Play): Triple Play takes a mind, body, and soul approach to demonstrating how eating right, keeping fit and forming positive relationships add up to a healthy lifestyle. Healthy Habits is the “mind” component of Triple Play and empowers youth to eat right covers the power of choice, calories, vitamins and minerals, the food pyramid and appropriate portion size.
• MethSMART: This BGCGS-developed program is aimed at the prevention of methamphetamine abuse. The program has different age-appropriate curricula.
• *Passport to Manhood: Passport to Manhood promotes and teaches responsibility while reinforcing positive behavior in male Club members ages 11 to 14.
• Project LEAN – This initiative is designed to promote a balanced lifestyle in all our members and staff by encouraging healthy living through physical activities, nutritional awareness and positive role modeling. Project LEAN activities are incorporated in all of the core program areas and extends to the snacks that are served members to the options in our vending machines.
• *SMART Girls – SMART Girls is a small-group health, fitness, prevention/education and self-esteem enhancement program designed to meet the developmental needs of girls ages 8-12 and 13-17. Girls build skills for eating right, staying physically fit, getting good health care and developing positive relationships with peers and adults.
• *SMART Moves (Skills Mastery and Resistance Training) – This program helps young people resist alcohol, tobacco and other drug use, as well as premature sexual activity and features engaging, interactive, small-group activities that increase participants’ peer support, enhance their life skills, build their resiliency and strengthen their leadership skills. The program has different age-appropriate curricula.
• What's Hip – This 8-week program for high school girls discusses issues such as relationships, drug and alcohol use, self esteem, and fashion, among others. The program culminates with a fashion show at the Rose Lane Branch.

Sports, Fitness & Recreation

Fosters social and interpersonal skills, fitness, stress management, positive use of leisure time and an appreciation for the environment.

• *Day for Kids – Created as a day to foster relationships between adults and children, the mission of Boys and Girls Day for Kids is to establish a day to celebrate and honor American children through the gift of meaningful time.
• *Daily Fitness Challenges (Triple Play) - Triple Play takes a mind, body, and soul approach to demonstrating how eating right, keeping fit and forming positive relationships add up to a healthy lifestyle. The Daily Fitness Challenges give youth at every age the chance to play longer and harder at different games and include the Basketball Challenge, Jump Rope Challenge, Get Fit Challenge, Walk/Run Challenge, Home Run Challenge and Invent-a-Sport Challenge.
• Family Fun Nights – Monthly evening events that bring together members and their parents for food and fun around a seasonal or creative theme.
• High School Basketball League – This program fosters competition and fun through a junior varsity division that does not allow varsity school experience, and a more competitive varsity division for high school varsity players.
• Jr. Suns/Jr. Mercury Youth Basketball League – Youth basketball leagues at the branches generally run from November-March for members ages 6-13. The all-volunteer coach leagues provide a regular season and post-season tournament and members receive instruction on basketball skills, teamwork, and sportsmanship.
• Presidential Fitness Challenge – This national program promotes a basic level of fitness among youth and measures member achievement in activities like the shuttle run, push-ups, pull-ups, and the mile run.
• *RBI Baseball – This summer program runs 8 weeks and features branches playing each other in a formal baseball league which stresses fundamentals and sportsmanship.
• SPARK – Physical activity and exercising 30 minutes a day is promoted on a daily basis in SPARK which provides a variety of physical education activity ideas.
• Summer Intramurals – Girls and boys travel to different branches each week to play against other club members in a variety of sports such as team handball, basketball, flag football, and softball and culminate with an end-of-the-summer celebration.

* National Boys & Girls Clubs programs