All You Need to Know about Formula for Impact

Why Early Literacy is Key to School Success

How to Create a Robust Volunteer Program

in this issue

Why creating great futures for America’s youth is crucial for Clubs, communities and country

Our Formulafor Impact

summer 2011c o n n e c t i o n s

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

This is a very important time for the Boys & Girls Club Movement and for our nation as a whole. Never before have the success and security of America depended so much on the success and security of our youth. With an alarming high school dropout crisis, a childhood obesity epidemic, and a disturbing increase in the number of children living in poverty, there is much work to be done. Leadership will be key to achieving the outcomes we know our youth need to succeed: Academic Success, Good Character and Citizenship, and Healthy Lifestyles.

Fortunately for Boys & Girls Clubs, we have the right leader at the right time in Emil Brolick, the new Chairman of the Board of Governors for BGCA. A visionary leader of our Movement for well over a decade, he served as a National Trustee and as chair of the Pacific Region before being elected to the board in 2005.

As head of Taco Bell for many years and now as the COO of YUM! Brands, Emil has been the driving force behind many initiatives, particularly our teen programming. Under his leadership, our teen programming experienced significant growth, reaching unprecedented numbers of Club teens. In 2008, Emil was presented with our highest volunteer honor, the Herbert Hoover Humanitarian Award.

Last May, Emil chaired the National Commission on Impact, whose critical work will chart the course for our Movement over the next decade. To achieve deeper, Movement-wide impact on Club youth, the Commission calls on us to become outcome-driven and set goals for youth that enable them to achieve our priority outcomes. (Details about the Commission and its recommendations can be found in The Chairman’s Report in this issue, pp. 14-15.)

It will take the commitment and leadership of us all to realize our Movement’s vision of putting all Club members on the path to great futures, starting with ensuring they graduate from high school with a solid plan for their future. Under Emil’s leadership, vision and guidance, I have every confidence that we will succeed – for our kids, our Clubs and our country.

Connections is published quarterly 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 mem-berships. It is also available by subscription at $10.00 per year. Single copy price is $3.00.

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 ©2010 by Boys & Girls Clubs of America. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America.Job No. 1832-11

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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

ROXANNE SPILLETTPresident & CEO

EVAN MCELROY Senior Vice President

Marketing & Communications

c o n n e c t i o n sv o l . 3 1 , n o . 1

KELLY GAINESEditor in Chief

JOHN COLLINSManaging Editor

MICHELLE McQUISTONWriter/Editor

PATRICK MARTIN Art Director

BRENDA OLIVER Graphic Designer

ROXANNE SPILLETT PRESIDENT & CEO

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features2 Formula for Impact

Creating great futures for our kids

6 Learning the ABCs Early OnThird grade reading skills linked to future success

8 The Power of PartnershipLocal partnerships key to addressing dropout crisis

10 Those Who Need Us Most Graduation strategy focuses on youth most at risk

12 Volunteerism On the RiseIs your Club tapping into this valuable resource?

columns14 Chairman’s Report

From BGCA leader Emil Brolick

24 Excellence in ActionBest practices from the field

26 Managing RiskReal situations, real solutions

28 View from the PotomacCurrent events from the capital

news16 Money Matters Makeover

Making financial literacy more relevant to teens

18 Building Great LeadersThe 2010 Joel E. Smilow Scholarship winners

20 Real World Professional DevelopmentClub professionals tout ALP as a key resource for a more complex world

22 Second to NonePageant brings Club alum to nation’s attention

Page 6

Page 2

Page 16

w w w . B G C A . O R G

Our Formula for Impact puts the Club Experience

front-and-center to assure all of America’s

young people can achieve great futures.

RESPONDING TO GREAT NEEDUnder these alarming circumstances, we cannot afford to hope for great things for youth. Rather, we must intentionally design our every effort with their long-term needs in mind. The Formula for Impact is the road map that the Boys & Girls Club Movement will follow together to ensure that youth achieve our prior-ity outcomes of Academic Success, Good Character and Citizenship, and Healthy Lifestyles.

The Formula begins and ends with young people – their great need and the great futures we envision for them. We must continue reaching out to the unreachable, serving the underserved and touching the lives of those who face the greatest obstacles. In many communities where Boys & Girls Clubs are located, the situation is even more dire than elsewhere. The dropout rate is often much worse than the national average. And far too many of our chil-dren and teens live in poverty. Others share the sacrifices of their parents in uniform. The Formula for Impact begins with these young people, the ones who need us most.

THE CLUB EXPERIENCEFor more than a century, Clubs have been serving America’s hardest-to-reach young people. This experience has taught us a tremendous amount about what works for youth. At the very heart of the Formula is the outcome-driven Club Experience – that powerful force for chang-ing and saving young lives.

The Five Key Elements for Positive Youth Development are the very fabric of the Club Experience. They can be found wherever Boys & Girls Clubs are changing young lives, as outlined below.

1. A safe, positive environment: The Club is a safe haven for young people, physically and emotionally. A home away from home, it is a place where kids can feel like they belong.

2. Fun: Perhaps most importantly, the Clubhouse is fun. It is warm and inviting, bustling with age-appro-priate activities based on the things that children and teens are excited about. There is something for everyone. Young people want to be here, with their friends and adults who care about them.

3. Supportive relationships: Clubs are staffed by trained, guidance-oriented youth development

professionals. Every day, these professionals cultivate relationships with Club youth, mentoring them and helping them to thrive. Members also form bonds with their peers and support each others’ efforts to succeed.

4. Opportunities and expectations: The Club Experience gives young people opportunities they wouldn’t otherwise find through their everyday experiences. Staff members set high expectations for young people, enabling youth to believe in themselves. Young people achieve things they might otherwise never have dreamed of.

5. Recognition: Club professionals offer abundant praise and positive reinforcement. They call Club members by their names and recognize their accomplishments.

High-yield activities are fun with a purpose. It’s easy to see when youth are engaged in high-yield activities, because every spot in the Club, from the art room to the gamesroom to the gym, is buzzing with happy activity. High-yield activities are cognitive learning experiences, infused into every core program area. Most often born of the creativity of Club staff, they are so much fun that young people want to engage in them again and again.

Targeted programs can be selected from BGCA’s roster of national programs or created in the local Club. These are simply programs designed to help young people achieve one or more priority outcomes. One Club in Maine, for example, runs a program that supports Academic Success by teaching science in the guise of “Harry Potter” wizardry. The outcome-driven Club Experience offers a variety of targeted programs that, taken together, help young people of all ages and interests to achieve all three of the priority outcomes.

Regular attendance is critical, because we know from research and experience that the longer and more often young people come to the Club, the more they achieve. So, we must consider ways to boost average daily atten-dance, annual visits and retention – especially for youth at the critical transition periods of middle and high school. The good news is that the Club Experience – with its dynamic programming, positive relationships and life-changing opportunities – is the very best way to keep kids coming back.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE FORMULA FOR IMPACT

Step inside any Boys & Girls Club, and you’ll find something magical: young people learning, exploring and connecting with caring adults. Children completing their homework. Teens researching colleges or planning a community service project. Club members running, jumping, laughing – having fun and improving their health

at the same time.

It’s what anyone in our Movement would recognize as the Club Experience, and it’s a powerful thing. Just ask Denzel Washington or Jennifer Lopez how the Club can change a life. Ask the 90 percent of alumni who reported graduating from high school in a 2007 Harris survey – or the 57 percent who said the Club saved their lives.

But step outside of the Club, and the view may not be so positive. More than a quarter of American youth do not graduate from high school. Nearly a third are overweight or obese. More than 20 percent live in poverty.

2 SUMMER 2011 3CONNECTIONS

ENVISIONING GREAT FUTURESStart with the young people who need us most, add the powerful force of the Club Experience and, as a result, youth will achieve the priority outcomes of Academic Success, Good Character and Citizenship, and Healthy Lifestyles. To ensure that our impact is as great as pos-sible, we must be intentional about helping our kids over-come obstacles and achieve their potential. To know that we are succeeding, and to demonstrate it to the nation, we must also become leaders in measuring outcomes. Measuring our progress, learning more about what works, and continuing to refine the Club Experience will allow us to maximize our impact on the young people we serve, today and into the future.

What does that future look like for the young people in Boys & Girls Clubs? It’s a future in which every Club member progresses from one grade to the next each year

and graduates from high school with a plan – for college, the military, trade school or a career. Additionally, all Club members demonstrate strong moral character. They behave civilly and treat others with dignity and respect. They become engaged citizens, registered to vote and ready to give back to their communities. Committed to fitness and nutritious diets, they avoid risky behaviors in favor of healthy lifestyle choices.

Our Formula for Impact is the key to making this ambi-tious vision of great futures for all young people a reality. At its heart, the Formula is simple. It relies on the best traditions of Boys & Girls Clubs – from offering fun, safe places where young people can learn and grow, to providing generation-changing programs and nurturing adult guidance. But its power to increase our impact on youth – to change and save the lives that will determine our country’s future greatness – cannot be overstated.

WHAT THE FORMULA FOR IMPACT MEANS TO CLUBSThe Formula for Impact is the Movement’s road map for implementing the recommendations of the National Commission on Impact. (See The Chairman’s Report on pp. 14-15.) Here’s what Club leaders who served on the Commission had to say:

“This latest push for impact is no different from anything we have ever done. We need to be responsive to the kids

we serve and, of course, to their families and the community as a whole. How we are going to do that is by

promoting Academic Success and Healthy Lifestyles, and by making sure that kids come out of our Clubs

caring about their community.” Josh Kraft, Nicholas President and CEO,

Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston

“I grew up in the Club. The impact that it’s had on my life – I would like it to have that impact on the lives of all

the kids we serve.” Mark Sheehan, Executive Director,

Boys & Girls Club of Greater Lynchburg, Va.

“We are talking about what really counts, the future of our kids. We are talking about what will make a difference in

their lives. I am proud to be a part of what we are doing in the Boys & Girls Club Movement.”

Daphne Barlow Stigliano, President and CPO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Fort Worth, Texas

“We have a strong history of providing great experiences that have made young people healthy, kept them safe and given them direction in their life pursuits. Now we want to

make sure that young people are fulfilling their potential and guarantee them that tomorrow is going to be better because

of their Club Experience.” Flint Fowler, President, Herbert Hoover Boys & Girls Club, St. Louis

“Our kids deserve more; they need more. At the end of the day, our kids are the most vital people in our country.”

Theresa Shaw, Executive Director, Boys & Girls Clubs of Nash/Edgecombe Counties, Rocky Mount, N.C.

“We are doing this because we know it is the right thing to do and because we are committed to quality programs.

Our business is getting kids ready for life.” Daniel Johnson, President and CEO,

Boys & Girls Clubs of King County, Seattle

BGCA.NET/FORMULAFORIMPACTEVERYTHING YOUR CLUB NEEDS TO GET STARTED WITH THE FORMULA FOR IMPACT:

• The Formula for Impact: An Introductory Guide to adopting, implementing and measuring the Formula in seven easy standard practices

• Training resources to help you get your board, leadership and professional staff aligned around the Formula for Impact

• Program resources to help you implement the outcome-driven Club Experience, drive membership and attendance, and achieve priority outcomes

• Measurement resources to help you prepare to measure Formula for Impact results

• Answers to frequently asked questions about the Formula for Impact

4 SUMMER 2011 5CONNECTIONS

LEARNING THE ABCs EARLY ONCOMPLETING THIRD GRADE WITH POOR READING SKILLS LINKED TO HIGHER DROPOUT RATESBy Judith J. Pickens, M.Ed.

“A retreat to mediocrity is wrong. To meet

the demands of the 21st century, we have to

expand opportunity for all and keep our com-

mitment to leaving no child behind. We owe it

to America’s children, parents and teachers to

reinforce our commitment, not abandon it.”

– Sen. Edward Kennedy, in a 2007 Washington Post editorial

A high school diploma is a crucial predictor of future success. Yet, today in the United States, only 75 percent of entering high school freshman will graduate. To arrest this startling trend, we need to act early.

In “Early Warning! Why Reading by the End of Third Grade Matters,” a new study from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, it is reported that many American children lack the reading skills they need to succeed in school. If this deficiency isn’t caught early on, the consequences can be dire.

READING TO LEARNThe fourth grade marks an important transition in a child’s education, as youth stop “learning to read” and begin “reading to learn.” Achieving this level of literacy is essential for children to continue to engage in increasingly complex subjects such as math, science and general problem-solving.

An inability to read proficiently by the end of third grade is linked to higher dropout rates and suppressed individual earning potential. Youth who have poor reading skills are at an extreme disadvantage in school, at post-secondary institutions and within the workforce. According to a Yale University study, three out of four students who read poorly in third grade will remain poor readers in high school.

If this pressing issue is not immediately addressed, there will be dire implica-tions for our youth and our nation’s competitiveness and general productivity.

NATIONAL INSECURITY Reading comprehension is one of life’s most critical survival skills. According to the Casey study, 68 percent of fourth grade public school students scored below a proficient reading level in 2009. The results were worse for African-American and Hispanic fourth-graders, who scored 85 percent and 84 percent below proficiency, respectively.

Each year, our nation loses $319 billion in potential earnings associated with the dropout crisis. Today, 90 percent of the fastest-growing professions and at least 60 percent of current jobs require a post-secondary education. In fact, the 25 fastest-growing occupations demand workers with exceptional literacy skills. Conversely, those jobs declining at the greatest rate call for only below-average literacy aptitude.

We must face the reality that a nation of uneducated or under-educated citizens cannot meaningfully support themselves, their families or society in general. It should be alarming to all that the 2009 Program for International Student Assessment, which evaluated more than 250,000 teenagers worldwide, found U.S.

students rank 15th in reading ability, behind China, Korea, Canada and Japan.

To reverse such trends and compete in a global marketplace of increasingly educated and skilled workers, an estimated 60 percent of the U.S. population will need to earn a post-secondary degree or credential by 2025. But until all children can read proficiently upon completing third grade, this will not happen.

To meet that goal, we must produce students who crave knowledge. At present, that is not the case. Some 7 million Americans today are illiterate, 27 million can’t read well enough to complete a job application and 30 million can’t read a simple sentence.

When we improve young people’s reading proficiency, we increase their ability to succeed in school. And Academic Success is key to producing a workforce with the skills to contend in the international marketplace.

HOW CLUBS CAN HELPBoys & Girls Clubs are uniquely positioned to increase youth reading levels and, in turn, generate enhanced academic and career outcomes. Because 44 percent of our members are between the ages of 6 and 10, we already have an audience of eager learners. Throughout the country and on military installations worldwide, Clubs are engaged in after-school reading and literacy programs, community tutoring programs, and partnerships with libraries and school districts to promote learning and student retention.

Equipped with proven youth development and educational strategies, strong local connections, and collaborations between schools and parents, Clubs can take specific actions to promote literacy and learning, including:

• creating a reading-rich environment with access to books, magazines and other appropriate reading materials;

• using incentive programs to encourage leisure time reading;• working with school librarians to ensure Club book collections

includes titles from school reading programs;• creating a Club library through book drives and donations;• using weekly, high-yield learning activities such as spelling bees and

book groups in Club programming; and• communicating regularly with parents.

Working together, we can reverse the reading deficit among our youth. The clock is ticking and we don’t have a minute to waste!

Judith J. Pickens is senior vice president of Program & Youth Development Services for BGCA.

Book group members from the Boys & Girls Club of Elgin, Ill.

BGCA LITERACY RESOURCES BGCA offers several resources to support Club efforts to increase literacy levels, including: • Every Member, Every Year Academic Success Strategy Guide• Project Learn Resource Guide• Building Literacy and Character in Boys & Girls Club Youth: Best Practices for Implementing the KidzLit® Program• Leading Youth to the Joys of Literacy: Practices for High-Yield Learning

Many of these materials can be downloaded from the Youth Development section on bgca.net.

For more information, please contact Erica Stevens, senior director, Education and The Arts Programs, at estevens@bgca.org.

6 SUMMER 2011 7CONNECTIONS

In 2010, Boys & Girls Clubs of America issued the position paper, “Our Nation’s Dropout Crisis is Everyone’s Problem.” In the following excerpts, the case is made for Boys & Girls Clubs’ unique capability – in collaboration with schools and families – to address young people’s behaviors, attitudes and skills that lead to graduation. We encourage you to use the paper to inform supporters and all constituents of the integral role Clubs can play to help our nation’s youth succeed in school and, ultimately, life. The paper can be downloaded at bgca.org.

To seriously address the high school dropout crisis, it is imperative to redefine the education equation to include community collaborations.

These critical pieces of the puzzle – organizations like Boys & Girls Clubs – provide refuge for youth during the critical out-of-school hours. Providing youth with a safe place after school where they can continue to learn and grow is essential to producing genera-tions of adults who will become productive, caring, responsible citizens.

Out-of-school time programs can play a vital role in connecting schools and communities. Boys & Girls Clubs embrace working with others to capitalize on resources and assets that will close the achievement gap for students. Clubs serve as the hub between parents and schools, better equipping families to address academic issues. Staff are able to identify young people who are disconnected from their studies, and connect with their school/teacher to re-engage them.

By collaborating with schools and families to more holistically address the behaviors, attitudes

and skills that lead to graduation, the community at large is strengthened.

Only 15 percent of youth (8.4 million children) participate in out-of-school time programs. Of

this number, 1 million are in grades K-5 and 4 million in grades 6-8. Research shows youth

participation in quality out-of-school time programs is linked to significant gains in standardized test scores and work habits, as well as reductions in behavior problems among disadvantaged students.

It is important to note that out-of-school time does not just mean the hours after school. Not only are some 15 million youth unsupervised after the school day, an additional 24 million are in need of supervision during the summer. These crucial weeks and months spent outside the classroom represent a major opportunity to enhance a child’s academic achievement, including preventing summer learning loss. Studies spanning more than 100 years illustrate

THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIPBGCA POSITION PAPER EXPLORES COMMUNITY COLLABORATION AS A MEANS TO BOOST GRADUATION RATES

that students typically score lower on standardized tests at the end of summer vacation than the beginning of summer. Most students lose about two months of grade-level equivalency in math during the summer; by the end of grammar school, lower-income students can fall more than three grades behind.

By combining the formidable resources of schools, families and community-based partners, our nation’s youth will have the tools and resources needed to succeed in life. Together, we can increase literacy and the graduation rate, ensuring productive, responsible lives for America’s youth. Boys & Girls Clubs across America are dedicated to doing everything in our power to lift the academic achievement of our children.

Milwaukee Club Demonstrates Potential of Partnering ______________In 2010, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee was the recipient of

a coveted Investing in Innovation Fund grant from the U.S. Department of

Education. The Club received $4.14 million to work closely with Milwaukee

Public Schools to provide intensive literacy tutoring and instruction to youth

in kindergarten through third grade. The Milwaukee Community Literacy Project supports 300 struggling readers

in reaching proficiency through support in three spheres. The school sphere

provides select students with reading intervention through one-on-one tutoring. The community sphere provides one-hour supplementary reading

sessions three times per week after school. The family sphere includes regular contact with parents, including home visits, to increase parents’ skills in supporting their child’s literacy education. These efforts will reach

1,050 youth over the five-year grant period. The Club’s existing SPARK Early Literacy Initiative already boasts remarkable results; among the 400 youth who participated in SPARK during

the 2008-09 school year, those reading at grade level went from 23 percent

to 84 percent, while comprehension rose from 19 percent to 75 percent.

8 SUMMER 2011 9CONNECTIONS

With more than a quarter of public school students leaving high school every year, the distressing dropout crisis is having a devastating effect on our young people, as well as our country. Across the

nation, however, Boys & Girls Clubs are finding that Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s new dropout prevention strategy is creating significant hope in their communities.

With a generous $5 million commitment from ConocoPhillips, BGCA launched BE GREAT: Graduate at 10 Clubs in 2009. Based on the University of Minnesota’s evidence-based model, “Check & Connect,” BE GREAT: Graduate provides grants to Clubs in communities with high dropout rates to help youth at risk of dropping out achieve their academic potential. Now in year three of a five-year pilot phase, the program is expected to eventually involve 95 Clubs and reach at least 4,700 young people.

THREE KEYS TO SUCCESSThe three key components of the dropout prevention strategy are mentoring, intentional tracking, and enhancing partnerships among Club, family and school. Below is a summary of how each is put into practice.

• Mentor/Youth Relationship – A caring adult and a Club member develop a long-term mentoring relationship built on trust and open communication with the goal of building the young person’s belief in his or her ability to succeed.

• Intentional Tracking – Club staff monitor Club members for warning signs of withdrawal from school, including low attendance, unruly behavior and poor grades. Staff work with youth to reduce negative risks and increase protective factors through mentoring, problem-solving and persistence.

• Enhanced Partnership Among Club, School and Home – Clubs and schools partner to share informa-tion and resources; Clubs work to more fully engage parents in their child’s education.

EARLY PROGRAM PRAISEWhile still in its pilot phase, BE GREAT: Graduate is already yielding tremendous results at several Clubs. (Out of respect for their privacy, the names of Club youth referenced below are not used.)

Madison Square Boys & Girls Club, N.Y. When an energetic pre-teen had difficulty focusing during daily sessions of Power Hour (BGCA’s homework help and tutor-ing program), a Club staff member became the child’s mentor. After meeting with his mentor over several weeks, the boy became more focused and showed greater initiative in work-ing on his daily homework. At the end of the school year, he achieved on-time grade progression, a key factor in predicting successful high school completion.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Gordon, Murray & Whitfield Counties, Ga. This Club youth despised going to school, an attitude that had led to her failing three of five classes. But BE GREAT: Graduate made a remarkable impact on the young woman. Now, in addition to passing all her classes, she is enthusiastic about her schoolwork and has drastically reduced her tardiness and absenteeism. In just one year, she increased her reading grade from a 29 to a 90.

Boys & Girls Club of Camden County, N.J. This young boy’s participation in BE GREAT: Graduate was enormously pleasing to his father. As a high school dropout himself, he knew first-hand the consequences of not completing his education, including unstable employment. The father was tremendously grateful for the opportunity his son had to avoid the regrettable choice he once made as a young man. Since he began taking part in the program, the youth has developed a close bond with his mentor, and his grades have been steadily rising.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan This teen Club member’s unruly classroom behavior had been causing problems at school. But his misconduct weighed on him. Knowing his teachers spoke regularly with his mentor, he worried about disappointing him. The adult’s real concern for him and his academic prog-ress made the teen want to do well. As a result, the young man voluntarily told his mentor he’d been acting out. His antics soon ended and his grades continued to improve.

MEMBERS AND MENTORS LEARN TOGETHERThese are not isolated cases. From Georgia to Michigan, Clubs are praising the dropout prevention strategy.

Tom Bromage, director of program ser-vices at the Madison Square Club, finds that BE GREAT: Graduate has provided a wonderful opportunity to deepen and enhance the mentor/mentee relation-ship. “Our mentors are really encour-aged to be a listener, a supporter and, ultimately, a friend,” said Bromage.

At the Michigan Club, another notable result is the responsibility the program instills in young people. “Because members are held accountable, they feel more obligated to do better in school and not have to discuss bad grades or poor behavior with their mentors,” said Tim Kowalski, operations director for the Club. “They would rather talk about positive things they are doing, which makes them want to be success-ful in and out of the classroom.”

Setting expectations that young people will respond to is also a goal of pro-

gram sponsor ConocoPhillips. “Our investment in BE GREAT: Graduate reflects our continued commitment to improving educational opportunities in America,” said Kristi DesJarlais, manager of global brand and com-munity investment for ConocoPhillips. “We believe it is essential that young people understand the importance of staying in school and have the opportunity to receive the full value of education.”

If you would like your Club to be considered to participate in BE GREAT: Graduate, please contact Tricia Crossman, director of education programs for BGCA, at (404) 487-5322 or tcrossman@bgca.org.

11CONNECTIONS

BE GREAT: Graduate participants at New York’s Madison Square Club.

THOSE WHO NEED US MOST BE GREAT: GRADUATE STRATEGY FOCUSES ON YOUTH MOST AT RISK TO DROP OUT

IN JUST ONE YEAR, SHE INCREASED HER READING

GRADE FROM A

29 TO A 90.

10 SUMMER 2011 11CONNECTIONS

A SIMPLE PLAN To start, the Lynchburg Club conducted a survey to find out about its current volunteers’ experiences. The Club used the survey results to restructure its volunteer program to include a formal orientation process and a volunteer handbook. These simple changes generated major new or enhanced partner-ing opportunities with local colleges, citizens, businesses and community organizations. The expanding volunteer base was accompanied by a corresponding rise in benefits, including:

• Renovations – Employees of a nearby Frito-Lay plant assisted with unit renovations, including buying new furniture, a project worth more than $150,000.

• Outcomes – A college intern developed a spreadsheet to track Club members’ grades and school attendance.

• Programming – Club youth worked with local master gardeners to plant, cultivate and harvest more than 1,000 pounds of vegetables for their families.

• Homework Help – Kiwanis Club and Rotary Club members served as tutors for Power Hour, BGCA’s homework help and tutoring program. Rotary members also donated $6,000 in “Power Prizes” to reinforce aca-demic achievements among Club youth.

Mark Sheehan, chief professional officer of the Lynchburg Club, said devising a sound volunteer management plan was well worth the effort it required. Today, more than 60 volun-teers work with and mentor young people at his Club. “The ultimate goal of our volunteer program is to enhance the delivery of Club services and improve visibility in the com-munity,” said Sheehan. “We found a solution to fit our Club’s budget and capacity.”

A FORMULA FOR ALL CLUBSBoys & Girls Clubs of all sizes and configurations can find a volunteer management plan to fit their unique needs. Consider the Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland. With an annual budget of about $2.5 million, the midsize organization serves some 5,700 young people a year.

Three years ago, the Club’s senior leadership team deter-mined that more adult role models were needed to mentor Club youth. To provide more mentors, the Club would need to expand its volunteer base in a major way. At that time, it consisted of just 12 individuals.

In March 2008, the Club hired Sherri Buehl as its full-time volunteer resource coordinator. Buehl found that retaining good volunteers involved assigning them to areas they showed an interest in and making them feel appreciated by Club members and staff. The Cleveland Club strived to achieve this using two key approaches:

1. Meaningful Interviews – A staff member clearly explains the Club’s mission and needs, and learns about the potential volunteer’s interests and experience.

2. Training – The Club provides staff members with training about the roles of volunteers and how best to work with them.

Buehl also had full organizational buy-in on her side. Senior leaders, board members and staff all knew that a major expansion of the Club’s volunteer base was vital to accom-plishing its goal of increasing adult support and deepening impact on youth.

By 2009, the Club’s volunteer management program was enjoying resounding success. Recruiting from area businesses, colleges and community groups, the number of volunteers mushroomed from a mere dozen to more than 1,100 indi-viduals who contributed more than 11,000 volunteer hours.

Buehl finds that volunteers also bring important intangibles to their service, such as passion and excitement. “Volunteers are wonderful examples of who our young people can become with a bit of encouragement and education,” said Buehl. “Simply by giving of their time, they show Club members there are so many individuals who care about them and [want] them to succeed.”

While engaging volunteers may seem a difficult undertaking at first, it’s important to look at the big picture. Amid today’s growing volunteerism trends, a well-run volunteer manage-ment program – given the careful consideration it deserves – can exponentially benefit your Club for years to come.

HOW TO CREATE A VALUABLE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM Use these four key concepts as a guide to create and implement a volunteer management program at your Boys & Girls Club:

1. A Positive Experience – Volunteers make a commit-ment to your Club in time and energy. Reciprocate that commitment by creating a volunteer program that provides them with positive, meaningful experiences.

2. Volunteers Aren’t Free – Definite costs are involved in managing a successful program. These include staff, background checks, training and an online volunteer-hour tracking system. Create a realistic budget that reflects line items such as these.

3. Less May Be More – A small number of volunteers who have the right skills and are managed well provide more benefit than a larger group that lacks skills the Club needs or that don’t receive adequate guidance.

4. Beyond Recruitment. There are 15 components of a comprehensive volunteer management program, including record keeping, reporting, supervision and ongoing training. Review all 15 and download the Volunteer Management Plan Template at bgca.net/departments/volunteer.

For more information about volunteer management and how to develop a program for your Club, visit bgca.net/departments/volunteer. You can also contact Beth Fenger, director of volunteer engagement for BGCA, at (404) 487-5995 or bfenger@bgca.org.

Volunteers are indispensable to the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Lynchburg, Va. Established in 2005, the small organization has an annual budget of about $350,000 and only three full-time employees. Without volunteers, it probably couldn’t have served the hundreds of youth it did in 2009. With this in mind, the Lynchburg Club

took steps to make its volunteer management program as effective as possible. And the timing couldn’t have been better.

The number of Americans who volunteered in their communities grew by 1.6 million in 2009, according to the Corporation for National and Community Service, the largest annual increase since 2003. Some 63.4 million Americans donated more than 8 billion hours of service worth an estimated $169 billion. Factors behind the increase include President Obama’s call on citizens to serve, the Serve America Act of 2009, more corporate giving programs that emphasize social responsibility, and increased media coverage of the volunteerism trend.

Your Club can capitalize on this growing trend, too. A well thought-out volunteer strategy can yield significant benefits, such as improved day-to-day operations, enhanced program delivery, and opprtunities to engage individuals whose belief in serving young people makes them top prospects for your annual campaign.

VOLUNTEERISM ON THE RISEIS YOUR CLUB TAPPING INTO THIS VALUABLE RESOURCE? By Beth Fenger

13CONNECTIONS12 SUMMER 2011

Volunteer Kathleen Szabo working with children in the gardening program at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland, where a new approach to volunteer management

generated more than 1,100 new volunteers in under two years.

Emil J. Brolick

columns Chairman’s Report Chairman’s Report columns

PREPARING YOUTH FOR SUCCESSFUL

FUTURESGoing forward, achieving our priority outcomes of Academic Success, Good Character and Citizenship, and Healthy Lifestyles for all young people will require an intentional approach to our programming and operations that moves us from our admirable, outcome-intended past to a more focused, outcome-driven future. This means that not only must we be crystal clear in our goals for youth, we must be intentional and systematic in the way we implement the Club Experience.

To make this critical transition and continue to make a difference in communities across the country, the National Commission on Impact recommends establishing a new strategic direction. It is a reflection of the challenges our Movement has faced over the past few years, our aspirations for our members, and our desire to renew our energy and commitment to youth.

This new direction involves, first, increasing our impact by focusing on our three priority outcomes for youth. As leaders, we must be relentless in our commitment to strengthen our programs and create an exciting, life-changing Club Experience. We will begin to quantify the results of these efforts by measuring youth outcomes on a Movement-wide basis.

Secondly, we must grow strategically, reaching more of the young people who need us most by increasing average daily attendance, annual visits and member retention – especially through the transition years of middle and high school, which are fraught with challenges for youth.

STARTYOUR CLUB’S OUTCOME-DRIVEN JOURNEY TODAY

We recognize that, to achieve these goals, Club capacity and capability are critical to our success. We know that some Clubs will need more help building capacity to implement an outcome-driven Club Experience. Other Clubs are ready to move forward right now. No matter where your Club falls in the spectrum, we must keep youth at the forefront of this impact agenda.

Every Club can begin guiding youth along the path to a great future now, because every Club can adopt the Formula for Impact to strengthen and build a Boys & Girls Club Experience that is fun, exciting and life-changing. Every Club can assess its capacity and develop plans to increase average daily attendance, annual visits and member retention.

HEREIS WHAT WE MUST KEEP IN MIND

The Club must be fun; it must create the excitement that keeps members coming back day after day. We must also remember that the real transformational power of Clubs is the positive, caring relationships between Club staff or volunteers and our members.

The Commission recognizes that all Clubs are unique reflections of their own communities. But we all want the same outcomes for youth – Academic Success, Good Character and Citizenship, and Healthy Lifestyles. The Formula for Impact can be adapted to fit the needs of every Club, but also assures that every Club member, in every community in America, has access to a powerful Club Experience.

Going forward, we will need to form true partnerships with schools, parents and other community stakeholders. By doing so, we will increase our collective capacity to make a difference.

We know Boys & Girls Clubs work – and our vision for the next 10 years is designed to prove it. Ultimately, “Great Futures Start Here” should ring true for every Boys & Girls Club and for every young person who comes through our doors.

Let me begin by saying what an honor

it is to serve as Chairman of the Board

of Governors for BGCA. As a longtime

volunteer and advocate for the power of Clubs to

change lives, I am convinced that our Movement

stands alone when it comes to enabling our nation’s

youth to overcome enormous obstacles, and create

great futures for themselves and for our nation.

This is an historic time for our Movement. At the

very moment our youth and nation need us most,

we are poised to dramatically increase our impact

and set the stage for all of our nation’s young people

to succeed.

Last May, we convened the National Commission

on Impact to discuss how best to achieve deeper,

Movement-wide impact so that all youth we

serve demonstrate positive outcomes in Academic

Success, Good Character and Citizenship, and

Healthy Lifestyles. The Commission, whose mem-

bers included board and professional leaders from

throughout the nation, held more than 40 town

hall meetings, gathering the input of another 1,500

leaders of our Movement. From those meetings, an

important vision emerged:

Provide a world-class Club Experience that assures

success is within reach of every young person who

comes through our doors, with all members on

track to graduate from high school with a plan

for the future, demonstrating good character and

citizenship, and living a healthy lifestyle.

How will we make this ambitious vision a reality for America’s youth? The Commission recommended three broad strategies:

1. Collectively, the Movement should embrace this new vision and implement the Formula for Impact, our roadmap to exponentially increasing our impact on youth. (See cover story.)

2. We must be very intentional in providing a world-class, fun-filled Club Experience designed to enable youth to achieve our priority outcomes of Academic Success, Good Character and Citizenship, and Healthy Lifestyles.

3. Because we know that the more kids come to the Club, the more they achieve, we must work to increase average daily attendance, annual visits and membership retention.

Below is a summary of some of the big-picture take-aways from the Commission’s work:

WE KNOW OUR MOVEMENT IS

GREATFor more than a century, the Boys & Girls Club Movement has been saving and changing the lives of young people. We are extremely proud of our achievements and how we have contributed to the success of individuals in all aspects of society.

Our past successes tell us that the Boys & Girls Club Experience has a long history of changing and saving lives. In a new century – and a new global economy – we must dig deeper to have a greater impact on our youth. Soon, the majority of new jobs will require more than a high school education, but America now ranks ninth in the proportion of young people with college degrees. Twenty-five percent of youth fail to graduate from high school, some 20 percent of our children live in poverty and 17 percent are obese. We need to do better.

INCREASING OUR IMPACT FOR KIDS, CLUBS AND COUNTRY

15CONNECTIONS14 SUMMER 2011

2011 is proving to be a pivotal year in the life of Megan Wurm.

This spring alone, the 18-year-old graduated from high school and was accepted to Washington State University. As if that wasn’t enough, Megan was named the 2011-12 National Money Matters Ambassador for faithfully following lessons she learned in Money Matters: Make It Count,SM Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s financial lit-eracy program for teens. As Ambassador, she’ll work with Charles Schwab Foundation, Money Matters founding sponsor, raising awareness of the vital role basic finance skills play in becoming a successful adult.

PARTICIPATION PAYS OFFMegan first became acquainted with Money Matters at the Boys & Girls Club of Truckee Meadow in Reno, Nev., where she’s been a member since 1999.

“Before, I never thought about handling finances myself,” she said. “Thanks to Money Matters, I’m much more confident I’ll make the right decisions.”

Before taking part in the program, Megan used to spend her earnings from babysitting nearly as fast as she was paid. Now, she saves half of every paycheck – a habit that’s become so ingrained, she saved $4,000 over three summers to buy a car. What’s more, her fiscal discipline inspired her parents to create and stick to their own household budget.

CURRENCY FOR COLLEGE Even more importantly, Money Matters taught Megan about financial aid for college.

“My Money Matters advisor taught me if you keep at it, you can find scholarships you never knew existed,” said Megan, who earned more than $16,000 in scholarships, including a $5,000 scholarship she received as Money Matters Ambassador from Charles Schwab Foundation. She’ll make good use of those funds at Washington State, where Megan plans to double-major in history and social studies and become a history teacher.

ENHANCED AND EASIER TO USESince its establishment in 2004, Money Matters has touched more than 245,000 Club teenagers who have completed the financial literacy program. For most, the program is probably their last chance, before becoming adults, to learn meaningful, actionable personal finance skills. And teens want to learn about money management. Among findings in a 2007 Schwab survey of adolescents and money, 65 percent found finance interesting and 60 percent considered learning about personal finance a top priority.

To make certain the program continues to prepare youth for financial and academic success, BGCA revised the cur-riculum in 2010. Incorporating feedback from 30 Clubs that piloted new learning concepts, the new and improved

Money Matters brings money management to life and is now even more relevant to teens and the financial issues and decisions they face.

The new curriculum focuses on five key areas: budget-ing, saving and investing, planning for college, credit and debt, and entrepreneurship. The new materials include a Facilitator’s Guide uniquely designed for Clubs, and a Teen Personal Finance Guide that provides age-appropri-ate, engaging activities.

NEW ONLINE ASSETSAs a complement to the new curriculum, a new and improved website has also been launched – MoneyMattersMakeItCount.com. The website delivers the essentials of the new curriculum and offers a collection of interactive activities for each of the five focus areas. While some areas of the site are only for Club youth, most of the content is now public, making its valuable financial lessons available for all teens.

BGCA and Charles Schwab Foundation are also joint sponsors of “Make Change Count!” This new campaign is designed to harness the power of young Americans to

drive national attention about financial issues and con-cerns teenagers face. At Makechangecount.com, youth can pledge to save, spend wisely, plan for college, and encour-age friends and family to make good financial choices. By providing young people with actionable “next steps,” the pledge encourages a national movement of fiscal fitness through healthy financial behavior.

LONG-TERM GOALSUnlike so many teens who enter adulthood lacking finan-cial skills, Megan Wurm has made the best possible start toward a solid financial future.

“I thought I knew a lot about budgeting and paying for college,” recalled Megan. “But Money Matters taught me so much more.”

Indeed it did. And maybe there’s no better proof of that newfound fiscal responsibility than her goal to not only graduate from college … but to do so debt free. Because Megan knows money matters.

To receive your free copy of the new Money Matters: Make It Count program, contact Gregory L. Doss, director, BGCA teen services, at gdoss@bgca.org or (404) 487-5898.

MONEY MATTERS MAKE OVERFINANCIAL LITERACY PROGRAM ENHANCES CURRICULUM AND ONLINE PRESENCE

Megan Wurm2011-2012 Money Matters Ambassador

Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) meets with Megan at his Washington, D.C., office.

16 SUMMER 2011 17CONNECTIONS

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HEADER THE REST OF THE HEADER

Midwest RegionJohn Ayala, Saginaw, Mich.

Carlos Cabrera, Galesburg, Ill.

Nick Cappussi, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Amber Carda, Brookings, S.D.

Craig Crawford, Tipton, Ind.

JoAnn Engquist, Michigan City, Ind.

Wendy Franke, Sparta, Wis.

Julie Goldsberry, Indianapolis, Ind.

Nina Gondola, Indianapolis, Ind.

Bill Greene, Muncie, Ind.

Liji Hanny, Benton Harbor, Mich.

LeeAnn Harris, Indianapolis, Ind.

Ainsley Hogan, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Ken Hopper, Brimley, Mich.

Melissa Johnson, Winnebago, Neb.

Michael Johnson, Madison, Wis.

Valorie Livingston, Columbia, Mo.

Curtis McFall, Benton Harbor, Mich.

Vanessa Merhib, Brookings, S.D.

Allison Miracle, Marion, Ohio

Jamie Morris, Evansville, Ind.

Derek Papich, Rockford, Ill.

Richard Parker, Tipton, Ind.

Stefani Pierson, Martinsburg, W.Va.

Ron Ryan, Evansville, Ind.

Doug Schaffer, Benton Harbor, Mich.

Rachel Schumacher, Brookings, S.D.

Jim Sharrock, Columbia, Mo.

Jennifer Tosi, Morgantown, Ky.

Allen Treece, Paducah, Ky.

John Tursi, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Heather Walz, Janesville, Wis.

Allan Whitlow, Michigan City, Ind.

Rick Whitten, Indianapolis, Ind.

Northeast RegionAmanda Ahlemeyer, Rensselaer, N.Y.

Beth Baldwin-Page, Brattleboro, Vt.

Ka-Msiyara Corbett, Glassboro, N.J.

Lara D’Antuono, Warwick, R.I.

Elizabeth Daly, Chicopee, Mass.

Ricky Davidson, Brattleboro, Vt.

Laura Gentile, Scranton, Pa.

Cesar Gonzales, Meriden, Conn.

Karyn Gramata, Chambersburg, Pa.

Julia Hadlock, Ridgefield, Conn.

Terence Hughes, Long Island City, N.Y.

Jim Keenan, Salisbury, Mass.

Matt Kiely, Warwick, R.I.

Karen Lowery, New York, N.Y.

Garreth Lynch, Plymouth, Mass.

Donald Maleto, Meriden, Conn.

Donata Martin, Leominster, Mass.

Clarisa Matlasz, Chicopee, Mass.

Anthony Poti, Dudley, Mass.

Richard Seethaler, Meriden, Conn.

David Sellers, Newton, Mass.

Gisele Shorter, New York, N.Y.

Joseph Siegel, Groton, Conn.

AnnMarie Tanzella, Stoneham, Mass.

Tricia Thomas, Scranton, Pa.

Marie Timpano, Randolph, Vt.

Richard Van Vorst, Rensselaer, N.Y.

Jennifer White, Brockton, Mass.

Kevin White, Newburgh, N.Y.

Tim Wills, Aberdeen, Md.

Larry Yarbray, Chester, Pa.

Pacific RegionDon Abbe, Carson, Calif.

Erikk Aldridge, Venice, Calif.

Allison Barclay, Salt Lake, Utah

Larry Bleich, Scottsdale, Ariz.

Ken Blinsman, Imperial Beach, Calif.

Colleen Braga, Garden City, Idaho

John Clingan, Imperial Beach, Calif.

Gil Contreras, Imperial Beach, Calif.

Steve Davidson, Scottsdale, Ariz.

Mark Davis, Redlands, Calif.

Armando Diaz, Venice, Calif.

Mark Elswick, Agoura Hills, Calif.

Lariana Forsythe, Phoenix, Ariz.

Carrie Francis, Salt Lake, Utah

Amy Gibbons, Phoenix, Ariz.

Hal Hansen, Carson City, Nev.

Marci Harrell, Carson City, Nev.

Veronica Jimenez, Carson, Calif.

Richard Johnson, Garden City, Idaho

Bradley Kuluris, Phoenix, Ariz.

Diane McCoy, Carson City, Nev.

Bridget McDonald, Phoenix, Ariz.

P.T. McEwen, Redlands, Calif.

Adaleen McHale, Tustin, Calif.

Monet Morris, Venice, Calif.

Theresa Perkins, Scottsdale, Ariz.

Kris Peterson, Salt Lake, Utah

Kim Richards, Carson, Calif.

Aaron Ruiz, Imperial Beach, Calif.

LeAnn Saldivar, Salt Lake, Utah

Joseph Schueler, Garden City, Idaho

Teddy Seraphine, Venice, Calif.

Montrice Shabete, Redlands, Calif.

Tom Shaughnessy, Scottsdale, Ariz.

Diane Taylor, Imperial Beach, Calif.

Dale Wanek, Phoenix, Ariz.

Southeast RegionStacey Allen, Yazoo City, Miss.

Eric Ball, Indianola, Miss.

Scott Bannister, Thomasville, N.C.

Felicia Bates, Montgomery, Ala.

Yvonne Batts, Auburn, Ala.

Heidi Bressler, Lecanto, Fla.

Mike Burdine, Greenville, S.C.

June Crow, Yazoo City, Miss.

Anne Frazier, Martinsville, Va.

Tyren Frazier, Kilmarnock, Va.

Chuck Graham, Gainesville, Ga.

Megan Grummert, Gainesville, Ga.

Walt Hall, Winter Haven, Fla.

Mary Hayes, Natchitoches, La.

Yolanda Henderson-Kemp, Tunica, Miss.

Rosalind Hudson, Natchitoches, La.

Kacy Keim, Lakeland, Fla.

Wanda Lewis, Auburn, Ala.

Alex Lindsay, Fort Myers, Fla.

Zack Long, Eden, N.C.

Bernita McClure, Tunica, Miss.

Tyrell McElroy, Waynesboro, Va.

Floyd Miller, Grenada, Miss.

Gilbert Millsap, Johnson City, Tenn.

Curtis Reddick, Winter Haven, Fla.

Kristie Renardson, Winter Haven, Fla.

Marcus Thomspson, Waynesboro, Va.

Troy Trout, Tupelo, Miss.

Mamie Watkins, Yazoo City, Miss.

Cederick Williams, Thomasville, Ala.

Shirley Williams, Yazoo City, Miss.

Patrick Wynn, Huntsville, Ala.

Leatha Young, Camilla, Ga.

Tavarious Young, Indianola, Miss.

Southwest RegionVictor Allcorn, Amarillo, Texas

Melinda Baeza, Van Horn, Texas

Jennifer Beckley, Las Cruces, N.M.

Nathan Bowman, Alamogordo, N.M.

Darren Buzzard, Horton, Kan.

Tammy Chandler, Fort Collins, Colo.

Jeanette Charboenau, Wolf Point, Mont.

Dianne Chase, Fredericksburg, Texas

Amy Claesson, Truth or Consequences, N.M.

Janis Fontaine, Missoula, Mont.

Lynne Garcia, Menard, Texas

Laura Hager, Durango, Colo.

Nathan Hale, Mayetta, Kan.

Shaun Hunt, Oklahoma City, Okla.

Justin Kiehl, Trinity, Texas

Bob King, Trinity, Texas

Kristine Kiss, Douglas, Wyo.

Chris Linzza, El Campo, Texas

Vaughn Morris, Durango, Colo.

Dave Rud, Fort Collins, Colo.

Rick Scott, Booneville, Ark.

Maria Sims, Fairplay, Colo.

Maria Swall, Fort Collins, Colo.

Daniel Taron, Oklahoma City, Okla.

Kathi Wright, Fort Collins, Colo.

Robert Wright, Conway, Ark.

Overseas MilitaryServicesJeanette Hernandez, Italy

Cathy Knapp, Italy

Christopher McKibbin, Italy

Denise Niblack, Japan

Barbara Peters, Spain

Xiomara Rivera, Germany

2010 SMILOW SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

JOEL E. SMILOW

TRAINING SCHOLARSHIP

PROGRAM

Each year, the Joel E. Smilow Training Scholarship Fund provides some $200,000 to support the professional development of Boys & Girls Club full-time staff. Since 2004, these scholarships have enabled Club staff to attend Boys & Girls Clubs of America training events. By learning new skills, they have made an even greater impact on our youth.

BGCA is grateful to Mr. Smilow, a longtime Boys & Girls Club supporter. His generous assistance has allowed hundreds of Club professionals to hone their youth development skills.

For more information, please visit the Training & Professional Development section on bgca.net.

18 SUMMER 2011 19CONNECTIONS

HOW DID YOUR CLUB BENEFIT FROM YOUR PARTICIPATION IN ALP?

Jon Evans: “ALP has had a positive impact and influence on all levels of our organization, from direct services to Club members to how we operate and manage administrative services.”

Kim Richards: “We learned how to actively engage board and staff in the planning and imple-mentation of a strategy to accomplish Club goals.”

Mike Wurm: “Using ALP’s shared leadership approach, we have experienced an even higher level of engagement from an already productive staff.”

Jim Richards: “During the most challenging financial period in our Club’s history, the ALP process brought our management team together to focus on our most important strategic needs and develop the internal tools we needed to succeed.”

WHY SHOULD CLUB EXECUTIVES ENROLL IN ALP?

Jim Richards: “The team experience brought our senior leadership together both organization-ally as well as personally. We are a different organization as a result of ALP.”

Jon Evans: “There is no better training out there that will have this level of impact on your organization.”

Kim Richards: “ALP provides the framework and tools needed to move your organization to the next level.”

Mike Wurm: “ALP is the most effective training I have experienced.”

HOW IS ALP DIFFERENT FROM OTHER TRAININGS?

James Beavers: “Most trainings for Club professionals target the Movement as a whole. ALP focuses on a few individuals and their Club. The one-to-one opportunities with instructors and colleagues create an atmosphere of learning, balanced by the breakdown of an individual’s leadership strengths and weaknesses.”

Jim Richards: “Unlike most trainings, ALP trains a team. The team experience brought our senior leadership together both organizationally and personally.”

WHAT IMPACT CAN ALP MAKE ON CLUB MEMBERS?

Mike Wurm: “In the end, it is the kids who benefit most from these efforts.”

James Beavers: “Attendance has increased by more than 20 percent. More importantly, participation in daily Club programs has increased almost 100 percent.”

DO YOU EXPECT ALP WILL HAVE A LONG-TERM IMPACT ON YOUR CLUB?

James Beavers: “New community partnerships have been struck that will benefit the entire organization for years to come.”

Jon Evans: “Two years after going through the program, our organization is still reaping the rewards and benefits from participating.”

Mike Wurm: “ALP was an investment by our organization that continues to pay dividends.”

Clearly the strength of Club leadership has an indisputable effect on both the number of youth we reach and the depth of impact we achieve. To date, 300 organizations and nearly 800 professional staff and board volunteers have completed the program. We need these strong local leaders – and more just like them – to ensure that the Club is always there for our country’s young people. And kids are what ALP is all about.

Tim Sheahan is administrator for The Professional Association.

CREATING GREAT LEADERSTPA MEMBERS TOUT LEADERSHIP PROGRAM AS KEY TO INCREASING IMPACT By Tim Sheahan

Since 1953, The Professional Association (TPA) has been committed to helping Boys & Girls Club professionals achieve their full potential as youth development professionals and as individuals. One key way TPA encourages its members to build successful careers is by participating in continuing education opportunities, such as Boys &

Girls Clubs of America’s Advanced Leadership Program (ALP).

In a progressively complex world, the skills and knowledge required to lead a high-performing Club have increased. Correspondingly, so has the need for high quality leaders. To produce leadership that can fill that need, BGCA estab-lished ALP.

The leadership program was developed by BGCA with Dr. Noel Tichy, a management development expert, and Dr. Richard Chait, an authority on nonprofit governance. Since its launch in 2007, ALP’s rigorous curriculum has challenged Club executives to tackle real-world issues. These include outcome measurement, succession planning, motivating teams, balancing budgets, diversifying revenue streams and board development.

To gain a sense of the impact the Advanced Leadership Program can make on Club professionals and their organiza-tions, several TPA members who are ALP graduates agreed to share their insights about the program.

To gain a sense of the impact the Advanced Leadership Program can make on Club professionals and their organizations, several TPA members who are ALP graduates agreed to share their insights to the leadership program. Thanks to Kim Richards (executive director, Boys & Girls Clubs of Carson, Calif.), Jon Evans (executive director, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Lewis Clark Valley, Idaho), James Beavers (unit director, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas), Mike Wurm (CPO, Boys & Girls Club of Truckee Meadows, Reno, Nev.), and Jim Richards, past CPO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas).

JON EVANS

JIM RICHARDS

KIM RICHARDS

MIKE WURM

JAMES BEAVERS

20 SUMMER 2011 21CONNECTIONS

Tiaras off to Alyse Eady. As first runner-up for the crown of Miss America 2011, this one-time Club kid used her status to promote Boys & Girls Clubs, earning her a

permanent spot in the heart of our Movement.

Each pageant contestant has her own platform, an issue she cares deeply about that is relevant to the country. The alum of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Fort Smith, Ark., decided her platform was “developing leaders through Boys & Girls Clubs of America.”

Alyse, who joined the Fort Smith Club at the age of 5, explained her platform choice as an investment in the future. “We all have a responsibility to invest in the lives of young people. Supporting Boys & Girls Clubs of America will ensure the organization can continue to develop generations of strong leaders.”

NEW FAME, LONGTIME SUCCESSFor all her accomplishments, it was the pageant’s talent por-tion that brought Alyse national fame. With a performance that combined ventriloquism and yodeling, the 23-year-old became an overnight sensation, as she appeared on several TV shows including The Late Show with David Letterman, Showtime at the Apollo and The CBS Early Show.

Alyse takes her newfound fame in stride. After all, success is nothing new for the 2006-07 Southwest Region Youth of the Year, an accomplishment that led to an Oval Office meeting with President George W. Bush. She also served as an ambassador for the European Summer Leadership Assistants program, travel-ing to air bases in Germany and Turkey and mentoring military youth at BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers.

EDUCATION TRUMPS ALLBut perhaps her greatest accomplishment is as a college graduate. With nine sisters, Alyse knew that she’d have to find a way to pay for her education. She used her $11,000 in Youth of the Year scholarships to earn a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from Ouachita Baptist University. And she’s not through yet.

As first runner-up to Miss America Teresa Scanlon, Alyse received a $25,000 scholarship. She plans to use it for tuition toward a master’s degree in business administration and to pur-sue a career in the nonprofit sector. Is there another Boys & Girls Club chapter in Alyse’s life story? Stay tuned.

John Collins is Sr. Writer/Editor for BGCA.

FIVE PILLARS OF SUPPORT FOR CLUB PROFESSIONALS

SECOND TO NONEALYSE EADY IS FIRST IN THE HEARTS OF CLUBSBy John Collins

For more than 50 years, The Professional Association has supported Boys & Girls Club professionals and their career and individual development.

TPA enables members to achieve their true, total potential as youth development professionals through its Five Pillars of Support:

12345SCHOLARSHIPS

RECOGNITION

MENTORING

NETWORKING

TRAINING

Every TPA member is eligible to receive up to $750 a year to support professional training and development.

Club profes-sionals’ distin-guished service and vocational contributions are recognized through the TPA awards and recognition program.

TPA mentoring opportunities allow Club profession-als to share knowledge and experience to facilitate professional growth.

Local TPA chapters offer the opportunity to create new relationships and friend-ships for the benefit of all professionals.

TPA’s strategic partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America pro-vides professional development at the local, regional and national levels.

THE PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION Supporting Boys & Girls Club Professionals Since 1953

Learn more about the benefits of association membership at bgcpros.org. Or contact Tim Sheahan, TPA administrator, via e-mail: tsheahan@bgcpros.org.

22 SUMMER 2011

columns Excellence in Action Excellence in Action columns

We work hard to conserve and optimize our limited resources. To encourage fiscal discipline and accountabil-ity, strong internal controls have been implemented at all Clubs. Our purchasing process is a good example. Unless a purchase order is authorized by me or our president, a Club cannot make a purchase. This discourages nones-sential spending and often results in more cost-effective options. If a vendor seems expensive, for example, we can suggest getting another quote.

Another key control: our no-cash policy. In the past, some cash transactions resulted in money going missing and never being recovered. By using and accepting only checks, money orders and credit/debit cards, every Club transaction has a paper trail.

TRANSPARENCY CREATES OPPORTUNITYDonors want to work with a transparent organization. They want to be familiar with the Club’s financial data, to know we balance our budget and have a strong financial balance sheet. To demonstrate that we are fully transparent, all of the Tampa organization’s audits, tax returns, annual report and a recap of our financial statement are accessible on our website for 24-7 review.

A good financial reputation can also open doors. In 2009, our county received $700,000 in federal stimulus funds to establish a youth summer program. Because they knew we had the capacity and the reputation to produce and administer such a program, they contracted with the Tampa organization to get it done.

GOING BEYOND TITLEIf you’re a CFO, the best way to help your Boys & Girls Club is to not limit yourself. It’s important to know more than the numbers or be perceived just as the guy who pays the bills.

For example, I work closely with our director of grants on most applications. Partnering in the grant writing process prevents the Club from being exposed to certain liabilities. It also provides me with a better overview of the organization’s operations.

A chief professional officer should view you as an advisor who has the ability to see the bigger picture, to recognize opportunities and contribute valuable input to the ongo-ing success of your Boys & Girls Club.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay has been west central Florida’s leading provider of youth development services since 1926. Today, with

18 Clubs serving more than 9,000 young people a year, a sound financial management plan is key to our ongoing legacy. As the chief financial officer of the organization, it’s my job to ensure our financial plan is competent, transparent, and provides good stewardship for supporters and their contributions.

There is an unmistakable rela-tionship between numbers and mission for Clubs. By looking at past revenues, workforce data and ongoing contracts that are fairly predictable – such as United Way and Department of Education – we’re able to accurately forecast revenues and personnel costs for a given year. But good financial man-agement is more than just keeping the history; it’s trying to make your numbers useful for your decision making. Especially in the current economy, you can’t count on history alone.

CONDITION CRITICAL Like many nonprofits, the devastating recession hit us hard in Tampa. From 2007-2009, the Club’s annual revenue dropped from $6.5 to $5.5 million. To reduce expenses and live within our means, we were forced to make tough, very painful decisions. These included closing four Clubs, laying off 10 percent of our staff, reducing salaries and cutting the hours of our part-time

staff. It was agonizing. But if not for the solid financial plan we had in place, it could have been even worse.

Strong financial systems allowed us to forecast what was achievable with our reduced resources. By tightening our belts, we got through the most difficult days. By mid-2010, we had re-hired most of the laid-off staff and restored

salaries to their original value. And despite closing four units, we continued to serve all of our Club young people.

OVERHEAD AND COST CONTROLS Without question, payroll is the single biggest consider-ation of our financial management plan. Its regular cash outflows and seasonal fluctuations – such as, summer when our staff increases by 25 percent – dictates that we monitor our payroll numbers very closely. One way we accomplish this is by carefully analyzing our total payroll allotment.

Each pay period, a report comparing youth attendance with hours paid at each Club is generated. It serves as a key indicator for determining activity and staff coverage at each of our 18 units. If Club directors are paying over-time, we ask them to explain why. If attendance is down, we can ask what they’re doing to increase enrollment. Club staff still lobby for more hours, as they should. But they also understand the significant relationship between attendance and hours paid.

BALANCING MONEY AND MISSIONFINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY, GOOD STEWARDSHIP DRIVE TAMPA BAY CLUB’S SUCCESS By Bill Ross

Smith Salesian is official summer camp for all 18 Tampa Bay Clubs. Club staff increases by 25 percent each summer, one reason payroll is

the main piece of its financial plan.

The Tampa Bay Club serves more than 9,000 young people every year.

ALP PROJECT COMMUNICATES CLUB VALUE

My colleagues and I had the opportunity last year to participate in BGCA’s Advanced Leadership Program (ALP). Our training included a group project to create a Club public awareness strategy. It proved to be a powerful motivator to think about exactly what we do at the Club and how to clearly communicate that to the public.

As a financial person, the project was extremely helpful, as our team engaged in extensive, back-and-forth discussions. It helped me gain an in-depth understanding of exactly what we do at the Tampa Bay Club.

We decided “Impact. Hope. Opportunity.” most accurately described what the Club provides the children of Tampa Bay. So much so, it became the theme of our actual public awareness campaign,

featured on promotional collateral such as posters, as well as the topic of a video on our website.

Bill Ross is chief financial officer for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay.

Bill Ross

“GOOD FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT IS MORE THAN JUST KEEPING THE HISTORY. IT’S TRYING TO MAKE NUMBERS USEFUL FOR DECISION MAKING.”

24 SUMMER 2011 25CONNECTIONS

Situation

Is Your OrganizationVulnerable?

YIELD

Avoidance Strategies

Want to Learn More?

managing

riskREAL SITUATIONS. REAL SOLUTIONS.

Is Bullying Happening Right Under Your Nose?

Situation

The Managing Risk column is sponsored by

Want to Learn More? The following resources can help your orga-nization develop its own bullying prevention program:

BGCA Training and Assets

• Webinars – BGCA hosts two, 30-minute, self-directed webinars on bgca.net: “Creating a Bullying Prevention Program” and “Preventing Cyberbullying.” Specific enrollment details are provided on bgca.net.

• Supporting Documents – BGCA offers the following guides, surveys and other relevant information on bullying and its prevention:

• 5-step Approach to Bullying Prevention

• Club Bullying Prevention Policy (sample)

• Bullying: A Guide for Parents

• Bullying Surveys for Club Members

• Bullying Prevention Specialist Responsibilities

You can access and download these documents at BGCA Online Communities. Go to groups2.bgca.net, enter your bgca.net password and

user name, then follow these links: PYDS>Teen Services>Delinquency Prevention

• Myclubmylife.com/mediasafety – Club members’ personal perspectives on cyberbul-lying offer useful content for Club staff and young people to read and discuss.

• Stopbullyingspeakup.com – As a part of Cartoon Network’s “Stop Bullying: Speak Up” campaign, this youth-friendly website offers concrete information on bullying, includ-ing how to recognize it and ways to stop it. Campaign partners include BGCA and The National Center for Bullying Prevention.

• Stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov – Tailored to young people, this website from the Human Resources and Services Administration offers games, animated webisodes and much more to impart the dangers of bullying behavior.

For more information about bullying prevention, contact Les Nichols, BGCA’s vice president of Club safety and design, at lnichols@bgca.org.

Is Your Organization Vulnerable? Use these questions to generate discussion with your board and staff:

• Does the size, layout or sharing of our facility enable bullying behavior?• Are there enough staff to oversee the entire Club environs, both inside and outside Club walls?• Do we provide adequate and meaningful programming that teaches respect for all people?• Do we engage teen members as anti-bullying role models and mentors for younger members?

Avoidance StrategiesYIELD

This situation may have been avoided if:

• the Club had a bullying policy in place that defined unacceptable behaviors;• a systematic and confidential survey of members had been conducted that enabled staff to identify

bullying occuring within or outside the Club;• staff and volunteers were trained to understand the dynamics of bullying, how to recognize it and

how to react to it; and• one staff member was dedicated to serving as bullying prevention specialist, staying informed of the

latest issues and resources, and training colleagues.

The Boys & Girls Club was located less than a block from the 800-student middle school, making it pos-sible for students to walk there after school. Over a two-month period, the parents of three Club mem-bers, concerned for their children’s safety, approached the Club’s director.

Their children were being bullied by schoolmates. After receiving no satisfaction by taking the problem to school officials, they felt the Club was their only recourse. A 14-year-old was being cyber-bullied by three girls her age who regularly sent her intimidat-ing text messages and e-mails; a 12-year-old boy was being physically threatened by a much larger, older boy; and one mother’s son, 14 and struggling with depression and anxiety, was being tormented by a group of rock-throwing 13-year-olds.

School officials had told the parents that there had been no reports of overt bullying behavior. While school administrators offered to talk individually to the victims and their aggressors, they had little support themselves. Their school district lacked the budget to implement and provide training for a district-wide bullying prevention program.

Previously unaware of the transgressions, the concerned Club director took steps to investigate the allegations. He instructed staff to privately observe the three young people who were being bullied, and to pay close attention for instances of harassment

at the Club. Soon, the staff began to notice subtle behaviors they had previously excused as normal, school-age antics.

For example, certain members appeared to elicit aggressive behavior in others. When such behavior occurred, most Club young people did not do or say anything to intervene or regulate their peers’ actions. Confidentially, staff members asked Club members about bullying. Who was bearing the brunt of bullying behavior and why? Where and how was it taking place?

As is often the case when monitoring a risky behavior, once Club staff began noticing certain patterns, they were taken aback by what was in plain sight. The chil-dren of the concerned parents were rather withdrawn, as were several other members. Also, their Club attendance had dropped. It appeared that the bullying that originated at the middle school had spilled over into the Club.

The director presented the information they had col-lected to the organization’s chief professional officer. As the Club had no bullying prevention program in place, the CPO found himself unprepared for this reality, unsure how to address the situation.

26 27CONNECTIONSSUMMER 2011

View From The Potomac columnscolumns View From The Potomac

29CONNECTIONS

Despite the withered economy of recent years, Boys & Girls Clubs continue to serve the youth of their communities. Even as charitable giving reached historic lows, Clubs displayed impres-sive creativity in securing funds to continue serving the young people of their communities. A

great example of that ingenuity is the marked increase in local government funding to Clubs.

Between 2007 and 2009, Clubs receiving local government grants jumped 39 percent, as subsidies grew from $59.4 million to $82.5 million. How do we account for such a robust rise amid the flat economy?

One reason: states received $484.6 billion in federal grants in 2009, up 22 percent over 2008. But the resolve, resiliency and, above all, resourcefulness demonstrated by Clubs were also major factors.

Based on my conversations with several local organizations, it appears that these lean times have inspired Clubs to take a more strategic approach to securing funding for their facil-

ity operations and programs. In particular, more Clubs appear to be actively pursuing local, grassroots support than they have previously.

HOW GRANTS REACH CLUBSAll Clubs are capable of acquiring local government grants. Entities and

programs such as recreation departments, law enforcement, community development block grants, construction monies, and municipal tax programs are among many possible grant sources. But even though these resources are acquired locally, most such funding originates in Washington, D.C.

Federal subsidies to state or local governments, also known as grants-in-aid, are routinely used to induce states and cities to fund programs they otherwise cannot afford or have no interest in running.

Grants-in-aid are usually issued as non-competitive formula grants, which were created by Congress as a way to allocate funding for specific purposes, communities or populations. “Formula” refers to the equation that uses demographic data – such as a state’s popula-tion, unemployment rate and poverty rate – to calculate how much aid a state receives.

GRASSROOTS GROWTHCLUBS’ RESOURCEFULNESS PAYS OFF AS LOCAL GOVERNMENT FUNDING JUMPS 39 PERCENT By Kevin McCartney

FUNDS MAY BE FIXED OR FLEXIBLE Once a formula grant’s value is determined, it is passed directly through to state agencies as one of the following grant types:

• Categorical grants account for about 90 percent of grants-in-aid, with recipients often required to match a portion of funding. As the name implies, categorical grants are used for narrowly-defined purposes. Programs funded by categorical grants include Head Start, 21st Century Community Learning Centers, Medicaid and food stamps.

• Block grants subsidize high-priority, general areas of need, such as education and law enforcement. Generally used at a state’s discretion, block grants have no specific spending provisions. This flexibility is demonstrated by the range of programs funded by block grants, including substance abuse prevention, energy conservation, mental health services, and social services such as childcare.

PROMISING PROGRAMS FOR CLUBSTwo block grant programs in particular may prove to be valuable to your Club.

Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) provides block grants to support state welfare programs. Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s state alliance initiative has had success securing TANF funding on a statewide basis. In addition, local Clubs can often access local TANF funding through their municipality’s health and human services department.

Community Development Block Grants fund community development such as affordable housing, anti-poverty programs and infrastructure development. They can often be used for a range of expenses, including operational support, facility maintenance and repair, and new construction. Municipal or county officials can provide you with more information about this Department of Housing and Urban Development subsidy.

Thinking local is one way to ensure your Club continues serving the youth of your locality. By creating local networks, interacting with municipal officials and tactically pursuing all opportunities, you can favorably position your Club for the support of your local government.

BIDEN VISITS CALIFORNIA CLUBVice President Joe Biden’s recent visit to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula left Club youth and staff members thrilled.

The visit was arranged after the vice president, in town to meet with Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), asked to visit a federally funded 21st Century Community Learning Center site. The Taft Community School – home to the Peninsula Club unit – fit the bill.

Sen. Boxer, already meeting with young people at the school, alluded to Club members that there might be a surprise during her visit. And they surely got one, as sirens broadcast

the approaching vice-presidential motorcade. The limousine pulled right up to the classroom door and Biden emerged, stepping directly into the classroom.

Biden gamely interacted with youth, talking sports, fielding questions and asking a few of his own. Inquiring who wanted to go to college, arms flew into the air. When he asked if Club members liked the after-school program, they responded with a resounding, “Yes!”

The vice president even invited Club youth to check out his limo, ensuring his popularity – and possibly future votes.

Kevin McCartney is senior vice president of Government Relations for BGCA.

28 SUMMER 2011

Sen. Boxer speaks with Club members.

Vice President Joe Biden at Boys & Girls Clubs of the Penninsula.

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SIGNS

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