Club members and students at Cole Arts & Sciences Academy arrived early to school where they participated in a variety of activities including bike safety classes, healthy and energizing food classes, and even a bicycle giveaway sponsored by Engage Eight! Special thanks to the Bikes for Life team from Children’s Hospital, Denver Public Schools, and Engage Eight for all their support and donations.

Kids learn about bike safety and responsibility!

It’s all about the little steps! One parent told us that she and her son live a mile away – so they drove about half way and then got out and walked/rode the rest of the way to school. What a great first step toward an alternative, healthy way to getting to school!

The bike rack, which usually houses just one or two bikes, completely filled up!

Here, participants received free reflectors for their bikes to keep riding at night safe!

Boys & Girls Clubs members learned about human rights—those things that can’t be taken away from us simply because we’re human. They watched four short videos on specific human rights. After the first, “We are all Born Free and Equal,” they erupted in cheers. They then learned about extreme forms of racism as Deng related how he survived mass genocide when he was only five years old.

The story of the lost boys of the Sudan is harrowing. Twenty-seven thousand boys aged four to thirteen were separated from their families in 1990 and forced to flee South Sudan from the invasion of the Northern Sudanese government forces. They were hounded not just by the enemy helicopters laden with chemical bombs with the intent to kill every single male child , but they had to survive attacks by lions, hyenas, chimpanzees, and even crocodiles as they made their way from South Sudan to Ethiopia, and then from Ethiopia to Kenya because the Ethiopian soldiers wouldn’t allow them to stay in their country (a journey roughly equivalent of traversing the United States from Los Angeles to New York.)

As the middle school and high school kids discovered that of the twenty-seven thousand boys who started the journey only ten thousand survived, they wanted to know what it was like to cross deserts and jungles, to live in a refugee camp for eight years. They asked Deng questions like “what was it like to lose your family,” and “what did it feel like when you finally got here to the United States.” The most important question they asked him was “how did you keep going.” He answered simply, “hope. No matter how bad it was on any given day, I would always know that the next day would be better.”

It was a strong lesson for the students to hear, and one that Reverend Kelly continued to bring home to the audience. Rev. Kelly openly talked about gang violence and about how Deng’s story helped us to see how fortunate we are. He had the audience hold slim wooden signs that said, “colored only,” leftovers from Jim Crow laws in the South and he encouraged the children to talk about what they would do if they were in Deng’s shoes. Most important, Kelly had them give him answers on what they could do to “erase racism.” Their answers were simple and profound: to listen to each other better. To make the effort to understand those who are different from them.

Racism is ugly and still far too prevalent in 2013. It is a most basic and egregious violation of human rights. L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Church of Scientology, made it clear that spiritual freedom and enlightenment were all but unattainable goals to individuals denied their most fundamental human rights. By bringing together young men and women from across Denver’s neighborhoods, Deng, Schneider, Rev. Kelly, and United for Human Rights, have worked to bring hope for a future where human rights are real, where racism has given way to people embracing each other’s differences.

By Patricia Ross, United for Human Rights

Boys & Girls Clubs, Denver leader in youth development, honored with Denver Post Award

Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver is pleased to announce that we have been selected as one of The Denver Post Top Workplaces – a list of the 100 best places to work in the Denver metro area. On Sunday, April 14, BGCMD was even named in a special section of The Denver Post.

The Top Workplaces are determined based solely on employee feedback. The employee survey is conducted by WorkplaceDynamics, LLP, a leading research firm on organizational health and employee engagement. WorkplaceDynamics conducts regional Top Workplaces programs with 37 major publishing partners and recognizes a list of 150 National Top Workplaces. Over the past year, more than 5,000 organizations and 1 in every 88 employees in the U.S. have turned to WorkplaceDynamics to better understand what’s on the minds of their employees.

A staple in the Denver community since 1961, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver has grown from one to 14 Clubs in the metro area, serving more than 2,000 youth each day. Employees not only believe strongly in the organization’s mission and youth we serve, but also in leadership and the direction the organization is headed.

“We are so honored to be named a top workplace in Denver,” says John Arigoni, BGCMD President and CEO. “We are so fortunate to have an unbelievable, incredibly talented staff at Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver, and it is their hard work and dedication that is truly making a difference for kids in our community.”

The Denver Post published the complete list of Top Workplaces on April 14th. For more information about the Top Workplaces lists and WorkplaceDynamics, please visit www.topworkplaces.com and www.workplacedynamics.com.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver’s President & CEO, John Arigoni, has been named a 2013 Maytag Dependable Leader Award winner for his demonstrated dependability and dedication to keeping youth on the path to achieve great futures. Through a national partnership, Maytag and Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) selected John as one of 25 nominees nationwide to receive the distinction, which includes a $20,000 financial grant to help the Club deepen its impact in the community.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver will use the one-time grant to increase our youth outcomes initiative and to support Club kids at our new Jack A. Vickers Boys & Girls Club, opening Fall 2013 in the Northeast Park Hill neighborhood.

“John is truly a dependable leader who selflessly gives his time and efforts to support metro Denver youth, and we are proud to see him recognized with this incredible award from Maytag,” said Kathy Luna, COO at BGCMD. “Through the Maytag Dependable Leader Award, John will continue making a positive impact in our community and build upon our reach. We are grateful to Maytag for supporting our organization’s efforts to serve young people and make a difference in their lives.”

With a heritage of dependability dating back more than 100 years, the Maytag brand mission is to build high-performing and dependable products. Boys & Girls Clubs dependably serve youth, enabling them to reach their full potential as high-performing adults. The partnership between Maytag and BGCA seeks to recognize and promote dependability – a quality that is at the core of what the Clubs do every day and is central to Maytag brand.

“The Maytag Dependable Leader Award allows Maytag brand to give back to Boys & Girls Club professionals and volunteers who continue to give tirelessly of themselves to the Clubs and the youth they work with,” said William Beck, senior brand director, Maytag.  “John Arigoni provides hope and balance; it is our honor to recognize him with this award.”
The Maytag Dependable Club Award recognizes Club professionals and volunteers who are committed to making a difference in the lives of youth, and are dependable and exceptional role models.

One in three children in Denver County are obese, and as we continue to understand the importance of health education in the development of young people, BGCMD has significantly increased the capacity of our Health & Life Skills team to meet the needs of our Club members. Through health education programs, youth are motivated to take ownership of their lifestyle choices, avoid risky behaviors, and improve and maintain their health.

When you enter a Club you might catch a glimpse of young members sampling a fruit for the first time in a healthy cooking class or coloring anti-tobacco signs to post around their neighborhood. Through a variety of targeted programs, members learn what it means to take care of their bodies and how they can encourage others to do the same.

Austin Collins is a Health Program Specialist who facilitates a program called SMART Moves, a prevention program that helps younger members learn to resist alcohol, tobacco and other risky behaviors. After one SMART Moves lesson, Collins observed youth in the gym playing soccer. “Throughout the game I noticed two youth becoming more and more physical with one another,” he recalls. “The tension finally escalated, and the two squared off with their fists balled. My SMART Moves attendee was able to calm himself down and walk away. He later relayed to me that he had remembered a SMART Moves lesson about making smart choices, and that’s why he chose not to fight.”

Hundreds of Club members choose to participate in an enormous variety of health and life skills programs – from Draw the Line/Respect the line where 6th and 7th graders learn interpersonal skills, to Smart-Girl classes where girls ages 11-13 learn to become confident young women, and even cooking classes to learn how to incorporate nutritious, fresh foods into their personal diets. This variety of programming teaches young people in that informed decisions about health can mean the difference between a life with limited options and a life filled with hope.

When Issac, age 14, began attending the Teen Outreach Program (TOP) last year, he often sat in the back, rarely speaking up. Over the course of the nine month program, Issac found his voice, unlocking his leadership potential and becoming an active, involved member of the program.

“TOP creates a safe space for teens and an opportunity for them to both listen to one another and be heard,” says Kyler Corby, a Health Program Specialist at BGCMD. “The program gives teens a place to decide what their values are and what kind of character they want to have. It gives youth the information they need to make knowledgeable decisions about their health and bodies.”

Through collaboration with Denver Public Health, University of Colorado Denver, and Colorado Youth Matters, TOP teaches youth ages 14-18 about communication and assertiveness, positive decision-making, healthy relationships, and personal health. To graduate, youth also must complete a 20-hour service learning project.

“I feel prepared to discuss important health issues with my peers in a productive way,” says Moises, age 16, who participated in TOP last year. Last spring, Moises represented BGCMD and TOP at the Safe City Youth Summit where he helped lead a health workshop for other youth in the Denver community. “It was cool to teach people my age how to have healthy relationships and encourage them to make healthy choices.”

“Through TOP, teens have a chance to practice the skills that they learn – from refusal skills to effective communication,” says Corby. “They also gain job and leadership skills through completion of service learning projects.” Teens decide what service projects they want to try and then plan and implement them. Last year, through projects like tutoring elementary students, spending time at nursing homes, and working with homeless teens, TOP participants completed 3,325 hours of service in Denver.

“The teens are capable of doing so much,” Corby notes, “and TOP is a great program that empowers them to get active in their community and become stronger, more effective people.”

After becoming a member, Moises quickly became involved in many different programs including the Keystone Leadership Club, Teen Outreach Program, and serving as a SMART Moves peer leader – teaching younger members how to prevent and avoid risky behavior. Moises is a constant figure at his Club – serving not only as a Junior Staff Member, but also a role model and mentor for all members of his Club.

He also created and implemented the Bully Out Program for 6-12-year-old members. Moises says that when members are found bullying other members, they are required to participate in the Bully Out jenga game. During the first part of the activity, each participant (and bullying offender) pulls a piece of the tower and casts off insults. When the tower collapses, Moises explains that that is what happens to victims of bullying – insults lead to a broken down spirit. Then the group rebuilds the tower using compliments, making the tower whole again. Moises again explains that though the tower is whole, it has forever been changed from the initial damage.

Moises is a junior at Abraham Lincoln High School, where he is excelling in several Advanced Placement (AP) courses. He also participates in National Honor Society and serves as the Student Council Treasurer. He is currently ranked 6 out of 407 students with a 4.5 cumulative GPA. Through his involvement with school and the Club, Moises has planned and implemented several community service projects, including graffiti removal, a blanket drive for the homeless, and a Trick-or-Treat Street Halloween event for his community. Last year, he represented Boys & Girls Clubs at the Safe City Youth Summit where he helped lead a health workshop for peers in his community.

Moises is on track to graduate with honors in 2014 and plans to attend the University of Denver to study to become a Federal Bureau of Investigation (F.B.I.) agent. On Saturday, May 11, we will celebrate Moises – along with all the outstanding Club Youths of the Year – at our 2013 Boys & Girls Clubs Gala.

The purpose of PACE is to provide a targeted, supportive intervention in order to promote academic success and life skills development, and decrease violent and other negative behaviors among youth who have exhibited significant behavioral problems. The program is an alternative to traditional disciplinary action alone, and through a strengths-based approach, staff are able to help students identify the causes of their behaviors as well as recognize their strengths and values.

The primary goal of the PACE Program is to reduce out of school suspensions and expulsions for students in grades six through eight. This is accomplished by identifying the causes of a student’s detrimental behavior and providing the youth with the tools, resources and support that will eliminate the negative causing the problem.

Through participation in PACE, youth are more likely to successfully transition back to their home school. PACE students have fewer behavior problems, resulting in fewer extended suspensions and expulsions.

Data collected in 2010-2011 shows that, consistent with previous years’ findings, PACE program is having positive impact on students served by the program. The rate of discipline incidents as well as the severity of the incidents lowered after students completed the program (-60% and -47%, respectively). Nearly 95% of students who completed the program successfully returned to school and completed the remainder of the school year.

Click here to learn more about the PACE program.

Developing good character and demonstrating leadership skills are critical for young people to succeed in school and in life.  At Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver, our Character & Leadership programs challenge kids to be community-minded, and empower them by demonstrating how they can affect change by working together.

Every year, the Youth of the Year  program recognizes and awards outstanding members in the Clubs. Youth of the Year helps young people develop their leadership and communication skills through an extensive application and interview process. This year, for the first time, Club members will be competing in three categories: 10-12 year olds, Juniors 13-15, and Seniors 16-18. Youth of the Year is Boys & Girls Clubs highest honor.

• The 10-12 year olds compete at the Club level for trophies, $50 gift cards, and the opportunity to be recognized at the Youth of the Year Gala.
• Junior s compete at the Club and City level for trophies, $150 gift cards, professional photos, and the opportunity to be recognized at the Youth of the Year Gala.
• Senior winners can advance to the state, regional, and national competition. They compete for trophies, a $2,000 scholarship, professional photos, and the opportunity to be recognized at the Youth of the Year Gala.

Last week judging was held at each of the Clubs for our 10-12 year old Youth of the Year participants. About 60 youth participated, and the youth and staff did a great job in putting together some quality packets. Congratulations to these members and all of the youth that participated, and a big thanks to all the staff who helped with this process!

10-12 Year Old Youth of the Year Winners

• Boettcher: Malachi H.
• Broncos: Eve B.
• Cope: Dejaneri M.
• Commerce City: Hadamarys M.L.
• Jefferson County: Kimberly D.
• Johnson: Marcus M.
• Owen: Pamela G.
• Shopneck: Rico P.
• Wilfley: Mary G.
• Cole Beacons: Lonzel S.
• Force Beacons: Alan G.
• Johnson Beacons: Gracea L.
• Place Beacons: Garuab K.