This summer, the Vickers Boys & Girls Club has been so much more than a safe, engaging place for seven-year-old Amari to spend her day. The Club has also provided a support system for her mother while she is completing her master’s degree. Without the Club and the affordable $2 membership fee, it would be almost impossible for Amari’s mother, a single parent, to complete her classes and the unpaid internship required to graduate.
Amari’s mother is not alone. The summer months have potential to create a financial bind for many families. Without school as an outlet for kids to turn to during the week days, it is a stretch for hard working parents to find affordable summer camps, child care and other programs.
Fortunately for Amari and her mom, the Boys & Girls Club is not only an affordable resource for Amari and her mom to turn to, but it is a safe place that they trust. Amari knows she can head to the Club every day and be greeted by caring staff members who provide enriching programs and exciting opportunities.
In order to avoid summer learning loss, Amari spent her summer at the Club engaging in intellectually stimulating activities. She improved her reading skills through the Accelerated Reading program – a reading comprehension program that helps kids set reading goals and provides short quizzes to monitor their progress. She also developed critical and creative-thinking skills through the Summer Brain Gain program. Both of these programs are helping kids like Amari stay on track academically and not fall behind in school.
The Vickers Boys & Girls Club also provides a space for Amari to stay socially stimulated. Although Amari is an only child, she claims to have numerous sisters and brothers – all friends that she has made at her Boys & Girls Club. She enjoys going to her Club so much every day to interact with her peers and the staff members that she can envision herself staying involved in Club programming for many years to come.
For Amari, the Club is a place of comfort and joy. Amari ends each day at the Club with a smile on her face and is always excited to tell her mom about the new things that she learns.