Congratulations to Native American State Youth of the Year Winners
Alaska Youth of the Year
Megan is a senior in high school, from Metlakatla, Alaska. Megan has been a member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southcentral Alaska for ten years. She participates in many programs and worked for the Club as a summer Youth Camp Counselor in 2007. Megan has maintained a 4.0 grade point average and she is very active in student government. Her classmates elected her Junior Class President last year, and this year she is Student Council Secretary. She is also an accomplished athlete. She was chosen as the captain of the Miss Chiefs varsity basketball team for the last four years and was volleyball captain two of her four years of participation. In addition, she ran for the last two years as a cross-country team member. Megan is always working with her future goals in mind. She plans to attend the University of Alaska-Anchorage, to become a physical therapist. Megan will represent Alaska at the Pacific Regional Youth of the Year Competition in California.
Maine Youth of the Year
Morgan is a member of the Penobscot Nation Boys & Girls Club and resident of Indian Island, Maine. He was recently named the 2009 Boys & Girls Club Maine Youth of the Year. Being named Youth of the Year is the highest honor a Boys & Girls Club member can receive. As the Maine Youth of the Year, Morgan will represent Maine at the Northeast Region Youth of the Year competition in New York. “It would be great to continue in the competition, it’s a ‘once in a life time’ opportunity,” said Morgan. Morgan will graduate from high school in June and continue his academic career at Eastern Maine Community College where he will enroll in the Liberal Arts Program for two years. He plans to transfer to the University of Maine at Orono where he will pursue a degree in Political Science with the goal of becoming a lawyer. Congratulations to Megan and Morgan! Good luck!!
Club Celebrates Culture Project Culmination
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Tahlequah-Briggs Unit in Oklahoma held a culminating event for a two-year project in which Club students worked on the Service Learning project “Understanding Community Using Culture” and to celebrate the involvement of the Briggs Unit in the community. Throughout the project, students learned about heritage, culture, tradition, and belief as it relates to the Cherokee Indians. With this understanding, each student was able to explore their own background. They gathered information through interviews with family and community members and began completing a family tree. After completing the research, each student represented their heritage on a quilt square. As students made the quilt squares, similarities and differences in cultures were discussed. The students learned about respecting culture, working to make the community stronger, and celebrating the history and knowledge that community elders have to share. The quilt squares were made into blankets that could be shared with the community. The celebration event included Club members, community members, family, and staff. A traditional Cherokee dinner was served and students described their quilt square during a presentation that was interactively displayed using a Smart Board. Pictures of the blankets were linked to PowerPoint pages, made by the students, which described the information they learned through the project. To honor some of the elders in the community, the students presented them with the blankets that were made during the project.
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BGC of the Pomo Nation Receives Charitable Donation
In April 2009, the Boys & Girls Club of the Pomo Nation received a donation from the Westridge School in Pasedena, CA for their SMART Girls program. The 4th graders at Westridge had recently learned about the Pomo Tribe and wanted to give back. They made recycled lockets that were sold at the school’s annual Earth Day Fair. All proceeds were donated to the SMART Girls program at the Boys & Girls Club of the Pomo Nation in California. Read more.
Congratulations to Money Matters Scholarship Winners
Congratulations to Miranda S. and Veronica Q. of the Pueblo of Pojoaque Boys & Girls Club in New Mexico for winning Spring 2009 Money Matters Scholarships. This scholarship recognizes Club teens who exemplify financial responsibility and basic money management after completing the Money Matters program. Recipients receive a $2,000 scholarship made possible by the Charles Schwab Foundation.
Club Members Participate in NBA Jam Session
During the NBA extravaganza in Phoenix the Red Mountain and Lehi Branch club members got to participate in a NBA Jam Session. A big thank you goes out to Casino Arizona for securing several slots for the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community club members. Some of the members were also able to get their basketballs signed by a Former Phoenix Suns player – Tom Chambers. All participants had an enjoyable time!
Regional Champs
The Tahlequah High School basketball team made it to the Oklahoma semi-final playoffs . All team members are Boys & Girls Club of Tahlequah members. The coach, Leroy Qualls, is a Boys & Girls Club board member and has volunteered his time each year to coach this team. This team was the Club’s first endeavor of adding a sports league component to it’s program. Looks like it paid off!
T.R.A.I.L. Blazers
The T.R.A.I.L. Diabetes Prevention Program was highlighted in the Spring 2009 issue of SAY Magazine. SAY is a youth lifestyle magazine aimed at a Native/Aboriginal audience. The article highlights the Boys & Girls Club of the Lewis Clark Valley – Lapwai Unit in Idaho and the Chickasaw Nation Boys & Girls Club in Oklahoma. Read the article.
Club Member’s Drawing to be Featured on Calendar
A special congratulation goes to Kenny J. H. D. from the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Seminole Tribe of Florida who was a finalist in the marine art contest sponsored by the International Marine Environment Protection Association (INTERMEPA). Youth between the ages of 5 and 13 were invited to participate in the art contest. The theme of the contest was "Let's Change Habits, Not the Climate" with a focus on the marine environment. Over 70 submissions were received. Kenny’s artwork will be featured in the 2010 North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA) calendar!
Communities Celebrate National Boys & Girls Club Week
Each spring, Boys & Girls Clubs across the country celebrate Clubs and the value they bring to local communities. The week-long celebration is designed to show the community all of the great things that take place at the Boys & Girls Club and to increase community involvement. Learn how Native American Clubs celebrated National Boys & Girls Club Week.
Stimulus Funding Available for Clubs
As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) has launched a national initiative under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Recovery Act – National Youth Mentoring Programs. This initiative provides BGCA the opportunity to receive economic stimulus funding from the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Native American Boys & Girls Clubs may request up to $25,000 for Club sites and extensions.
In an effort to respond to this administration’s call for expedient and transparent use of funds, an online form was created to streamline the application process. Please note that the timeline for disbursement of funds is contingent on approval from the U.S. Department of Justice. The Office of Justice Programs is solely responsible for selecting the organizations that will receive funding. To be eligible for stimulus funding, the Chief Professional Officer (CPO) of the organization may log in to submit an application. All applications must be completed by CPOs and submitted promptly at 5:00pm Eastern Time on Friday, April 10. To access the application and instructions, click here.
KLUB Comes to the Club
Broadcasting live, it’s the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale! As the first Boys & Girls Club to have its own KidStar radio station, the Lehi Branch is a trendsetter in creating unique opportunities to engage its members. Read on.
Clubs Celebrate National Mentoring Month
January 2009 marked the 8th Annual National Mentoring Month (NMM). This year’s theme was “Expand Your Universe, Mentor a Child.” Currently, 27 Native American Boys & Girls Club sites are involved with the National Native American Mentoring Program. National Mentoring Month provided these sites with an opportunity to showcase their programs and draw attention to the importance of mentor-mentee relationships. Read more.
Sam English to Provide Free Books and Workshops to Native Communities
Through a generous grant from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, approximately 300 school or community libraries serving American Indian students will receive a copy of the new book, Sam English: The Life, Work & Times of an Artist. Additionally, up to ten schools or community programs serving American Indian students will receive a one day workshop featuring Sam English working with students to create artwork on a theme chosen by the school or community program. Learn more.
Mentoring Programs Remain Strong
The National Native American Mentoring Program has grown tremendously since its launch in 2004. Over 400 mentoring relationships were established in 27 Boys & Girls Clubs during the 2007-2008 program year. Find out more about the accomplishments of the mentoring program.
Let’s Play!
Through a partnership between the Tulalip Tribe, Tulalip Boys & Girls Club, Home Depot, and KaBoom!, the Tulalip community has a new playground for youth to enjoy. Over 200 community members participated in the building of the playground. Find out more!
Pine Ridge Club Members Participate in National Geographic Photo Camp
The Pine Ridge Club was selected as one of 10 sites to participate in a National Geographic Photo Camp. Four professional photographers gave 20 teen Club members professional direction in photography. The members took over 8,500 photos in the four days of the camp. Some will be seen on the National Geographic website. Find out more.
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