A Child’s Spotlight focus' on one child to show how they have grown since joining the Boys & Girls Club.  Although there is not an exact model of a kid that needs the Club, these articles will highlight a wide range of children who attend the Club.

Robin is a typical member of the Club.  Today she is nine years old.  She joined the Club when she was six.  Robin comes from a one parent household.  Her mother works a full time job and is unable to be home when school lets out.

According to Robert Nash, Program Director, when she first joined the Club she wouldn’t participate in anything.  She kind of stood back and watched.  Because she wouldn’t participate she would get bored and create discipline problems.  Then when a staff member would correct her she would treat them with disrespect and threatened to try to get them fired.

Through time and patience the staff worked with Robin.  Little by little she began to participate in the games.  Her discipline problems diminished.  She began to mature and show greater respect to the staff and the other kids.

As the staff worked with her she began participating in various program.  First she joined our SMART Moves drug, alcohol and teen pregnancy resistance program then she began to participate in homework help.  Her grades improved and her attitude began to improve.  From there she began to participate in just about everything.  Today, she not only participates in various programs, she volunteers to help around the Club, escorts new members around and introduces them to the staff.

Joe Stiewe, Executive Director stated that “Robin is a good example of what the Boys & Girls Club can do.  She needed a little more support in her life to help her reach for the stars.  The Boys & Girls Club provided that additional support.”  “Earlier this year she was recognized as the Youth of the Year in her age group.”

Although, we can only award one Youth of the Year in each age group each year, the changes reflected in this child’s life are pretty typical at the Boys & Girls Club.  Children, who attend the Club regularly, tend to improve their school grades, have decreased tardiness and improved attendance at school.  They become better citizens at school and in their communities.