MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Meet Saul
Member Since:
2024
Why Boys & Girls Club?
Saul’s mother wanted him to get help with his homework and become more confident and social.
Achieving & Succeeding:
Through his involvement in Project Learn initiatives, including Power Hour, Homework Help and Ready Readers, Saul has excelled academically. He is always eager to complete his homework and reading assignments with help from the Club’s certified teacher, Miss Soto.
He also is involved with sports, primarily the Triple Play Daily Challenge. Saul has developed a sense of confidence and has made many new friends. He enthusiastically meets new people and is quick to lend a hand to help others succeed.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
Academics
Making Academics a Priority — After school every day, during Power Hour, Club members dedicate time to focus on homework and participate in educational activities. Recently, third grade members read a book, “What Would You Do When Something Wants to Eat You?,” by Steve Jenkins. After finishing the book, they created two- and three-dimensional models of three of the animals described in the book. Members are also competing with multiplication fluency challenges and participating in scavenger hunts while working on cooperation, collaboration, and communication skills.
Fourth grade Club members are working on long division, understanding word problems, and participating in Jeopardy games and problem-solving exercises. They are learning to dissect problems using the most efficient strategies.
Fifth grade Club members are reviewing plants and the solar system utilizing an Escape Room challenge. Educational materials about the moon help them with fluency and enunciation, and they are provided tools to help them determine a central idea and text structure to improve comprehension.
Club members benefit from Edmentum, an online platform offering individualized lessons tailored to their specific needs in reading, math and science. Individualized enrichment increases their fluency in these critical subjects.
These consistent academic enrichment practices translate into measurable academic progress, with the majority (81%) of participating members demonstrating gains in their iReady scores, as shared by the school district. These improvements reflect Power Hour’s impact on their overall performance in school and our efforts to continue to improve academic achievement for all Club members.
Programs in this core area include: Project Learn, STEM, Homework Help, Power Hour, and Tutoring.
Character & Leadership Development
Building Strong Foundations — Character development programs empower youth to build essential life skills, foster self-awareness, and nurture personal growth, setting them up for success in all areas of life. The Junior Women of Initiative (JWOI) program, sponsored by the Women’s Foundation of Collier County, embodies this mission by instilling values of integrity, emotional intelligence, and responsibility. Recently, JWOI collaborated with a dedicated team at the David Lawrence Center to focus on ways to foster self-esteem, develop interpersonal skills, and create emotional resilience. Through meaningful mentorship, mentees have deepened their understanding of themselves and the importance of building strong character to achieve their goals.
The program’s impact is clear: More than 85% of mentees have reported passing grades in all classes, consistent school attendance, and active participation in after-school programming. Mentors have observed positive behavioral changes, including improved self-confidence, better decision making, and enhanced emotional regulation. These outcomes demonstrate the program’s effectiveness in helping youth build the character needed to excel academically, socially, and personally.
JWOI at Boys & Girls Club provides a safe, supportive, and enriching environment that aligns with the Club’s mission to deliver transformative mentorship and skill-building opportunities, empowering participants to develop strong character and achieve lasting success.
Programs in this core area include: Passport to Manhood, Junior Youth of the Year, Torch Club, and Keystone Club.
EVENTS & DATES
Thursday, February 6, 2024
at The Ritz-Carlton Beach House
Join us for sunset, wine and philanthropy at the exquisite Ritz-Carlton Naples Beach House to support Boys & Girls Club of Collier County programming, facilities and scholarships. Sponsorships Available.
Wednesday, February 26, 2025
at The Ritz-Carlton Beach House
Our annual Youth of the Year Awards is now part of a larger event: The Great Futures Gala! Join us for this inaugural year as we we showcase Shaping Tomorrow Together for the youth of Collier County. Sponsorships Available.
If you are interested in more information or sponsorship opportunities, please contact:
Martha Perez
Events & Corporate Relations Manager
mperez@bgccc.com
239-325-1716
