Charles Schwab Foundation Awards Club for Creative Implementation of the

Money Matters: Make It Count^SM Program

 VANCOUVER, Wash., September 27, 2011 — Boys & Girls Clubs of Southwest Washington was named the Pacific Region winner of the Charles Schwab Foundation’s Money Matters: Make It Count^SM Innovation Award for its creative delivery of financial education. In an effort to recognize Clubs that have gone above and beyond in teaching youth the basics of personal finance, Charles Schwab Foundation has awarded Boys & Girls Clubs of Southwest Washington with a $3,000 grant.

In their third year, the annual awards recognize Clubs that exemplify unique and enterprising techniques for delivering the Money Matters curriculum, a Charles Schwab Foundation and Boys & Girls Clubs of America teen financial education program. Boys & Girls Clubs of Southwest Washington was one of five Clubs nationwide to receive this award.

 To integrate Money Matters concepts into daily Club operation, Boys & Girls Clubs of Southwest Washington developed a partnership with a local bank. With help from bank volunteers, the Club created the Boys & Girls Club (BGC) Bank, where teen Club members took on leadership roles to design and operate the bank. Club members led marketing and advertising initiatives, implemented a Club-wide contest to choose the BGC Bank design and organized bank information sessions.

Teens also used skills learned in the entrepreneurship section of Money Matters to open the Club Bucks Store, where members could spend Club Bucks earned for good behavior. Through both of these ventures, Club members learned how to manage a checking account, write checks, earn interest on a savings account and also learned vital job interview skills.

 To learn more about Money Matters, visit moneymattersmakeitcount.com.

ATLANTA, August 22, 2011– The pre-teen character and leadership program at Boys & Girls Clubs of Southwest Washington has been recognized with a Staples Torch Club Award from Staples Foundation. The organization’s Torch Club was honored for excellence in education programming for its members, who are ages 11-13. The Staples Torch Club Award for education recognizes programs that help Club members enhance their academic skills, and learn how to set personal goals and solve problems. The Club received First Place honors in the education category and a $2500 cash prize. 

Members of the Southwest Washington Tiki Torches Club, a character and leadership program for Boys & Girls Club youth ages 11-13, began participating in a financial literacy program called Money Matters, which seeks to provide behavior changing financial education to help teens get on the path toward budgeting, saving, and planning for college and financial freedom. To make this program more hands-on and have a greater impact, the Torch Club partnered with local business, Pacific Continental Bank, and members worked with employees each week to create a bank at the Club. This program not only allows teens to learn the ins and outs of the banking world, but younger Club members develop money saving habits as well. Members of the Boys & Girls Clubs are recognized for positive behavior by receiving “Club Bucks” from staff and the Club Bank will offer incentives, such as interest on their Club Bucks, to members who open accounts and utilize the bank. Teens participating in the Money Matters program are also developing positive relationships with banking professionals during job shadow opportunities at the Bank’s Downtown Vancouver Branch and weekly interactions with guest volunteers.

“We are pleased to be recognized with the Staples Torch Club Award for this financial education program that was developed specifically to address the needs of at-risk youth” said said Malia Vassar, Teen Site Coordinator of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southwest Washington.  “This banking program reaches teens at such a critical time. We hope to positively impact the saving and spending behaviors of our members by providing them with the knowledge and skills they need to make informed decisions throughout their lives.”

Staples Torch Club Awards are presented for the most outstanding programs developed by and implemented in Boys & Girls Clubs across the country.  Each year, hundreds of entries are submitted in four categories: Education, Service to Club and Community, Health and Fitness, and Social Recreation. Winners are selected based on their creativity, relevance to Torch Club members or the community, and the demonstration of Torch Club members’ character and leadership skills during the project’s planning and execution. The Club intends to use the $2500 cash prize to continue to provide financial education to middle and high school members.

Nearly 250 students, parents, and educators gathered at the Clinton and Gloria John Clubhouse to celebrate the end of a successful year in programming, which included an integrative College Prep Program. The Club’s fourth annual End of the Year BBQ included the usual activity-filled community barbecue, but was highlighted by the announcement of two new scholarship funds held at the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington (CFSWW) that benefits teen Club members. A scholarship award ceremony followed the announcement and awarded nine deserving students with a total of $54,000 in funds.

These two new scholarships are The College Scholarship for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southwest Washington Fund, given by an anonymous donor, as well as the Columbia Vista Corporation Scholarship Fund. This support will help us continue our mission of helping youth realize their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens by making college affordable.

We started the College Prep Program to make higher education a required standard, and these scholarships allow the students to get continued support even after they head off to college” said Francisco Bueno, Mentor Services & Youth Outcomes Manager for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southwest Washington.

By providing an environment that encourages continuing education, which includes the support and guidance necessary to achieve academic success, our program hopes to emphasize the connection between college and career. Its integrated approach follows first grade students up through the high school ranks, and offers programming such as community speakers, financial aid instruction and campus visits. For Club members, this program now officially includes annual scholarships from the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington.

“Scholarships are a great way to engage, challenge and reward students for aspiring toward their college dreams, and the Boys & Girls Clubs now have that built into their programming,” Richard Melching, President of the Community Foundation, said. “It broadens their ability to emphasize higher education by creating an incentive and making college tuition less daunting.”

Haylea Close (whom you may recall reading about in our last newsletter), was one of this year’s scholarship recipients. Close, who is also our 2011 Youth of the Year, will soon be attending Washington State University, Vancouver, for a degree in electrical engineering. She is a great example of how students can, when given the right opportunities and support, overcome personal challenges and make their dreams a reality!

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Southwest Washington is proud to announce the 2011 CFSWW College Scholarship Recipients:

Heather Abella (Ridgefield HS, Clark College)
Mattio Argle (Fort Vancouver HS, Whatcom Community College)
Haylea Close (Hudson’s Bay HS, Clark College Running Start, Washington State University – Vancouver)
Larry Hamilton (Evergreen HS, Clark College Running Start, University of Washington)
Heidi Johnson (Skyview HS, Clark College Running Start, Seattle Pacific)
Kara Puryear (Columbia River HS, Washington State University)
Adreeana Spears (Columbia River HS, Seattle Pacific)
Kelly Steffy (Skyview HS, Washington State University – Vancouver)
Martha Tesema (CAM Junior-Senior HS, Clark College Running Start, Seattle University)

Local nutrition company helps support Clubs’ Triple Play healthy habits program.

Vancouver, WA. April 19, 2011 – In support of childhood nutrition and wellness, Northwest Natural Products®, makers of L’il Critters® Gummy Vites® multi-vitamins for kids, will make a donation of $14,000 to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southwest Washington in support of their Triple Play program. The donation will take place at 4:30pm, May 12, 2011 at the Clinton and Gloria John Clubhouse in Vancouver.

“We are very excited to help raise awareness about the Club’s Triple Play program,” said Kate Jones, President of Northwest Natural Products. “Childhood education about nutrition is extremely important and builds a lifetime foundation of healthy habits.”

The Triple Play program is a dynamic wellness program currently offered in Boys & Girls Clubs that demonstrates how eating right, keeping fit and forming positive relationships add up to a healthy lifestyle. The goal of the Triple Play program is to improve Club members’ knowledge of healthy habits, increase the number of hours per day they participate in physical activities, and strengthen their ability to interact positively with others and engage in positive relationships. “We believe this program aligns perfectly with our mission as a company,” said Jones.

The Rotary Club of Vancouver has also helped make it possible to distribute 1,440 bottles of L’il Critters Gummy Vites to the parents of children attending the Clubs.

About The Boys & Girls Clubs of Southwest Washington
Boys & Girls Clubs of Southwest Washington (BGCSW) is a chartered member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and comprises two neighborhood-based facilities in Vancouver, WA. The two Club sites are: The Clinton and Gloria John Clubhouse located in Hazel Dell, and the OK Clubhouse and Teen Turf Club located in Bagley Downs. Known as “The Positive Place for Kids,” Clubs provide guidance-oriented programs on a daily basis to all school –aged youth, especially those from disadvantaged circumstances. Conducted by full-time professional staff, Club programs emphasize character and leadership development, educational enhancement, career preparation, health and life skills, the arts, and sports, fitness and recreation. For more information about BGCSW, please visit www.facebook.com/mybgc

About Northwest Natural Products, Inc. and L’il Critters®
Northwest Natural Products has been a leader in the dietary supplement industry for over 25 years. Our innovative products combine the latest nutritional research with natural ingredients and unique delivery systems that consumers love. For more information, visit www.nwnaturalproducts.com. Our L’il Critters® gummy vitamins are made with natural colors and flavors and have received the ChefsBest® Award for Best Taste* nine years running. Visit www.gummybearvitamins.com.

*The ChefsBest® Award for Best Taste is awarded to the brand rated highest overall among leading brands by independent professional chefs. Follow L’il Critters on Facebook and Twitter. We make nutrition taste good™