Program areas at BGCMD
Character and leadership: developing good character and demonstrating leadership skills are critical for young people to succeed in school and in life. Bgcmd's character and leadership programs challenge kids to be community-minded and empower them through opportunities to affect change by working together. Club members have the opportunity to develop leadership skills in many ways, such as by serving as a peer mentor or committee officer, working with adults in the community and giving back to their community. Bgcmd members organize and carry out hundreds of projects to lend a hand and make a difference in their schools, Clubs and neighborhoods each year. Clubs teach young people how to roll up their sleeves, dig in, and become active participants in their community. This civic engagement works. Club members consistently demonstrate positive, productive coping techniques and high levels of responsibility.
Healthy lifestyles: bgcmd focuses on physical and mental health and life skills programming for all bgcmd members by helping young people make informed decisions about their health and social lives, and how those decisions can affect their futures. Programs include social-emotional learning groups, individual mental health support, risky behaviors prevention, reproductive health, positive decision making, healthy habits, exercise and sports teams, nutrition, and conflict resolution.outdoor education programming exposes club members to the resources available to them in natural environments through experiential learning activities. Activities such as rock climbing, snowboarding, skiing, snowshoeing, ice- skating, camping, geocaching, fishing, mountain biking, rafting, and hands-on educational experiences heighten participants' awareness of the outdoors and the resources available to them - not only in their club neighborhoods, but in the great Colorado wilderness.
Academic success: education and career development enable youth to become proficient in basic educational disciplines, apply learning to everyday situations, and learn skills to achieve success in career or college after high school graduation. Bgcmd staff use all program areas to create opportunities for high-yield learning activities, including reading and literacy, writing activities, math, discussions with knowledgeable adults and professionals, helping others, homework support, tutoring, and games that develop cognitive skills. Educationally- enriching activities in every area of the club from the art room, to the gym, to the tech lab focus on deliberate skills-building to complement club members' traditional academic instruction and spark young people's passions. Bgcmd also emphasizes parental/caregiver involvement and collaboration between staff and school professionals as critical factors in creating the best out-of-school time learning environment possible.