Learn

Between the hours of 3:00 and 6:00 pm youth are most vulnerable to experimenting in destructive and risky behavior that can lead to poor academic performance and unproductive adulthood (Fight Crime: Invest in Kids School, http://www.fightcrime.org, 2004).

In a recent community needs assessment, 93% of parents, school administrators, teachers, and youth report a need for continued, high-quality after school programs. Teacher surveys displayed a great need for math and language interventions while youth surveys displayed a need for ACT/SAT preparation classes. The Utah Department of Education CRT and UAA Results 2012 show that as many as 36% of students are behind in school (Utah’s CRT and UAA Results, 2012). Utah schools are doing their best to meet the needs of students and our hat goes off to the wonderful teachers who spend countless hours educating children in our community. The Boys & Girls Club assists parents, teachers, and schools in helping kids reach their full potential. Statistical research and community survey data is supported by ever-increasing numbers of parents and students requesting services. The after school arena is the ideal forum to combat these issues and to give youth the best chance of graduating on time with a plan for the future.

After school programs, like the Boys & Girls Club, are part of the solution in helping young people become responsible citizens and leaders. Among other things, after school programs help improve academic performance. The University of California at Irvine led a recent study that showed the relationship between after school programs and academic performance (Charting the Benefits of High-Quality After-School Program Experiences, Reisner, 2007). The conclusion that after school programs lead to improved academic engagement has been time tested and duplicated multiple times including studies from the U.S. government and other research groups (Working for Children and Families: Safe and Smart After-School Programs, U.S. Departments of Education and Justice, 2000). The Casey foundation also determined that summer learning loss is a serious inhibitor to the academic success of young people and that summer programs are part of the solution (Why Reading at the End of Third Grade Matters, Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2010).

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County uses evidence-based programs liks Project Learn. The Project Learn curriculum helps young people improve academic engagement during the crucial after school and summer hours. Project Learn reinforces and enhances the skills and knowledge young people learn at school during the hours they spend at the Club. This comprehensive program strategy is based on Dr. Reginald Clark’s research showing that students do much better in school when they spend their non-school hours engaged in fun, but academically beneficial, activities (R.M. Clark, Critical Factors in Why Disadvantaged Children Succeed or Fail in School, New York: Academy for Educational Development, 1988).

Simply put, a program is judged to be evidence-based if (a) evaluation research shows that the program produces the expected positive results; (b) the results can be attributed to the program itself, rather than to other extraneous factors or events; (c) the evaluation is peer-reviewed  by experts in the field;  and (d) the program is  “endorsed” by a federal agency or respected research organization and included in their list of effective programs.  Evidence-based programs are the gold standard of nonprofit work and the Boys & Girls Clubs are proud to be leaders in providing evidence-based programming.

Experts estimate that for each high-risk youth prevented from adopting a life of crime the country saves between $1.7 and $2.3 million (Fight Crime: Invest in Kids School, http://www.fightcrime.org, 2004). In contrast, the average cost for a young person to be part of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County programs is $500/year.