“[Business] Leaders say students need stronger social, teamwork and critical thinking skills, as well as more opportunities to learn and explore in a hands-on setting.” (Grant et al. 265)
“We need employees with a broad range of skills from excellent social and communications skills for customer service and sales to highly skilled technicians who can continually develop as new products are introduced to the market.” – Reinaldo Llano, Bright House Networks.
As the nation emerges from extremely trying economic times, many thoughts are still on the jobs market. For those people whose lives are connected with youth, additional concerns are raised about their readiness for this highly competitive market and economy. Parents, educators, after school program staff, and employers are looking at the rising generation and their futures, figuring out what more needs to and can be done to better prepare today’s young people to be the leaders of the future.
In an interview with Lowe’s Director of Community Relations, Joan Higginbotham, Bright House Networks’ Director of Community Relations, Reinaldo Llano, and the Principal and Owner of Torani, Lisa Lucheta, the Executive Director of the Afterschool Alliance, Jodi Grant, opens a discussion on the impact after school programs, like the Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County, can have on the futures of young people across the nation.
Throughout the interview, teamwork-related skills and critical thinking were cited as the most vital for young people to develop. “Academics are paramount; but they are not sufficient without social, communication, and critical thinking skills,” Higginbotham stated. (266)
This remark was quickly followed by Lucheta’s response “In this highly technical, connected world, critical problem solving, collaboration, and innovative thinking will be key skills. Afterschool programs are essential in delivering content that support development of these skills.” (266)
“Afterschool [programs] helps in all of these arenas,” Higginbotham continues. “Not only do students get academic enrichment, they build social skills in group settings, thus self-confidence and self-esteem, which are critical to self-development.” (266)
Here at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County, we tend to agree with Ms. Lucheta and Ms. Higginbotham about that. Our afterschool programs are designed to provide youth, ages five to eighteen, with opportunities to develop academically and socially. Our club site directors are highly qualified to work with these young people and get them engaged in a variety of activities that stimulate their minds and encourage collaboration and teamwork. Our focus on STEM and arts opportunities for club members adds more breadth to the range of experiences available through participation in the programs we provide. We are proud to facilitate a space where young people are able to develop critical thinking, communication, and problem solving skills to prepare them for their great futures.
Where great futures are concerned, we take a special interest in connecting with underserved youth, and any others to which we refer in our mission statement “to inspire and enable all youth, especially those who need us most, to realize their full potential as productive and responsible citizens and leaders.”
“Afterschool programs are great at exposing students to career paths. … Afterschool programs incorporate incredible hands-on projects that make intimidating subjects like science and technology exciting and appealing.” Llano observed. (266)
“Afterschool programs provide exposure. For a lot of youth, that is all they need. … You can’t do something if you don’t know it exists,” added Higginbotham. (266)
The truth of the matter is, there are youth in Utah County that aren’t being exposed to opportunities (both educational and career) that several of their peers are getting. For a variety of reasons, and circumstances that are many times beyond the young person’s control, they remain unaware of resources available to them, or unsure of how to obtain resources with which they are unfamiliar. In a community with two of the most affordable universities in the country, and a multi-campus technical college and trade school we, as members of this community, have an obligation to help young people understand the vast array of opportunities available to them, and secure at least one. Here at the Boys & Girls Clubs we focus our efforts on opening doors for the youth we serve and invite the community to join us in our mission.
To those business leaders in the community, we extend the invitation to communicate to us what skills you would like employees to have, and take an opportunity to put time and money into helping the youth at our sites develop those. Seize the chance “to cultivate this generation of students.” (267) You could be the inspiration that leads some young person towards a new path, or provide an experience that will shape a lifetime. You are uniquely qualified to invest in these afterschool programs and get involved in the community in this meaningful and personal way.
To everyone, we offer the invitation to join with us through volunteer work and donations. As a nonprofit organization, volunteers and donations are the extra burst of support that increases our capacity for reaching more youth and changing more lives. Great futures start here. Be a part of that.
Works Cited
Grant, Jodi. Joan Higginbotham, Reinaldo Llano, Lisa Lucheta. “Business Leaders: Expanding Afterschool and Summer Learning Opportunities Can Make a Bottom Line Difference.” Expanding Minds and Opportunities: Leveraging the Power of Afterschool and Summer Learning for Student Success. Washington DC: Collaborative Communications Group, 2013. Print. 265-270