Boys & Girls Clubs of America's national programs have taken members from the Clubhouse to the White House; from the games room to the corporate boardroom; from the high school orchestra to Carnegie Hall.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America has a lineup of tested and proven nationally recognized programs that address today's most pressing youth issues, teaching young people the skills they need to succeed in life.

National programs are available in the areas of education, the environment, health, the arts, careers, alcohol/drug and pregnancy prevention, gang prevention, leadership development and athletics.

Programs are offered in the following Core Areas: Character and Leadership Development, Education and Career Development, Health and Life Skills, Sports, Fitness and Recreation and The Arts.
 

Torch Club

This small-group leadership development program, sponsored by Staples, is targeted to youth ages 11 to 13. Within some 700 Torch Clubs across the country, members elect officers and plan and implement their own activities and community service projects. Each Torch Club receives an official charter from Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
 

 
 
Power Hour: Making Minutes Count
 
A comprehensive homework help and tutoring program, POWER HOUR is designed to raise the academic proficiency of Club members ages 6 to12.
 

 
 
Project Learn
 
Project Learn reinforces and enhances the skills and knowledge young people learn at school through "high-yield" learning activities at the Club and in the home. Based on Dr. Reginald Clark's research that shows fun, but academically beneficial activities increase academic performance, these activities include leisure reading, writing activities, homework help and games like Scrabble® which develop youth's cognitive skills. Project Learn emphasizes collaborations between Club staff, parents and school personnel. Formally evaluated by Columbia University, Project Learn has been proven to boost the academic performance of Club members. 

 

 
Skill Tech: Basic Training
 
Skill Tech is a hands-on program that appeals to members of all ages and technical abilities. Through three levels of animated lessons (available in English or Spanish exclusively online at www.bgcayouthnet.org) for members and instructor-led group activities, members learn skills in various Microsoft software programs, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Publisher and Digital Image Pro. Funded by Microsoft Corporation.
   
Skill Tech II

Skill Tech II teaches advanced, yet practical technology skills to Club members. It features three eight-session modules (available in English or Spanish exclusively online at www.bgcayouthnet.org) for beginner, intermediate and advanced skill levels. Participants learn about hardware identification and installation, networking and technology-related careers. Funded by Microsoft Corporation.

 

      

NetSmartz
 
NetSmartz teaches Internet safety skills through engaging multimedia activities and offline interaction with Club professionals in three age-appropriate modules: Clicky’s Web World (for ages 6 to 7); NetSmartz Rules (for ages 8 to 12); and I-360 (for ages 13 to 18). Topics include personal safety, shopping safety and ethical use of the Internet. To learn more, youth ages 12 and younger can go directly to www.netsmartzkids.org ; while teens, parents and Club staff can learn about Internet safety at www.netsmartz.org . BGCA collaborated with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children to develop NetSmartz. Funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs.

 
SMART Moves
 
The SMART Moves (Skills Mastery and Resistance Training) prevention/education program addresses problems such as drug and alcohol use and premature sexual activity. The program uses a team approach involving Club staff, peer leaders, parents and community representatives. More than simply emphasizing a "Say No" message, the program teaches young people ages 6 to15 how to say no by involving them in discussion and role-playing, practicing resistance and refusal skills, developing assertiveness, strengthening decision-making skills and analyzing media and peer influence. The ultimate goal: to promote abstinence from substance abuse and adolescent sexual involvement through the practice of responsible behavior.
 

 

 
 
SMART Girls
 
An outgrowth of the popular and effective SMART Moves program, SMART Girls is a health, fitness, prevention/education and self-esteem enhancement program for girls ages 8 to17. The program is designed to encourage healthy attitudes and lifestyles that will enable early adolescent girls to develop to their full potential. The SMART Girls program is sponsored by Tupperware Brands Corporation . Learn more about SMART Girls .
 
 

Passport to Manhood
 
Passport to Manhood promotes and teaches responsibility while reinforcing positive behavior in male Club members ages 11 to14. Passport to Manhood consists of 14 small-group sessions, each of which concentrates on a specific aspect of manhood through highly interactive activities. Each participant is issued his own "Passport" to underscore the idea that he is on a journey of maturation and personal growth.