Indian Valley Boys & Girls Club: The Positive Place For Kids
Character & Leadership Development
CHARACTER & LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Character & Leadership Development ProgramsThe North Penn Valley and Indian Valley Boys & Girls Clubs provides a variety of opportunities for young people of all ages to learn valuable leadership skills.

Jr. Staff
This dynamic program allows members ages 13 and older to gain skills necessary for success in the working world. Members apply for and interview for this prestigious title. Once accepted, members assist paid staff in running daily programming in addition to learning basic skills such as phone use, photocopying, and other useful office skills.

TEENSupreme® Keystone Clubs
Do you want to become a leader in your community? Then join the Keystone Club! Keystone Clubs are chartered, small-group, leadership development club for young people ages 14 - 18. This service club is one of the most dynamic teen leadership programs in Boys & Girls Clubs throughout the country! Keystoners elect officers, choose and plan activities for themselves and other Club members, raise and budget their own money, and plan and implement community service projects.

In 2007, the Keystone Club takes on a new form. Not only will we continue the same traditions such as hosting dances and meeting Keystoners from other Boys & Girls Clubs, but we will also do extensive leadership training in preparation for us to lead the Clubs’ first COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER group starting in January.

Keystone Club members will receive career training and will be in charge of Club service days. This is a great opportunity to develop skills and membership looks outstanding on college applications.

All interested Club members 14 and older must apply to join.

Torch Club
The Torch Club is a small-group, leadership development and service club, sponsored by Staples, and is targeted for boys and girls ages 10 - 12 or 11 - 13. Within some 800 Torch Clubs across the country, members elect officers and work together to plan and implement activities in four areas: service to Club and community; education; health and fitness; and social recreation. Each Torch Club receives an official charter from Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Get ready for teen life with our TORCH CLUB! We will do several community and Club projects throughout the year. The purpose of the Torch Club is to help Club members become productive citizens and leaders of tomorrow. Have some fun and join the Torch Club today! Members run this club by voting and deciding on what activities they would like to do. They will be helping with 2007’s Spring Dance and Talent Show. Also in 2007, the Torch Club will embark on a new and exciting challenge never before attempted. The Torch Club will work together to become entrepreneurs by organizing and running their very own Club Store! They will also hold fundraising events, run concession stands, host special events, and participate in community activities.

Joining the Torch Club is a great way for members to meet people their own age and to form long-lasting bonds with new friends. The purpose of the Torch Club is to help Club members become productive citizens and leaders of tomorrow. Find out more about the Torch Club by coming to our first or a meeting.

National Youth of the Year
Sponsored by The Reader’s Digest Association, the National Youth of the Year Program is designed to promote and recognize service to Club and community, academic performance, moral character, and contributions to family and spiritual life. Honorees are first chosen monthly in the Clubs’ Youth/Teen of the Month program. We select a Youth of the Year who receives a certificate, medallion, and a $500 scholarship. The youth then enters state competition. State winners receive a plaque and enter the regional competition. Regional winners receive a $2,000 scholarship and enter a national competition held in Washington, D.C. The National Youth of the Year receives an additional $8,000 scholarship and is installed by the President of the United States.

CareerLaunch
CareerLaunch is a career exploration and mentoring program for teens ages 13 - 18. This program includes the CareerLaunch website that allows teens to take an interest survey, explore careers, identify training or college requirements, seek out financial aid and play skills-building games. There’s also an easy-to-use Career Exploration Quick Reference Guide with a broad range of career planning and job skills activities that Club staff or volunteers can use with teens. The CareerLaunch Portfolio contains a Teen Tips booklet with helpful interviewing and on-the-spot job tips. This program is made possible through a partnership between Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the Gap Foundation.

Job Ready!
Sponsored by the Taco Bell Foundation as part of the TEENSupreme® Career Prep program, JOB READY! is a comprehensive program that teaches young people ages 16-18 effective job-hunting techniques and helps them develop the skills necessary to be successful once on the job.

ClubService
This program, the result of a partnership between Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the Corporation for National Service (AmeriCorps), provides education awards to Club members ages 17 and 18 and Club alumni ages 19-24 who serve their Clubs and communities. CLUBService recognizes young people’s service, helps them access higher education opportunities and encourages them to pursue future careers as Club professionals.

Crime Stoppers
The North Penn Valley Boys & Girls Club is launching the "Crime Stoppers" program. Working together with local law enforcement agencies, this program will focus on helping children with their decision making while developing their character and leadership skills. The program will teach members to utilize critical thinking and problem solving skills to construct theories and motives, find new ways to promote tolerance, solve crimes, and stay away from drugs. Crime Stoppers will forge a personal relationship with local police officers and the youths in our community, giving a positive image to all law enforcement.

Workshops and presentations included in Crime Stoppers will include but not be limited to:
  • Participants will see how police use technology to solve crimes. Members will see how police collect fingerprints and other evidence and study the crime scene. Children will be encouraged to "think outside of the box" to create motives, theories and speculate as to where to find evidence and of what evidence consists. After a six- to eight-week course, the participants will then be able to use a forensic crime lab to view the science behind police work. Students will be able to use this lab to view evidence not visible to the naked eye and that might otherwise go unnoticed.

  • Working together with local attorneys, we will put together a mock trial. In this six- to eight-week workshop, teams will be formed to prosecute and defend a fictional case. Members will creatively construct their case and prepare for the opposing team’s argument. The goal of this class will be to show children the realistic consequences of committing a crime and what rights and privileges are taken away from our criminals. We will show children how a criminal record remains with the convicted for the rest of their lives and shuts the door to many employment opportunities.

  • Members will have several different workshops and presentations throughout the year focusing on the use of drugs and alcohol. Workshops topics will range from the dangers of driving while drunk to working with groups and volunteers to show the dangers of drugs. Doctors and physicians will be brought in to explain all the harmful effects drugs have on the body.

  • Members will also have many workshops throughout the year promoting tolerance. These workshops will be designed to educate and reduce the occurrence of all types of hate crimes. These workshops will also focus on the growing problem of bullying in school. Children will learn what they can do if they are bullied and they will learn why not to bully others.




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