Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford Helps Young People Reach Their Full Potential
Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford is having a measurable impact on children in the Greater Hartford area. Helping children fulfill their potential has, in fact, been the mission of BGCH, the first Boys & Girls Clubs in the nation, since 1860. It’s clear that this branch of the now well-known youth development organization has found a formula that works.
We know this because while the Hartford school dropout rate is relatively high, the kids who participate in Boys & Girls Clubs have close to a 100% high school graduation rate. Academic achievement, of course, is only one part of what we look for in our prospective small grant recipients. Leadership and career preparation are just as important to us, and that’s what we’re seeing with BGCH. It’s not just academics, but the whole package—a method of shaping children into responsible, productive, and caring members of society.
We put some questions to Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford Vice President for Development & Communications Tomeka Cole to find out more about this work:
Kars4Kids: The Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford is the birthplace of the nationwide Boys & Girls Clubs movement. Would you say the mission is the same today as it was in 1860? What exactly is that mission?
Tomeka Cole: The world has changed a lot since 1860, but our mission remains the same – to help all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens. Staying true to our humble beginnings, when membership was only a quarter, we keep our costs low – just $10 an academic year – to ensure our programs are affordable for families.
Kars4Kids: Hartford has a 30 percent high school dropout rate. Has BCGH managed to make a dent in this dire statistic? Do you think more kids are graduating high school because of your work?
Tomeka Cole: 97% of our club members are on grade level and 93% expect to graduate from high school. We won’t stop working until both statistics are 100%. Our academic success programs are having a measurable impact on learning loss and our workforce readiness programs are preparing youth to think beyond high school. We’ll do whatever it takes to champion academics and get our members to graduation.
Kars4Kids: What’s your demographic? Who is the typical boy or girl who joins your clubs? What percentage of Hartford youth take part in what you have to offer?
Tomeka Cole: We want all young people in the Greater Hartford area to grow with us. Our Early Learning Center is open to children beginning at age 3. Our clubs serve kids ages 6-18. In 2023 we served more than 4,400 youth in the Greater Hartford area. The vast majority of our members identify as either Black or Brown (48% Black, 32% Hispanic, 11% multi-racial). 85% of our members qualify for free or reduced school lunch, which is why the healthy snacks and daily dinners we provide all our members are so critical. The majority of our members live in Hartford, but they attend school across the region from Windsor to Southington and everywhere in between. Teaching youth to respect and appreciate what makes us different and unique is a priority for us.
Kars4Kids: One can get a feel for an organization by looking at the order of the services they offer. In the list of programs on the BCGH website, you list Academic Success, first. Would you say this is the most important focus of you do? Can you give us an overview of some of your academic programs?
Tomeka Cole: Academic Success is one of our four program pillars. The others are Character & Leadership, Health & Wellness, and Life & Workforce Readiness. Each of these pillars are vitally important to helping our members reach their full potential. {Academic success is listed first because they are in alphabetical order J}. Our Academic Success pillar puts a focus on educational achievement, but also on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics). Our members are learning to 3D print; to play an instrument; and to code computer programs. Our Character & Leadership programs prepare them to be the next generation of leaders; to speak up for what’s right; and to give back to the community. In our Health & Wellness programs they’re learning good sportsmanship; how to select and cook healthy foods for their growing bodies and minds; and the resources they need to build resiliency and take care of their mental health. Our Life & Workforce readiness programs prepare youth for the 21st century workforce that awaits them. We’re helping them explore potential careers; visit and apply to colleges; learn to manage their money; and prepare to collaborate in the workplace.
Kars4Kids: Among other programs you offer under the heading of “Health and Wellness” are Passport to Manhood, and SMART Girls. Can you tell us about these two programs? Are they simply gender-separate versions of the same thing? If not, how do they differ?
Tomeka Cole: These programs help girls and boys grow up into confident women and men. They provide our youth with safe spaces to talk about the challenges of adolescence; to ask questions about their health; and find solutions to the problems they may be facing. Passport to Manhood engages boys in discussions that reinforce positive behaviors while providing strong male role models. SMART girls helps girls develop and adopt healthy attitudes and life styles and build positive self-concept. Both programs focus on sound decision-making skills and healthy relationships.
Kars4Kids: What do you emphasize in your Character & Leadership programs? Your website mentions that 83 percent of club members say they want to help when they see someone having a problem. That’s very impressive. What other values does your programming under this heading address?
Tomeka Cole: As our mission statement says, we enable all young people to realize their full potential as caring, productive and responsible citizens. We’re empowering them to be the leaders of tomorrow; to find their voices; to give back to their communities; and to participate in the democratic process. We want to elevate the next generation and give them the skills they need to change the world!
Kars4Kids: We see you offer a variety of arts programs listed under the heading of “STEAM,” and were pleased to see you have a drama education program. How are you addressing the STEM parts of “STEAM?”
Tomeka Cole: On any given day, you can find kids in our clubs 3D printing their own designs; laser engraving with our Glowforge machine; coding their own computers; building robots; or tending to vegetables in our hydroponic garden. We recognize that kids are growing up in an increasingly technological world and we want to expose and introduce them to skills that will give the0m a competitive edge in the workforce.
Kars4Kids: BGCH offers career preparation by way of a number of programs. What can you tell us about them?
Tomeka Cole: We want all our members to reach their full potential – whether that’s going to a four-year university or entering the workforce after high school. We also want them to have the skills they need to not only be successful, but to fill the needs of employers. We’re teaching them how to interview and build a resume; how to collaborate with others in a work setting; and how to manage their money responsibly. We’re also helping them set goals; explore different post-secondary opportunities; and, in many cases, giving them their first job in our clubs!
Kars4Kids: You have two summer camps, divided by age. Do they run throughout the summer? What activities are offered? Are scholarships available, and if so, what percentage of campers receive scholarships each summer?
Tomeka Cole: Our summer camps run from the end of June until the beginning of August. This year’s theme is time machine, so our members are learning about different decades and how things have changed over the years. Our activities are heavily focused on preventing the phenomenon called “summer slide” and preparing our members to head back to school ready for success in the fall. In addition to our weekly field trips, our campers are learning archery and kayaking; they’re creating their own logos and businesses; and are even putting on a performance of The Little Mermaid!
Kars4Kids: What’s next for Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford?
Tomeka Cole: For nearly 165 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford has been a constant for youth and families in the Greater Hartford area and we have no plans to change that! We’re looking forward to the start of our afterschool programming on September 3, the grand reopening of our JDL Northwest Club this fall, the 20th Anniversary of our Asylum Hill Club in October and another year of watching our members grow and learn on the path to a great future!