For the second time in less than a week, a major grant has been awarded to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Benton Harbor, this time from the Michigan Department of Education.
The Boys & Girls Clubs learned this week of a grant from the Michigan Department of Education in the amount of $152,000, from a Before and After School/Summer Learning Community-Based Organization grant that will support Summer Brain Gain programs for 200 Kindergarten through 8th grade members in four locations.
In addition to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Benton Harbor’s Fettig Youth Campus, programs will also take place in community-based locations at:
- First Church of God in Benton Heights
- Upton Middle School in St. Joseph
- LC Mohr High School in South Haven
The funding covers full program expenses for a 10-week Summer Brain Gain curriculum focused on math, reading, science, and social emotional health.
Mackenzie Kastl, CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs, tells us, “The Summer Brain Gain program is a great opportunity for K-8 students in Southwest Michigan to avoid the learning losses that can stack up from year-to-year over the summer,” and adds, “Launching Summer Brain Gain will also help recover some of the learning loss experienced during the pandemic. In addition, we will address the critical emotional needs of our youth, which can stand in the way of learning.”
Summer Brain Gain consists of one-week modules with fun, themed activities for K-8 students that are aligned with common core anchor standards. Each module takes a project-based learning approach: youth engage in a process of learning through discovery, creative expression, group work and a final project or production. As a result, kids develop higher-order thinking skills through the Summer Brain Gain modules while staying on track for the coming school year. Enrollment is open with limited space available. Parents can register their children at each respective location or by calling (269) 926-8766 for more information.
Just last Friday, June 4th, the Boys & Girls Clubs picked up a $150,000 grant from the Cook Nuclear Plant at Bridgman to add an Academic Success Coach to the team there over the next three years.
Located at 600 Nate Wells Senior Drive, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Benton Harbor has served the youth of our community since 1998. The Club provides after school and summer programs promoting educational and career development, character and leadership development, and healthy lifestyles for nearly 1,200 youth and teens each year at the Fettig Youth Campus and Joel E. Smilow Teen Center, as well as community-based locations in Benton Harbor and neighboring areas. You can learn more online at: http://www.bgcbh.org.
