By partnering with local schools, Boys and Girls clubs can provide more kids with a fun and enriching after-school experience. Rather than investing in bricks and mortar to build Clubs, we are creating Clubs in schools. Schools provide dedicated space for the Club to operate as well as shared space, such as art rooms, gyms, computer labs, libraries and classrooms, during the after school hours.

Thinking strategically and collaboratively, many Boys & Girls Clubs successfully work with local school systems in creating quality after-school programs. These programs are the result of effective partnerships that result from inclusiveness, hard work, strong leadership, needs analysis and joint decision-making around important issues. Schools provide dedicated space for the Club to operate as well as shared space, such as art rooms, gyms, computer labs, libraries and classrooms during the after-school hours.

Nationally, more than 600 Boys & Girls Clubs are partnering with schools. Here in the Chicago-area, we have partnered with the following schools to create school-based Boys & Girls Clubs:

• Holy Angels School
• Paderewski School
• Park Manor School
• Phillips School, Ford Heights
• Stockton School
• Wendell Green School

75% of our school-based programs are funded by the Illinois State Board of Education, www.isbe.net/21cclc through the 21st Century Community Learning Center grant. Community learning centers were designed to provide students with academic enrichment opportunities as well as additional activities to complement their regular academic programs. A community learning center offers academic, artistic, and cultural enrichment opportunities to students and their families when school is not in session.

In addition, the programs at Beethoven and Stockton schools fall under the Chicago Public Schools Community School Initiative, one of the largest in the nation. Not only are students attending their traditional classes at these schools, but parents are receiving job training courses, families are able to access medical and dental care on site and children have the option to take music and art lessons. These public schools have been transformed into the centers of their communities, with campuses open mornings, afternoons, evenings, weekends and into the summer. For more information regarding the CPS Community School Initiative please visit, www.cpsafterschool.org.