'Moving the needle': Boys and Girls Club breaks ground on new teen center
Mar. 27—On Tuesday, March 26, the Boys and Girls Club broke ground on a new teen center at its Athens club location.
"Probably 10 years ago, we renovated some space for a teen center. Within a month, we had already outgrown it. So, we walked in one day, and there were 45 teens; they had to move to the gym. It just wasn't conducive for the kind of programming we do for our teens," said Suzanne Rainey, vice president of Resource Development for the Boys & Girls Club of North Alabama.
In 2020, the organization started its capital campaign to raise funds for a teen center. Despite a few setbacks related to the pandemic, such as timing and price increases for supplies, leaders of the Athens and North Alabama Boys & Girls Club came together to break ground on the Teen Center for Advancement.
"The main program we provide here will be called 'Youth Force,' and that is a workforce readiness program based on education, exposure and experiences," Rainey said.
The program helps the more than 50 Athens-area teens set a plan and find a path to lead them into a career "out of poverty." Being the largest teen center, there are 22 graduating seniors ready to take full advantage of the program.
Teens also get to learn about possible careers, such as the eight college interns participating in the STEM program.
"Someone may be in agriculture; somebody else may be in digital art. Someone else may be in robotics. We have one that's in meteorology," Rainey said.
Rainey said that the club's mission is to make sure kids are set up for success and know what is out there through the interns, the Money Matters program focused on financial literacy and leadership programs.
"We try to take each individual where they're at and help guide them to where they want to go. The goal is that 100% will graduate on time with a plan for their future. We want to be there for the five years beyond high school graduation to navigate that plan," Rainey said.
If a student's plan changes, the club wants to be there to help them find a new major, get connected directly into the workforce, find internships or try to help meet financial needs.
"If they realize they need books, some fee that cannot be paid — anything that helps move the needle — we can hopefully provide scholarship funds for them or pay for certifications or licensing," Rainey said. "We try to provide them equity to help them reach their full potential."
