Boys & Girls Club Of America Celebrates Its Centennial!

Boys & Girls Club Of America Celebrates Its Centennial!

More Than 4,000 Youth Professional and Volunteers Gather in Boston for the Festivities

ATLANTA, May 2 /PRNewswire/ -- A record 4,000 other Boys & Girls Club professionals and board members are scheduled to attend the 100th Annual National Conference for Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) in Boston -- birthplace of the fastest-growing youth service network.

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Boys & Girls Clubs of America is hosting an information-packed four-day meeting exploring some of the most pressing issues such as teen suicide, gang violence, escalating high school dropout rates, and the crisis among today's Black males that affect the well being of America's young people.

One of the standout events will be the Alumni Hall of Fame Red Carpet Reunion where this year's inductees -- former CNN anchor Bernard Shaw; former CEO and motivational speaker/author Larry Bossidy; NFL stars Tony Gonzalez and Willie McGinest; MLB standout Dontrelle Willis and legendary performers Kool & The Gang -- will be joined by Club supporters including Law & Order star Courtney B. Vance; American Idol winner Ruben Studdard; tennis star Anna Kournikova, and baseball's Sharon Robinson.

"We wanted to present proof positive that Boys & Girls Clubs of America has made a lasting impact on society, and honoring these outstanding alumni certainly illustrates this point," said Roxanne Spillett, BGCA president.

Conference attendees will also hear from former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, who will open BGCA's Centennial National Conference on Thursday afternoon calling on staff and volunteers to renew their commitment to the nation's children in these uncertain times.

Other noteworthy sessions planned include the Youth Report to America featuring a 90-minute dialogue focusing on the results of a survey of some 46,000 teens across the country, sponsored by American Express.

Both local board members and staff will listen as the teens express their opinions on some of the findings from the Youth Report to America, including going to war as young people's greatest fear, plus their frustration with wanting to secure a college education, but being denied it because of circumstances beyond their control.

The teen panel members will challenge conference attendees to listen more closely to America's young people and help close the gap between hope and opportunity.

Gen. Wesley Clark, a 2000 Alumni Hall of Fame inductee and former NATO Supreme Allied Commander in Europe and the commander-in-chief of the US. European Command will share how the many days he spent at the North Little Rock Boys & Girls Club influenced his leadership skills and taught him the importance of being brave enough to reach outside your comfort zone.

The Centennial Conference also marks the debut of a first-ever book on the history of Boys & Girls Clubs of America -- Changing Lives ... Changing America. The tome, with some 160 pages, captures the beginning of the Boys & Girls Club Movement that began in 1906 when the organization known as the Federated Boys' Club was founded in Boston.

In that year, 53 independent Boys' Clubs decided a national organization could better advance the cause by providing training, programming and overall guidance - the proverbial engine to drive the train.

No conference in Boston would be complete without a visit to Fenway Park, so some 800 Boys & Girls Club staff and volunteers will attend the Friday night game between the Sox and Baltimore Orioles. Sox fans will salute BGCA's Centennial by singing Happy Birthday, plus the organization's National Youth of the Year, Jarvis McInnis, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch.

CNN's American Morning co-anchor Soledad O'Brien will deliver the keynote address on Saturday about diversity -- the many challenges and opportunities it presents for organizations like Boys & Girls Clubs. O'Brien brings personal insight to the subject of diversity with her African-American, Latino and Irish ancestry.

The Centennial National Conference will also serve as the official launch of America's Day for Kids (www.dayforkids.org). During a family-oriented picnic with food, games and prizes, Club staff and board members will learn about plans for this year's celebration, slated for September 16 which will feature more than 1,200 events, involving millions -- all celebrating the importance of adults spending meaningful time with the children in their lives.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America (www.bgca.org) comprises a national network of some 3,700 neighborhood-based facilities annually serving more than 4.4 million young people, primarily from disadvantaged circumstances. Known as "The Positive Place for Kids," the Clubs provide guidance-oriented character development programs on a daily basis for children 6-18 years old, conducted by a full-time professional staff. Key Boys & Girls Club programs emphasize character and leadership development, education and career development, health and life skills, the arts, sports, fitness and recreation.

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Source: Boys & Girls Clubs of America

CONTACT: Jan Still-Lindeman of Boys & Girls Clubs of America,
+1-678-656-6252

Web site: http://www.bgca.org/
http:/// www.dayforkids.org

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