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CommentsIt Takes a Village (and a Summer Camp) to Raise a Child
By John NearyPublished: June 22, 2010
There is a wonderful collaboration going on in Kings Beach that is having a very positive impact on the members of the Boys & Girls Club of North Lake Tahoe and the students of Kings Beach Elementary School. For the past two years it has been my great pleasure to be a member of the Boys & Girls Club Board of Directors and a school site administrator in the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District. This unique perspective has allowed me to see the growth that has taken place at the club and, in turn, its influence on what is taking place at KBE. Working closely together, the teachers and the club staff have combined efforts so that club programs reinforce what students are learning at school. Monday through Wednesday, all staff and all KBE Club members dedicate the first 30 minutes of club time to mandatory homework. Teachers provide grade-level appropriate worksheets for students who show up without assignments. Monday through Thursday, almost 60 percent of club members choose to participate in Power Hour, a homework help program, until 5:30 p.m. Sixty-six percent of KBE kindergarteners attend Kinder Power Hour focused on early learning.
The Boys and Girls Club currently boasts 800 members with an average of 210 attending each day. Members range in age from pre-kindergarten through high school and the range of activities at the club covers the interests of all age groups. Art, reading, foosball, pool, air hockey, computers, cooking, girls’ group and boys’ group, and many other activities keep club members busy and supervised before and after school. Breakfast and lunch are served from the club’s professional kitchen, known as the Chop Shop, and cooking lessons abound.
So what does the club provide when school is out of session? Summer camps — from day camps for incoming kindergarteners to a nine-week teen camp with field trips to roller skating, Reno Aces baseball games, Reno Zoo and other fun activities. Specialty camps focusing on sports, adventure, and technology boast a different activity each week including a World Cup soccer clinic, Lego robotics, disc golf, basketball, and a movie camp. Each are set up throughout the summer to provide club members a great place to be!
The Boys & Girls Club is located on the campus of Kings Beach Elementary School, and membership is open to all students in the Tahoe and Truckee area. Information is available at (530) 546-4324 or at bgcnlt.org.
~ John Neary, Principal Truckee High School
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