Cleveland County (BGCCC) is dedicated to helping all kids build their own great future. The goal is to provide children with resources and opportunities that enable them to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.

In December, the Boys & Girls Club launches its Great Futures Campaign to support fun, engaging after-school and summer enrichment programs that emphasize Academic Success, Good Character, and a Healthy Lifestyle. With these values in place, children have the building blocks they need to build "Great Futures" for themselves.

The Club has recently experienced significant growth and now serves more than 500 children between eight program sites, with at least one in every school zone: Shelby Main (Sumter St.), Mable Hamrick-Whisnant Teen Center and Elizabeth Elementary in Shelby, Fallston Elementary and Casar Elementary in the upper Cleveland area, Springmore Elementary in Boiling Springs, and North Elementary and Bethware Elementary in Kings Mountain. A second teen center is scheduled to open in the Burns High School zone in 2024.

This rapid expansion of the BGCCC over the past two years means the need for financial support is even greater. To serve all eight locations, the Club's budget has almost tripled.

For over sixty years, BGCCC has delivered life-changing programs for young children and teenagers throughout Cleveland County. Recent data shows that the Club's approach leads to positive results. Here are results for the 2022 school year:

• 89% of Club kids achieved A/B Honor Roll with 98% achieving "C or better" final grades.

• More than 350 students participated in homework tutoring and logged 36,800 hours of homework at the Club. The Power Hour and homework help are making a difference in the lives of kids.

• Students participated in 1,328 hours of SMART Moves which trains kids to develop resilience skills and learn to make positive life decisions.

• Students received more than 800 hours of training about healthy eating, positive mental health, and personal fitness.

This averages about two hours of training a week at each site.

• 100% of teenagers who remain in the program through their senior year graduate on time with a plan for their future to be enrolled in a college, enlisted in the military, or employed in the workforce.

• Zero percent juvenile arrests and teen pregnancies among club members.

Boys and Girls Club of Cleveland County 2023 Youth of the Year Joresa Lawrence celebrated her accomplishment along with other youth of the year from around the state in March of 2023 at the Governor's Mansion in Raleigh. Joresa Is a 2023 Shelby High School graduate and current Western Carolina Freshman. She was a 10 plus year member of the club starting when she was only 6 years old. Joresa had always been a very shy and timid young girl but through our character development programs like Smart Moves and Smart Girls Joresa learned to find her own voice and gained confidence to try new things. This led to a successful high school career as an ROTC officer and softball player. Joresa said " The Club lit a flame in me the world will never be able to extinguish".

Support the Great Futures campaign by making a tax deductible contribution by visiting our website
www.bgccleveco.org or Facebook page www.face
book.com/bgccleveco or better yet, call the Club at (704) 471-2582 to make an appointment to see first hand how we are creating Great Futures in Cleveland County.