Every now and then, a program requires a touch of creativity – or, as some might put it, thinking outside the box – to generate interest. At the Lunda Center, that is just what they did! Realizing that after a long day at school, an academic program isn’t the first thing members are excited about. Paige, our Center Director at the Lunda Center, shared. “I am hit with the realization of how far the Boys and Girls Club- Lunda Center has come in the last few months. The biggest outward change I can see in everyday situations is the kid’s willingness to participate and enjoy our Project Learn/ Power Hour time. For those unaware of what Power Hour/ Project Learn is, it is programming we run to focus on academics. It was a major struggle to get our kids to participate in this program initially, and it was one of the main focuses we had when first starting. Through new thinking, new timing, new books, new scenery, and new staffing, we are now running programming at a different time, and the kids are happy to be involved in the program. A few weeks ago, our staff member, Jim, even got our second graders engaged during Power Hour/ Project Learn programming around sentence structures. Last week Thursday, we also were able to bring some new graphic novels into the club for our members to read, and they were ecstatic and trying to sneak over before anyone else could get a book off the stack. Taking the kids outside to read for a new change of scenery has been a joy and completely enjoyed by our members. Seeing the growth, engagement, and overall bettering of the Boys and Girls Club Lunda Center these last few months have been exciting and rewarding.” Thinking outside the box and looking at things differently has made Project Learn/Power Hour a success! Way to go, Lunda Center!
by Angela Payne