Boys and Girls Club of Plymouth

Member Activity Areas

The Boys and Girls Club is designed to provide a safe learning environment for children and youth from six to eighteen years of age. The safety factor is provided by a facility designed with your children's safety in mind and a trained staff dedicated to insure the safety of your child. Staff members are always present in areas of the club where activities are taking place.

The Boys and Girls Club of Plymouth recognizes four categories of youth that attend the Club based on ages:

Cadets	6-8 years of age	Intermediate	12-14 years of age
Juniors	9-11 years of age	Seniors	15-18 years of age

Many of the Member Activities, although similar in content, are designed differently for each of the above age groups.

The Club has eight physical areas where member activities take place; Arts & Crafts, ClubTech Computer Room, Dedicated Learning Center, Game Room, Gym and field, Kitchen, Library, and Teen (GED) Room. In some of the areas such as the Computer Lab and the Gym and field, activities are run at different times for different age groups. When no program activities are scheduled for a given planned and supervised activity, they are either available for general membership with staff present or secured.

Arts & Crafts (Multi-purpose room)

The Hunsicker Family Arts & Crafts area is in the center of three enclosable adjoined areas, is staffed with a trained Arts & Crafts instructor and provides such diverse activities as a variety of crafts projects and a stage to present drama and musical offerings.

Currently, a student at the Massachusetts College of Art is leading the young people in a variety of activities tracing the history of art through seven periods from the Stone Age up to Impressionism.

ClubTech Computer Room

The Boudreau Family ClubTech Computer Room and other areas offer twenty computers containing programs that meet the approval of appropriate programs established by Boys and Girls Clubs of America (BGCA.org). All of the computers are Internet capable. The computers are used in accordance with the Club's acceptable use policy which spells out disciplinary actions for accessing inappropriate websites. The Club requires training in NetSmartz before either staff or members use the computers.

The national organization, Microsoft, and BestBuy have provided local Clubs with interactive programs (Skill Tech I and Skill Tech II) designed to familiarize Club members ages 6-18 with the use of computers and the basic skills that are increasingly necessary to compete in school and in the workplace and excel. There are sections of these programs for each of the age levels within the Club. These programs are designed as hands-on, theme-based activities.

Dedicated Learning Center (DLC)

As the Club moves to fulfill its commitment to PROJECT LEARN, the strategy for embedding High Yield Learning Activities (HYLAs) into all phases of Club programs and activities, a quiet area is required that is rich in print materials, color, kid-friendly furnishings, board games, and reading, writing, science, math clubs. The newly carpeted and partially furnished DLC is that space in our Club. It also serves as a nap area for our littlest campers, a first aid quiet area for the occasional mildly ill child, and as a non-threatening environment for behavior counseling between members and Youth Development staff.

Games Room

Each Boys & Girls Club needs a central point for its structured program in social recreation. Typically, the game room is that center. Our Marty's GMC games room is equipped with numerous games such as pool, bumper pool, shuffleboard, table tennis, foosball, board games, and TV. This room is one of the most active areas in the Club. The majority of the time the room is open and staff supervised for the members to engage in whatever activities they desire. Tournaments are conducted routinely for each of the activities.

Gym

This is the area, named for Chet Downie, where the physical and sports activities such as basketball, dodge ball, flag football, whiffle ball, and softball take place. Recently, individual fitness challenges and agility exercises have been added to the usual sports and team activities to promote fitness for individuals under the national program TriplePlay. These areas consist of a full-size gym and a 100-yard by 50-yard field that can be subdivided to accommodate different programs and age groups at the same time. Some of the time these areas feature "open time," when all members may participate in impromptu supervised activities.

Kitchen and eating area

The Romboldi Family kitchen and front area provide two services: one is to provide activities designed to teach culinary skills and two is to provide a place for children to eat during our Project Bread and Plymouth Public Schools summer food service program. Each summer the Club provides over 3800 healthy lunches to Greater Plymouth children.

Library (Homework Help and Tutoring Room)

The library contains books for all of the Club's ages and is now one of three areas for quieter, more reflective pursuits. It provides a place for members to do their homework help and tutoring activities in a group environment.

Teen (GED) Room

The Teen Room, as its name suggests, is for teens only and houses the Club's highly successful GED program which provides Plymouth teens with another chance at a high school diploma. Career Launch helps them find that first job. The Teen Room has three computers, tables for board games, and a television. This is the one room that does not require a staff member to be present at all times. Two certified GED teachers and a Case Manager use the room three evenings a week. At other times it is available for study, board games, teen group meetings (Keystone Club), and just socializing.