IMPACT
Reach
In August 2021, we launched a bold initiative: to tackle pandemic learning loss with an academy recovery program called STRIVE. Through partnerships with five school districts, we expanded to 23 Club sites, tripled our workforce, and doubled down on critical areas: reading, math, emotional well-being, and preparing kids for successful futures.
Impact
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A crucial element of our strategy is to focus on investing in our people and curriculum — our impact must be worthy of the families we serve. Our programs introduce kids to new interests in entrepreneurship, the arts, and sports and recreation, in addition to helping them regulate their emotions and live healthy lives.
Assessments from the first year of our academic recovery program have shown:
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64% of kids improved 1 or more grade levels in literacy
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69% of kids improved 1 or more grade levels in math
Sustainability
While we are serving more kids than ever, our waitlist of 990 students means we need to think innovatively about expansion. It's critical to build partnerships with schools, cities, counties, and community-based organizations to serve as many kids we can, as effectively as possible.
A study from University of Michigan found that every dollar invested in Boys & Girls Clubs returns $9.60 in earnings and cost-savings to communities. Clubs contribute to societal savings by helping to prevent expenditures for health care, public assistance programs, and the criminal justice system.
The Expanded Classroom Report
The Mind Trust, in partnership with four other youth-serving organizations, is excited to share a new report on how Indiana can leverage the current inflection point in K–12 education to integrate out-of-school time programs with the traditional school day so that all kids have access to additional high-quality learning opportunities.