Category: Tom Maas

Feeling Lucky at the Shandon Club!

Shandon Members had a blast spending time at the Club today, March 15th. We began by having a special guest, Joey Ley. Mrs. Ley is the town’s Librarian who has volunteered to lead Storytime every Friday with our TK Members to spark up their imaginations and literacy curiosity. Today’s story was “Minerva Louise and the… Read more »

Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring Programs!

The Shandon Club has recently ended their winter programs which were led my both Ms. Czarina and Mrs. Angela. Smart Moves Core(3rd-5th) was led by Ms. Czarina. And Smart Moves Core(k-2nd) as well as the Nat. Art Comp. were led by Mrs. Angela. Throughout the final week of winter programs, Members who participated were treated… Read more »

Innovations at the Shandon Club!

A few small changes made to a classroom can have a big impact on a child’s motivation, well-being, creativity, and engagement with any material. The Shandon Staff have recently changed the seating arrangement and are excited to have added new games, materials, and colorful TK decor that includes a car track rug, yoga mats, and… Read more »

Black History Month at Tom Maas

February 1st – March 1st is Black History Month. During this month, we celebrate achievements and contributions and the rich history of African Americans. At Tom Maas Clubhouse we are celebrating, as well as teaching our members about the culture and the contributions from many important African American figures, such as activists like Martin Luther… Read more »

Slime and Smiles!

On President’s Day, the Shandon Club was open from 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM for Members. With a total of about 6/7 Members, we still managed to enjoy our time together and the staff tried their best to entertain the kids. The Youth’s favorite part of the day was getting the chance to make slime… Read more »

Fun Fridays at the Creston Club

Fun Fridays at the Creston Boys and Girls Club consist of many exciting activities.  For starters, the Members get outside play which can involve interactive games such as flag football, shadow tag, dodgeball, lava monster, or anything that comes to their wild imaginations.  We also like to run calmer but artistic activities inside.  These include… Read more »

Kids Cooking Champs!

The next Gordon Ramsey might be getting his or her start at the Tom Maas Clubhouse in Paso Robles!  Our wonderful kitchen and teaching space was put to good use when Club Members got to practice their knife skills, experiment with spices and seasoning, and do some cooking of healthy vegetables for a tasty after… Read more »

Spreading Love At The Shandon Club!

Our Shandon Members had a “heart” felt celebration during our time together on this year’s Valentine’s Day. We had some of our older Members begin by completing an ice breaker where they wrote on a sticky note their favorite thing that they love about themselves and after sharing, they stuck it to our window. We… Read more »

Golden State Classic Car Club Provides Generous Donation

Special thanks to the  Golden State Classic Car Club for their recent donation to our kids!  Last year, their charitable giving amounted approximately $65,000 to local youth groups, service clubs and other organizations from proceeds of events. The car club tries to organize monthly social and recreational activities.  Their main fundraising activities include our GSCCC… Read more »

Mrs. Cookie and the Creston Club

Creston Boys and Girls Club just partnered  up with the Creston Public Library. Every Wednesday our Members go on trip to the library where they get the opportunity to read books, work on homework and get to participate in activities Mrs.Cookie, the librarian, and her library friends provide for the Club.Our members our enjoying their… Read more »

Staff Vs. Teletubbies

For our weekly Fun Friday’s at Tom Maas, we had a special game planned for our 4th & 5th grade members! Staff organized an exciting fun competition, where two of our staff members would compete against all 4th & 5th graders, and if members won the challenges, they would win a Pizza Party. There were… Read more »

Power Hour Fun

During Power Hour–the first hour when all Members arrive at their Club–first grade got to learn what it is to be a spy is and decode secret messages! Members learned how to decode number sequences, and how to utilize the alphabet in order to uncover the secret messages.  Team work was also a big factor… Read more »

Shandon Club’s Colorful Artwork

Throughout the month, our 2nd-8th grade Members have been able to communicate and express themselves through their innovative and beautiful art pieces. They’ve grown tremendously with their creativity and have built as well as recognized each other’s artistic skills which has drawn the group closer together and generated new friendships. Recently, we’ve made art pieces… Read more »

Winter Break Fun!

During winter break at the Shandon Site, members made “snow” with the help of Ms. Czarina. Since it’s not common for this area to receive snow over the winter, our little ones had a blast and spent a good amount of time playing after mixing baking soda with a small amount of water. Once finished,… Read more »

Youth Development Professional of the Month–Gisele Granados

Gisel has been such a great addition to the SLO county team. In her position as Rover she was always there for us in pinch! She is now at our Flamson site and will step up and take on any task that is asked of her. She also showed her amazing artistic talents working on… Read more »

The Visual Arts Are Alive at All of Our Clubs

In the heart of Santa Maria, a celebration of young talent and creativity recently unfolded at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast National Fine Arts Program Reception. This event provided a platform for budding artists to showcase their skills and express themselves through various forms of art. Club Members from all of… Read more »

Shandon Members Spread Christmas Cheer Around Their Community

On Friday December 15th, a group of Shandon Club Members participated in their community’s Christmas parade. A big heartfelt, “THANK YOU” to the Shandon fire department for allowing the Members to ride the firetruck around town from street to street, waving to neighborhood friends all while spreading Christmas cheer! Hot cocoa was served and offered… Read more »

Christmas Party At The Shandon Club

The Shandon staff have been preparing for our Christmas celebration for a while! Our Director, Ms. Carina had the great idea of having three separate days where we created “food shacks” where we fundraised money to be able to purchase Christmas gifts for each and every single one of our Shandon Members. After having our… Read more »

Artistry Spreads Through Shandon Club

Recently, the Shandon Club members began demonstrating their artistic talents by participating in the National Arts Contest. This program provides youth the opportunity to express themselves creatively, build confidence, learn new visual arts, and showcase their artwork in the community.

Parading Around Town This Holiday Season

Club Members from our Santa Maria AND Northern SLO County Clubs rang in the holiday season by building and riding on two amazing floats in their respective community parades!

Winter Staff Training and Team Building

Staff from all 11 club locations participated in our Quarterly All Staff Training. This Winter 2023 training was held at Fort Hope in Arroyo Grande on November 18. Santa Maria Bonita School District trainers participated by imparting their knowledge and information on Classroom Management – With a Focus on Supporting Individuals with Disabilities. Staff also participated… Read more »

Shandon’s Thanksgiving Feast!

On Tuesday, November 28th, the Shandon Site had a blast celebrating Thanksgiving. Ms. Carina started the day off by asking a few questions about the true meaning of this holiday. Members, as well as staff, shared who and what they’re most thankful for and mentioned ways to spread kindness as well as gratitude. They also… Read more »

CATCH at the Shandon Club!

During the month of November, all Shandon Club Members participated in the physical activity sessions prepared through CATCH. CATCH is a curriculum based on scientific research and evidence designed to support and encourage physical activity for students of all ages and fitness levels. Maritza, a health education specialist, coordinated and led the hula-hoop sessions into… Read more »

Seeking Enthusiastic Volunteers to Serve on Our Board of Directors

In order to be as successful as possible, the Board of Directors of Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast is seeking community leaders who are eager to be part of the growth and opportunities in front of the organization.  If you are passionate about helping local children, have a desire to help achieve… Read more »

Kindness Is Free!

The Shandon 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders completed the Kindness is Free program on November 15th. This national Boys & Girls Clubs of America program is meant to empower the next generation to be kind by teaching and bringing awareness of the importance of treating everyone equally, showing respect to all persons, and being considerate… Read more »

Shandon Club Celebrates Day Of The Dead!

Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is celebrated each year from October 31st-November 2nd. It is a Mexican tradition where families reunite and celebrate their ancestors with food, drinks, music, and joy. On November 2nd, our Shandon Members colored and decorated their own “calavera” masks, enjoyed eating conchitas with warm “abuelita” hot chocolate… Read more »

Tom Maas Celebrates El Dia de Los Muertos

Tom Maas celebrated El Dia de Los Muertos, a holiday celebrated on the 1st and 2nd of November. It is a colorful and lively occasion for remembering and celebrating those who have passed on from this world. The holiday is celebrated with color, food, decorations and music, in honor of our loved ones. Members and… Read more »

Spooky Shandon Snack-Shack

Shandon Staff has taken the time to prepare and make some delicious spooky snacks to sell to our Members and families, as a fundraiser for Christmas gift bags. Our first open date was the 17th of October. That day, our menu consisted of nachos, orange creamsicle floats, chocolate covered pretzels, caramel apples, and cotton candy…. Read more »

Halloween Party at Tom Maas

For our weekly fun Friday’s, we took it to a whole new level and threw our members a spooky Halloween party! It was filled with so many activities that members enjoyed, like face painting, a haunted maze, a fun cup ping-pong game, and so much more! Our members were thoroughly surprised to see how our… Read more »

Back A Youth Night Creates Fun for Youth and Adults Alike

Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast hosted its 2nd Annual Back a Youth Night event at the Tom Maas Clubhouse in Paso Robles on Thursday, October 19. Around 45 Club Kids and 30 mentors participated in the three activities organized by the clubhouse staff, which included a fall art project, the Rain in… Read more »

New Playhouse Is a Highlight at the Tom Maas Club

We are so grateful for the partnership with Habitat for Humanity San Luis Obispo County who recently provided an adorable playhouse for our outdoor space at our Tom Maas Clubhouse in Paso Robles.  This is a unique project led by the local Habitat for Humanity to provide custom, wooden playhouses for families and organizations in… Read more »

Two New Community Leaders Join the Board

In order to be as successful as possible, the Board of Directors of Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast has tapped two community leaders who are eager to be part of the growth and opportunities in front of the organization.  Gary Borjan, banking executive, and Michelle Wright, Veterinary Practice Manager for PETS Hospital… Read more »

Shandon Club Welcomes TK Members!

Monday, October 16th, was the first day that TK members attended the Shandon Boys and Girls Club. We welcomed Iker, Selena, Lucas, Cataleya, and Aaron, and are extremely happy at the positive relationships they’ve already created with our staff as well as the rest of our BGC members. We can’t wait to see how these… Read more »

Shandon Club Celebrates Hispanic Heritage!

On October 5th, the Shandon Members celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month. Our day began by watching a few videos about the significance of recognizing the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States. After, they chose Hispanic heritage coloring pages to color and answered questions about influential Hispanic Americans who… Read more »

A Month of Cultural Learning Underway

September 15th – October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month. During this time we honor the cultures and contributions of Hispanic Americans, Latinos/Latinas, and Latinx-identifying people in our society. At the Tom Maas Clubhouse, we are celebrating by exploring and honoring contributions by Hispanic artists such as Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera to activists such… Read more »

News from the Shandon Club

On September 13th, our Members had the awesome opportunity to visit the Shandon Fire Station. When arriving, the fire-fighters handed youth goodie bags that included a coloring book, magnet, stickers, bracelet, and a safety guide that explains what to do in case of a fire. Club Members also had the opportunity to use the fire… Read more »

Be A Star Begins!

Our Boys & Girls Clubs of America “Be A Star” program began at the Shandon site at the end of August and is being led by Youth Development Professional (YDP) Czarina Gallardo. This program is a social/ emotional learning approach to bullying, and is taught to our Youth who are between the ages of 10-12…. Read more »

Youth For Unity Kicks Off!

Shandon members that are 6-9 years old began participating in BGCA’s Youth for Unity program. This program consists of a selection of activities and conversation starters that help members appreciate themselves as unique and exceptional human-beings.  For our first session, we colored three of our physical features including our hair, skin, and eyes, and learned… Read more »

Shandon Members Have Fun In The Sun!

On Friday, August 25, the Shandon members cooled down, enjoyed the water, and had a blast in the summer heat. Youth began by having a water balloon fight and then proceeded to take turns in using the water equipment including water blasters and water guns. Water play ended by soaking Mrs. Angela with the goal… Read more »

Youth Development Team Member of the Month–Czarina Gallardo

Czarina has been working with the Shandon BGC for almost 6 months. She has shown great responsibility and leadership skills through her daily interactions with members. “Ms. Czarina is caring, patient, trusting, and respectful.” She has an easy going personality and is a great team player. We sincerely thank her for all the genuine help… Read more »

Dining For Charities Makes Generous Donation

  We partnered with Dining for Charities earlier this year and the generosity of local restaurants and people who like to eat out came back to us in the form of a big check!  When people purchase restaurant gift cards through Diningforcharities.com–which they get at a discount–we recieved 15% of the purchase price.  James and… Read more »

Summer Fun Theme Weeks at Tom Maas

This summer the Staff decided to theme each week of the summer. We got together as an team and planned a different theme week to make a memorable summer for our Members Here’s what we did so far: Week 1 Science week   Our Members had the opportunity to do awesome science projects such as volcanoes,… Read more »

Field Trip to the Children’s Museum

Our Members were able to go to the Children’s Museum in Paso Robles as one of our field trips this summer. Our Members were so excited to go and they had a blast while they were there. The Museum has lots of fun and creative spaces for kids to play in including a ball pit,… Read more »

Creation and Innovation

Here at the Boys and Girls Club we strive to have our Members tap into their artistic side through a multitude of different activities. Some of the activities our Members participate in include creating volcanoes, flower crowns, and dot paintings. Whether it’s working together or alone Members have the opportunity to enhance their creativity and… Read more »

What’s Cookin’ at Flamson

All of our Members have been eating very well at the Teen Center this summer! Besides breakfast and lunch provided by PRJUSD, every Friday we have cooking class. We have been making lots of yummy treats that go with our weekly themes. From Elotes in a cup for “Around the World” week, to monte cristos… Read more »

Fire Department Visits for Summer Program

This summer, the Paso Robles Fire Department paid a visit to the Almond Acres Club. Members had the opportunity to learn about what being a fireman is like and how the fire engine operates. Members suited up in their fireman hats and toured the equipment on the truck, and even got to check out the… Read more »

Eco Theme Week at Atascadero

Eco Week at the Boys and Girls Club is an incredible opportunity for our Members to dive into the world of sustainability, conservation, and environmental stewardship. This week-long adventure immerses Members in a range of exciting and educational activities designed to inspire a love for nature and a sense of responsibility towards the planet! Some… Read more »

Generous Donation Supports Mindful Movement

The Center Studio, a leading wellness center dedicated to promoting holistic health and well-being, donated monthly proceeds from their community education classes to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast. The donation aims to support the implementation and expansion of the Youthful Mindfulness Movement Program for Club kids, empowering children with essential tools… Read more »

Stollmeyer Challenge Scholarships Awarded

At a festive ice cream social held at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast flagship Clubhouse in Santa Maria, six students were awarded the first round of scholarships provided by the Stollmeyer Challenge partnership for STEAM programming. Rick Stollmeyer, seeing a need to focus his philanthropy on programs and services that support… Read more »

Family Fun Day at Avila Beach

BGCMCC and their families were treated to a beautiful day of camaraderie, team building and fun at our annual Family Fun Day at the beach.  Meeting in Avila Beach–a good half way point between staff coming from the Paso Robles or Santa Maria areas–we gathered throughout the day for food, games, and general relaxation.  The… Read more »

Shade Structures Keeping Members Cool in Paso

Thanks to our generous partner, the Rotary Club of Paso Robles, children enrolled in the summer program at the Tom Maas Clubhouse are able to get a respite from the heat! Funds provided by the Paso Robles Rotary Club the Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast were able to purchase tables, chairs and… Read more »

Best Way to Start Summer at Almond Acres

The members of Almond Acres enjoyed a great time at the Club during “Fun Friday,” where they decided to play a game of Tug-of-War. A small pool was placed in the middle, with the rule that the losing team had to take a dip in it. Everyone had a blast playing the game, and the… Read more »

Fun in the Sun at Atascadero

We’re kicking off this summer at the Boys and Girls Club with lots of fun filled activities and games! The theme for this past week was Olympic week where we got to learn about the history and logistics of the global event. As temperatures rise, Members engage in water play to stay cool. Also Members are… Read more »

School Year Ends at the Creston Club

June 2nd was the end of a successful school year for Creston Boys & Girls Club. Staff decided to end the year with a surprise party, to show our Members they were thankful for all the hard work they put in during the school year. The Creston Boys & Girls Club celebrated with pizza,chips,cookies,cupcakes and… Read more »

Fun During Laguna’s Last Days of School

Last Fun Friday, our members went on a foraging adventure and made flower crowns with their findings! We used plants from the school garden to create beautiful wreaths, and wove our flowers in with raffia straw. All in all, a refreshing afternoon in the outdoors! At our End of School Party, our members are gearing… Read more »

Member Monday–Jorge!

Meet Jorge a long time Club Member who has re-joined the program now that the Ron Estabillo Club has re-opened in Guadalupe.  Jorge started coming to the original Club when he was 6 years old.  When the clubhouse had to close for renovations and retrofitting, Jorge had nowhere to go after school.  Now that the… Read more »

Member Monday–Abraham!

Meet Teen of the Month for May,  Abraham Carrillo-Galindo, an 11th grader from Santa Maria High.  Abraham recently was voted in as Keystone President for the 2023-2024 school year at the Railroad Club site.  Even though he’s a new member of the Boys and Girls Club, he’s been instrumental in building our Keystone Club from… Read more »

Shandon BGC Celebrates The End Of The School Year!

The Shandon BGC staff and members celebrated the end of a successful school year together on Monday, June 5th, where Members had fun playing musical chairs, had dance battles, and ate nachos with iced-tea. In addition to the celebration, our 3rd-6th graders also had their last drumming session with instructor Alice Tomasini, where they recapped… Read more »

We’re Safety Superstars!

Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast was recognized by our national organization, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA), as a 2023 Safety Super Star during BGCA’s 117 th National Conference in Orlando, Florida in May. This award is presented to Boys & Girls Club organizations that demonstrate an exceptional commitment to safety… Read more »

Spring is Blooming but Summer is on its way!

Laguna Club ended May with a beautiful picnic at the gorgeous Cal Poly Leaning Pine Arboretum. We enjoyed great company, good food , explored the luscious garden and learned about respecting our environment. Another successful visit from our Teen Specialist Jeanette Blanco.  The kids made candy bridges along side  Engineer, Esau Blanco. They challenged each… Read more »

SMART Moves Graduates Club Members

The Shandon 3rd-5th graders have successfully completed the SMART Moves program lead and instructed by Ms. Czarina Gallardo. After 2 1/2 months and 10 sessions, these participants have shown tremendous improvement in their social emotional skills and constructive coping methods. The last two sessions consisted of members playing Jenga to learn how to manage emotions… Read more »

Shandon Members Enjoy A Cool And Tasty Visit From Paradise Ice

On Tuesday May 23rd, the Shandon members were ecstatic to receive a visit from the delicious Paradise Ice food truck. Paradise Ice offers over 40 snow cone flavors, as well as food options that include hot dogs, mini cheeseburgers, pretzels, and nachos. Staff and parents were also able to cool down, and enjoy the flavorful… Read more »

We’re Among Best Places to Work According to Pacific Business Times

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast is thrilled to announce that it has been voted one of the “Best Place to Work” in the Tri-Counties by the prestigious Pacific Business Times. This recognition is a testament to the organization’s commitment to fostering a supportive and fulfilling work environment for its dedicated employees…. Read more »

Friday Fun Day as Summer Approaches

Last Friday at the Almond Acres Club–one of the new Clubs opened in 2023–members faced off in an obstacle course relay race. Members had to jump through hula hoops, weave through cones, and make a basket before running back to their teams. The groups cheered on their teammates and congratulated the other team after the… Read more »

Catapulting Into Summer

Earlier this month we were visited by Miss Jeanette, our Director of Teen Services. The students built catapults and goal baskets out of spoons, cardboard, and rubber bands. Whoever could bounce the most ping pong balls into their goals In the design and testing phases, our members experimented with different angles, levels of force, and… Read more »

Practicing Safety Drill Awareness At Tom Maas

Staff and Members practiced a civil disturbance drill to help build safety awareness amongst our Members. Staff described what type of situations civil disturbance falls under and what the staff and Members will be doing if this were to happen. Our Members did a great job listening and quietly entering the building. The Members had… Read more »

Triple Play takes place in the Creston Club!

Our Members really enjoy the Triple Play program. In this program Members get to develop different type of skills like attitudes, knowledge and behaviors essential to an overall healthy lifestyle. Our Members seem to have so much fun during the program sessions. After each session we give out a prize to the Member who participated… Read more »

DIY Paper Crafts and Laughs

  The arts allow for Members to be creative and to express themselves freely with unconditional positive regard. From making a statement to bringing everyone together, the arts play a vital role in impacting today’s society. Here at the Atascadero site, we strive to have our Members tap into their creative side. Members engage in… Read more »

Shandon Members Visit Their County Park

Every other Friday, from 3:45-5:00pm, the Shandon Club Members have the fun opportunity  to spend time at the county park. While being there, the kids like to play soccer, football, volleyball, basketball, and also enjoy using the park’s play structure, where they have access to swings, slides, rock climbing, and monkey bars. On rare occasions,… Read more »

Youth Arts At The Creston Club

The Creston Club decided to bring Youth Arts to the Club. Youth Arts is a program that has different activities the Members get to participate in including Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Digital Arts & Applied Arts. Members from the Creston Club had the opportunity to do a Collage. They got to look at different magazines… Read more »

Youth for Unity

At Lunch time this April, we held our Youth for Unity program. We had many participants members as well as non-members. We created self portraits, a collage cook book, and ended the month by making a banner of commitments to make our community a safer place for all.

Spring Break Fun at Atascadero

Spring break at the Boys and Girls Club is a time for fun and excitement. With no school or homework to worry about, kids can fully enjoy their free time with other Members and program staff. This year Members participated in a variety of activities, such as arts and crafts, outdoor games, and so much… Read more »

Smart Moves’ Progress In Shandon

Shandon members are almost halfway through their Smart Moves sessions and have been enjoying their time with Ms. Czarina as their leader. Recently, they created comic strips where they shared a story about their lives. The comics were made to demonstrate their emotions that either stayed the same or changed throughout that event, and after… Read more »

Passport to Manhood Kicks off in Atascadero

We are excited to bring back Passport to Manhood or as previous members may recognize it Wise Guys!  The program has been implemented by many clubs to guide boys on their journey from adolescence to adulthood. Wise Guys fosters positive values and responsible behavior in youth. The program allows them to practice making healthy decisions related to… Read more »

SMART Moves: Time Travelers

SMART Moves: Emotional Wellness is a program that helps youth build foundational social-emotional skills, through developing self-management and coping strategies. The aim of this program is to help develop healthy decision making attitudes and skills.  In this session Members learned about how emotions are temporary and how to describe how their emotions change over time…. Read more »

Full of Joy at the Creston Club

Small community, no problem! The Creston Club is always looking for excitement. Being  locate in a rural area can be a challenge but nothing is impossible.  We dance, sing, act, create , learn, laugh, share memories, and are a place where you can be yourself! We enjoy seeing our members talents, we like to hear… Read more »

Shandon Is Back On Beat With Drumming Sessions

Shandon Members enjoy their time discovering how beats match with syllables with the instructor, Alice Tomasini who’s also a musician and professor from Cal Poly. Every Monday at 4pm, 20 of our 3rd-6th graders attend an 8-week long program called Infinite Music where Members engage in rhythmic activities to exercise core values in teamwork, respect… Read more »

Soaring Through Spring

This month at the Almond Acres Club, members have been preparing for a paper airplane competition. Members have been watching videos of how to create various paper airplanes, and have been running trials to find out which ones work best. At the end of the month members will be putting their planes to the test… Read more »

Smart Moves Kicks-Off At The Shandon Club!

SMART Moves: Emotional Wellness is a targeted program that supports Healthy Lifestyles. It builds the foundational social-emotional and health skills that will enable youth to make healthy decisions. SMART Moves is a suite of health promotion programs, focused on building the key attitudes and skills necessary for youth to make decisions about their health. This… Read more »

Craft time at the Creston Club

Members from the Creston Club really enjoy doing crafts at our Club. Every Monday & Wednesday the kindergarten Members get to do a different craft. Members get to practice their cutting, gluing and coloring skills which they have been getting better at it. We make sure to give our Members the help and support they… Read more »

Success at Flamson’s First Stollmeyer Challenge Workshop!

The Teen Center at Flamson had a successful first workshop for the Stollmeyer Challenge! Our members got to create beautiful rainbow art work for the Mixed Media Rainbow Art session and had a fun time doing it. Our YDP Mel ran it very well and we look forward to our five remaining workshops we have… Read more »

First Grade Group Expresses Their Emotions

To kick off Spring Programs at the Almond Acres Club, the first grade group is participating in SMART Moves: Emotional Wellness. This program supports healthy lifestyles through the development of social-emotional skills. In this activity, the first grade group partnered up and chose an emotion to display. The class practiced recognizing emotions, and how to… Read more »

Learning About Rain & Clouds

Our Members were super excited to learn about rain especially since it’s been raining a lot here lately. We decided to do a simple experiment with food coloring, mason jars, shaving cream, and water to simulate how rain works and how clouds form. Our Members learned that water vapor rises into the air, but when… Read more »

Learning About Lungs

Our Members learned about how our lungs work using a paper bag, marker, and a straw. This activity was a great way for our members to learn some new words and their meanings. Some new vocabularly include: Trachea – a large touch tube that connects the top of the throat to bronchi (sometimes called a… Read more »

Smart Moves: Emotional Wellness

SMART Moves: Emotional Wellness is a program offered at the Creston Club. SMART is a national Boys & Girls Club program concept that stands for Skills Mastery and Resistance Training. In this program, we focus on building social-emotional skills, self-control, emotional awareness and helping youth develop healthy decisions making. Members get to express their emotions… Read more »

Alumni Open House Coming in April

All Alumni of Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast are invited to an Open House on April 27th at the Railroad Clubhouse in Santa Maria.  Enjoy a burrito bar, old school and new school games and activities, an opportunity to reminisce AND learn about all the new programs and goals the organization is… Read more »

A Trip to the Fire Station!

The Shandon Members started off the month of March with a visit to their local fire station! The Shandon Fire Station is just a couple of blocks away from the Shandon Club so the Members enjoyed their walk there. They were given a tour of the station, the firefighter’s home, the firetruck, were given a… Read more »

NYOl Takes Off at the Creston Club

Our members, 9 years and older, are participating in the National Youth Outcome Initiative (NYOI) survey for the first time. To get our members excited about the survey we surprised them with goodie bags. Once all our members complete the survey we will be celebrating with an ice cream party.

Shandon Members Enjoy Triple Play!

Our members who attend our current sessions have been very satisfied and seem to enjoy their time while participating. In our most recent sessions, the members had a lot of fun joining in activities like creating their own colors with paint, ran around while playing chickens and the wolf, and also red light, green light…. Read more »

Club Members Start Annual NYOI Surveys!

All Club Members have began taking their NYOI surveys this week and are off to a busy but great start! The National Youth Outcomes Initiative Survey (NYOI) is confidential and helps the Club improve on areas that need it. It is a great way to receive honest feedback from the Members in a confidential way…. Read more »

Valentine’s Day Craft Led By Members!

For Valentine’s Day our members were excited to lead a craft. One excited member  asked if she could lead a craft she was taught at school earlier that day. She had an example ready to go and knew we had all the right materials. We opened the craft for anyone that wanted to join and… Read more »

1st Grade Class Creates Their Favorite Meal

This week at the Almond Acres Club, members got a chance to put their sculpting skills to the test to create their favorite foods. Our first week has been filled with activities for the classes to get to know each other, including using Play-Doh to showcase some of the members favorite things. 

Members Putting Their Chess Skills to the Test

  To kick off activities at the new Almond Acres club, members have been practicing their chess skills using giant chess pieces. We have a mix of first time players and seasoned professionals, but everyone has enjoyed ending our days with a quick game of chess.

Too Much Fun at the Creston Club

For the month of February we want to start by thanking Tablas Creek Vineyard,  Must! Charities and Creston families for all the donation we have received.   We truly appreciate it. Creston Club celebrated 100 days of school where Members dressed as  grandparents. We also had an amazing Valentine’s Day Party! We celebrated with friends, siblings… Read more »

Valentines Day Fun

Our Members at the Tom Maas Club had a great Valentine’s day with fun activities, treats, and strawberry Fanta floats. Our staff planned fun and engaging valentines day activities such as paper plate yarn hearts, cookie decorating, flag football, and Valentine card making. The Members had so much fun rotating through these activities. After Activities… Read more »

SMART Girls

SMART Girls is a small-group health, fitness, prevention/education and self-esteem enhancement program designed to meet the developmental needs of girls in three age groups. Through dynamic sessions, highly participatory activities, field trips and mentoring opportunities with adult women, Club girls explore their own and societal attitudes and values as they build skills for eating right,… Read more »

Boys & Girls Clubs Kicks Off Annual Review By Our Members

The Boys & Girls Clubs of America have always been committed to ensuring that their members have the necessary skills and abilities to succeed in life. To further this mission, the organization created the National Youth Outcomes Initiative (NYOI) in 2001. The NYOI is a comprehensive program that assesses the impact of Boys & Girls… Read more »

FUNfetti Cupcakes, Sprinkles, and Sweetness Brings Members Together for Valentine’s Day!

The Shandon Members enjoyed Valentine’s Day by decorating their own cupcake and bonding with their classmates as they did so! FUNfetti cupcakes were handed out to each Member. They had the option and liberty of decorating their cupcake how they wished and chose from red, pink, blue, and purple frosting as well as different colored… Read more »

Dining For Charities is An Easy Way to Help Local Kids

  Do you like to eat at local restaurants?  Do you want your money to help local kids?  Well, there’s a win-win way to do both thanks to the work of Dining For Charities. Through February, BGCMCC is the featured partner with this organization who pairs local restaurants with local non profits.  Visit the Dining… Read more »

End Of 2022 Pajama & Movie Party

To wrap up the end of 2022 at the Tom Maas Clubhouse, we were able to close off the holiday season with all sorts of exciting and festive activities. Thanks to the help of Members’ parents/guardians, we were able to host an end of the year Movie day pajama party with all sorts of goodies!… Read more »