A Positive Place for Kids

The buzz of voices and children greet visitors at the front door of the Boys & Girls Club of Fond du Lac Johnsonville Site. At the end of the school day, elementary children begin filing in by the bus load to find their classrooms. The stairs lead you to the Teen Center, a space set aside for teens to hang out.

 Filled with games and laughter, there is always a big crowd of middle and high school students. The elementary section of the building has several rooms, one for each grade level, and a computer lab. The classrooms are filled with voices, laughing, and learning until the place closes at 6 p.m. each night.

For those of you who are unaware, the Boys &Girls Club of Fond du Lac is just one part of the large non-profit organization spread throughout the country. In the Fond du Lac area alone, there are three separate sites: Johnsonville Unit and Teen Center, Chegwin Boys & Girls Club, and Pier Rocks Boys & Girls Club. Children can become a member starting in first grade. Of those members who begin at a young age, most of them stick with the program well into their high school days.

The afterschool program provides a place that’s more than just a daycare. When a child walks into a Boys & Girls Club, they are provided with a warm meal, homework help, and structured programming, including tech lab training, healthy eating tips, plenty of exercise, and the common core subjects.

As a Program Aide at the Boys & Girls Club, I have the privilege of working with a group of first graders on a daily basis. I am on a basic level their teacher, helping them with homework and leading them through programs. The students in my class come from several different ethnic groups and learn at different speeds, providing my classroom with a variety of personalities.

Every day is a new and exciting adventure. No matter what kind of day I’m having, my class can always make me smile. The same kids come daily making it easy to build a great connection with them. They look up to me as a mentor and watch my every move. I’m bombarded with hugs after a long weekend. It’s amazing how much they learn from me but it’s even more amazing how much I learn from them.

It’s a great privilege to be part of a program that affects children so positively. The club provides a place for kids to go afterschool to be safe and make friends. The staff members honestly care about each child individually and want them to succeed in the future. Great futures truly begin here.