| Greetings from the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio!
We are pleased to share with you some of the recent news and events from our clubs. |
| Roger Mason Jr. urges Club members to aim high |
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Roger Mason Jr. visits Eastside Branch
Spurs player Roger Mason Jr. spent a recent afternoon with members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio Eastside Branch talking with them about his experiences in the NBA and about growing up in a Boys & Girls Club in the Washington, D.C. area.
"I used to be in a Boys & Girls Club too - just like you all," he told the Club members. "The one thing that helped me become successful was the fact that I always listened. You guys have a great staff around you here and you need to take advantage of this. The more you learn, the better you will be."
Mason conducted a shooting clinic for Club members and signed autographs. "It was an honor to meet Roger Mason," said one Club member after the clinic. "It was beautiful. I mean, it was an honor to have a Spur come here and take time out to teach about basketball." |
| BGCSA partnering with Sylvan in innovative mentoring/tutoring program |
With cumulative minority high school dropout  rates in Texas averaging more than 50%, engaging and effective intervention is critical. To address this need, the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio is partnering with Sylvan Learning Centers in the Texas AIM (Academics and Mentoring) Project. The Partnership provides mentors that tutor (BGCSA staff) and tutors that mentor (Sylvan teachers).
"One of our top ongoing priorities at the Boys & Girls Clubs is to encourage our members to study hard and stay in school," said Jim Watson, executive director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio. "We can't overemphasize how critical a high school education is as a foundation for success in today's society."
 Currently, approximately 120 BGCSA members at the Calderon, Cresholme and
Candlewood branches and two after-school STARS locations are taking part in this innovative program. Watson says that between 250 and 300 Club members will be served by the program by the end of this school year. The Texas AIM Project focuses on providing mentoring support and closing the skills gaps in subjects such as language arts, mathematics and college preparation. Thirty Boys & Girls Club sites throughout Texas have been selected for the statewide rollout of Phase I. The results from these personal wrap-around services already are yielding significant results in skills mastery, credit recovery and academic promotion.
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| Recent Youths of the Year have big plans for the future |
 Megan Perez
Megan Perez is currently a sophomore at Northwest Vista College, with plans to transfer to Incarnate Word University next spring. Having literally "grown up" swimming at the pool at the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio's Calderon Branch, Megan works part time as a swim coach at the Northside ISD aquatics center coaching 9 and 10 year olds. This past summer, Megan juggled these duties with working as a volunteer at the BGCSA Teen Center and assisting with the Calderon Branch swim team. As if that weren't enough, she also serves as a lifeguard at the Northside ISD Aquatics Center.
Megan became a member of the Calderon Branch when she was just six years old. "My Boys & Girls Clubs experience taught me that I want to work around kids," said Megan. "It also made me a more well-rounded person because you get exposed to such a wide variety of activities."
Megan is majoring in mathematics with a focus on education and plans to become a teacher. She has already completed her observation work at Rayburn Middle School.
In 2008, Megan was named the BGCSA Youth of the Year. "Being Youth of the Year was such an awesome experience" she said. "I got to experience so many new things and gained so much confidence as a result of the Youth of the Year process." Matthew Crump
Matthew Crump, winner of the 2009 San Antonio Youth of the Year, is a freshman at the University of Houston this fall. A graduate of Rick Hawkins High School in San Antonio, Crump has been a member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio for more than a decade.
"I first got involved with the Eastside Branch because my mom thought it would be a good thing for me and my twin brother," said Matthew. "I always liked the people at the Club - they always treated me with respect and emphasized the importance of a good education. Being a Club member helped me to reach a little higher in terms of my goals."
Matthew plans to go into the career field of law enforcement - either by working in the FBI or as a police officer. "My uncle majored in computer science and criminal justice," he said. "Today he is a police officer. In fact, it was my uncle who inspired me to attend the University of Houston. That's where he went to college and he had a great experience there. "
Matthew said that the experience of being named Youth of the Year last year gave him a whole new level of confidence. "Being named the San Antonio and the South Texas Youth of the Year and getting to compete for the state title was a terrific honor," he said. "This experience taught me so much in terms of setting my sights high."
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The Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio
Administrative Offices
600 SW 19th Street
San Antonio, Texas 78207
(210) 436-0686
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| Be Great! |
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BE GREAT and support the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio. Your support can make a permanent positive difference in the life of a child. Visit www.BeGreatSA.org or call 210-436-0686 to find out how you can get involved.
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| Thank you for making Casino Night a great success! |
 The 13th Annual Casino Night and Anniversary Gala, held on Sunday, Nov. 8, was a tremendous success and netted $110,000 to support BGCSA programs. The evening honored Richard and Lana Breakie as "the King and Queen of Good Hearts" for their longstanding support of the BGCSA. It was an action-packed evening of entertainment, dinner, silent and live auctions and gaming galore. All proceeds from the event directly benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio.
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