Who We Are
Program Areas
Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence offers members a wide range of programs, events, field trips, and activities. Overseen by caring mentors who provide academic support, the goal is to mold well-rounded, socially responsible, and motivated young citizens of the community.
When our members enter the “real world,” they are well-equipped to conquer it.
The 3 Core Program Areas Are:
Character & Leadership
Youth empowerment, character building, and leadership development are the basis for our programming. We mold our youth into responsible citizens.
Academic Success
By emphasizing the importance of education, offering academic support, and encouraging the exploration of different careers and opportunities for higher education, our youth learn to set goals and nurture aspirations for the future.
Planning for Your Future
Planning for Your Future is our ultimate education program. It’s where kids learn the tactics and steps to make dreams achievable. The program helps high schoolers apply to college, enlist in the military, or enter the trade professions. Recently, it was expanded to help middle schoolers plan for high school and a possible career path, whether that’s going on to a vocational high school or applying to a parochial or prep school with accessible financial assistance. Through hands-on, one-on-one guidance, program participants learn how to write an essay, prepare for an interview, apply for financial aid, and much more. In addition to formal weekly meetings focused on a particular topic, participants drop in to visit with the Assistant Director of Education or Teen Director for help with anything from reviewing an application to discussing whether a particular path is the right direction to take.
Healthy Lifestyles
The programs in this area help promote healthy minds, bodies, and social relationships through education, mentoring, and peer leadership.
Impact and Distinctions
The Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence has distinguished itself not only in the upper Merrimack Valley but also on the national stage. Here are some of the ways in which the Club stands out among its peer institutions:
- We provide college counseling and scholarship assistance for high school members. More than 500 members have attended or are attending such prestigious schools as Harvard University, Dartmouth College, Cornell University, Brown University, Holy Cross, Boston College, Tufts University, Endicott College, Bates College, Middlebury College, Lafayette University, and UMass Amherst.
- We provide prep school counseling and scholarship assistance to members. More than 600 members have attended or are attending private prep schools, including Phillips Andover, Phillips Exeter, Proctor Academy, Kimball Union Academy, Central Catholic, Tilton School, and Brooks School – all on scholarships
- We are proud to list two National Youth of the Year and two three runner-up National Youth of the Year among its alumni, the only club in the United States with more than one finalist for that honor
- We have received seven national awards for programming excellence, programs replicated by clubs across the nation
- We have been recognized by Dan Lungren, then California Attorney General, who included our Academic Basketball Awareness (ABA) Camp in a special documentary film narrated by James Earl Jones
- We have been recognized in Newsweek magazine and the Atlanta Constitution for our successful pregnancy prevention program, which has been copied in several of the nation’s major cities
- We have been recognized by then-Senator Joseph Biden of the Senate Judiciary Committee for having one of the most effective gang prevention programs in the country
- We serve more than 4,000 members per year, 60 percent of whom live in one-parent families and many living at or below the poverty level
- We provide daily supper for more than 350 local kids each evening
- 100% of our high school seniors graduate compared to 76% of the Lawrence community
A Tradition of Excellence
The Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence is the premier youth development agency in northeastern Massachusetts. The Club is a haven for more than 4,000 boys and girls who participate in positive and constructive activities every year. On average, 500 youth participate in our programs daily.
With an unprecedented seven national awards for program excellence and two National Youth of the Year, the Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence has an impeccable record of helping young people reach their full potential and become productive and successful members of society.
The dedicated staff and volunteers of the Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence have one common goal: to help children break the cycle of poverty by giving them access to essential educational opportunities and directing them to recreational and character development programs.
The Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence provides college counseling and scholarship assistance for high school members. More than 500 members have attended or are attending colleges across the country including man y of the most selective institutions in America. Scholarship endowments help us provide our graduates with the necessary financial assistance.