BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF ROCHESTER

Recent research about Boys & Girls Clubs strongly affirms that by implementing a high-quality Club Experience, Boys & Girls Clubs can increase positive impact on kids. To sum up, the better the quality of an after-school program, the better the outcomes of youth participants.

The challenges facing youth today are greater than ever before. Consider the statistics:
● 80% of adolescents in Olmsted country DO NOT meet the recommended 60 minutes of
physical activity a day 8 .
● 8.3% of youth in Olmsted County live below the poverty line 9 .
● 35% of high schoolers in Olmsted County reported being bullied, with 11% reporting
being excluded from friends and student or social activities. The top reason reported was
Weight 10 .
● 40% of youth in Olmsted country report having no caring adult in their life 11

We will improve the quality of our Club Experience by strengthening our staff and by implementing a Continuous Improvement Cycle. These key actions will help the Boys & Girls Club of Rochester deepen and sustain our long-term impact on youth. This support will help those who need us most to graduate from high school on time with a plan for the future; demonstrate good character and citizenship; and live a healthy lifestyle.

Our Formula for Impact
This variety of programs is part of our research-informed Formula for Impact, helping members
achieve positive outcomes in three priority areas: Academic Success, Good Character and
Citizenship, and Healthy Lifestyles. The formula is the vehicle that drives greater outcomes in
the lives of youth served. This formula begins with our K-12 youth. We add the Five Key
Elements for Youth Development.
1. A safe, positive environment (connected to feelings of emotional and physical safety)
2. Fun and a sense of belonging
3. Supportive relationships, including positive adult connections
4. Opportunities and expectations, especially staff expectations of youth
5. Recognition
To this mix, we add high-yield learning activities, so called because they extend learning by
providing opportunities to practice communication skills (reading, writing, speaking); problem-
solving skills (math, science, technology); healthy living skills (being mindful of diet and
exercise, avoiding risky behaviors); and character and citizenship skills (civics, volunteerism and
civility). Then we mix in targeted programs to meet youth needs and interests.

Among K-12 students in the state of Minnesota, 136,041 are enrolled in an afterschool program, 149,516 are waiting for a program to be
available. These programs can play a significant role in supporting the development of young people, but it is critical that the programs are high quality. 70% of Minnesota parents believe after-school programs reduce the likelihood that kids will engage in risky behaviors, further
supporting the need for such opportunities.
Research indicates that a child’s experience during a high-quality after-school program can have as much influence on their overall success as their experience during school time. In addition, growing evidence links high-quality after-school programs with gains in standardized test scores and work habits, as well as with reductions in behavior problems among disadvantaged students. The landmark compendium of research and best practices from the out-of-school time sector, Expanding Minds and Opportunities: Leveraging the Power of Afterschool and Summer Learning for Student Success, demonstrates that quality after-school and summer learning programs make a positive difference for youth. 16 Specifically, the publication describes the ability of out-of-school time programs to:
● Promote academic achievement and college readiness;
● Foster development of character, resilience and wellness;
● Forge partnerships to maximize resources and strengthen communities; and
● Engage families in meaningful ways.
After-school and summer programs present perhaps the greatest opportunity to close the education gap and help all kids succeed. Quality matters, though, as discovered in a 2015 study by Hanover Research, a global information services firm focused on providing customized and authoritative research. The study, commissioned by Boys & Girls Clubs of America, found that high-quality out-of-school time programming drives even greater impact through a direct correlation between the quality of the Club Experience and positive youth outcomes. Hanover compared Club members who rated their Club Experience highly to those who did not rate it as highly. Findings show that an optimal Club Experience leads to statistically significant differences for all age groups.
The study found that youth (ages 9-12) who believe that Club staff have high expectations for them are more likely to be on track to graduate high school. Younger teens (ages 13-15) who rated elements of their Club Experience highly were less likely to engage in physical fights and less likely to have skipped school. Very notably, among younger teen members who had an optimal Overall Club Experience, 42% were less likely to have consumed alcohol in the past month. The study also noted benefits for older teen members (ages 16+). Older teens who rated elements of their Club Experience highly were more likely to have volunteered in the past year and to be physically active more days per week.

In terms of Academic Success for Boys & Girls Clubs of Minnesota:
● For teen members, aged between 13 and 18 years old, 100% have plans to attend post
secondary education or training.
● For youth members, aged between 9 and 12 years old, 72% are expecting to attend
college, 13% are expecting to finish high school, and the remaining 15% are expecting to
only do some high school or below.

In terms of Good Character and Citizenship:
● 69% of the members are showing great potential in terms for leadership, with 22%
doing fine, and only 9% in need of improvement.
● 38% of the members are doing great in terms of teamwork, with 25% doing fine, and
38% in need of improvement.
● 46% of the members are showing that they have great integrity, with 45% doing fine,
and 12% in need of improvement.
● 25% of the members are showing that they have great concern for their community,
with 64% having a fair concern, and only 11% in need of improvement.

In terms of Healthy Lifestyles:
● 60% of the members reported that they have high physical wellbeing, which is a mix of
physical activity, and fruit and vegetables consumption. 20% reported that they are
within the medium range of wellbeing, and 20% are within the low range.
● 92% of the members do not participate in risky behaviors: smoking, alcohol, marijuana,
and fighting. Only 8% have participated in some but not all of the previously mentioned
activities.