Boys & Girls Club Blog

At the Boys & Girls Club after school programs in the school sites (Jacob-Shapiro, Jefferson and Lakeside elementary schools), we strive to make each day a creative, fun, entertaining and unique experience. Along with the multiple activities that we do each day, we are lucky enough to have some amazing community partners that donate their time to come in and do projects with our children.

Three years ago, Nike Outlet Store contacted us about setting up a collaboration. They began by coming into Lakeside Elementary School once a week and doing gym games with our after school kids. To this day, Nike still makes time for us every Thursday at Shapiro Stem Academy. Justin Cartier is the Nike representative that comes to Shapiro and he is amazing! He has built such great relationships with all of our children. He brings in new games and even let’s us use his equipment. The kids know him by name and are so excited to see him each week. We are blessed to have such a great partner!

Sarah Graper from the local 4-H Club has collaborated with us as well. Sarah has taught our kids how to do Lego Robotics. She brings in 8-10 laptops and Lego kits and instructs our children how to connect these Legos to a computer program which allows the kids to control the Legos. We have found that this experience is magical for so many of our children! This is not something that they get to do in school and our kids thoroughly enjoy it! This year, Sarah was kind enough to come in to all of our sites at least once so far this year, and will be coming back in the spring as well. She has an amazing talent working with children. All of our sites cannot wait for the days she plans to come.

The other organization that we have worked with quite a bit is Boy Scouts. They have been a partner with our school sites for many years. They have come into each of our programs to work on science based projects. They have changed their curriculum within the last two years and have done some really incredible projects and activities with our kids. This would include making slime, catapults, aluminum foil boats, musical instruments and other cool science experiments. These projects are such fun hands-on things for kids to be able to do after school!

We have been fortunate to have other groups come in make healthy food with us, read with each of the kids and even make Christmas cards. We are always excited to learn what other people can teach us! We are constantly looking for new experiences to bring to our after school kids. Anytime someone can come in and bring something new to our program, makes it more fun for the kids and the staff! If you are interested in partnering with the Boys & Girls Club of Oshkosh’s After School Care Program, please contact Childcare Director Lindsay Clark at lindsayc@bgcosh.org or 920-233-1414, ext. 114.

Post written by: Lindsay Clark, Childcare Director