Nappanee Advance-News, Volume 129, Number 8, Nappanee, Elkhart County, 23 February 2006 — Page 26

Page 12

• Advance News • Thursday, February 23, 2006

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FILE PHOTO (Left to right) Chey Cummins, Karlene Snyder, Kayla Myers and Monica Lazano take some time out during the 2005 Valentine’s Day dance at the Boys & Girls Club of Nappanee.

BOYS & GIRLS CLUB, Continued from Page 11

recreational tournaments are held inside one of two rooms, split up by age range. Youths in grades kindergarten to fifth grade meet in one Game Room, while middle and high school students meet in the Teen Center. EDUCATION AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT While there's plenty of activities offered at the club, there is also some learning going on as well. Inside the club's Learning Center, students may participate in a Power Hour. This time is used to offer extra studying time, under the direction of the club's Education Director. "We also have Spelling Bees, and lots of other educational games," Johnson said. Each week, students are also exposed to other countries and cultures. "We have an emphasis on diversity," Johnson said. "We have theme weeks, where students learn about a different country each week." ARTS During the past year, the Boys & Girls Club of Nappanee has been heavy in the arts scene. For the past five years, the

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club has been lending its space at the old Central High School for the Nappanee Public Library's Spring Into Art Show, but last year the club also hosted another show the National Fine Arts Show. "It was quite an honor to bring that show here," Johnson said. The National Fine Arts Show is a Boys & Girls Club of Amer-ica-sponsored event, which is split up into five sub-regions, allowing Nappanee to host the Midwest Region show. "That show is usually hosted in places like Milwaukee, Detroit, Chicago and Indi-anapo-lis," Johnson said. "The Boys & Girls Club of America was very happy with how we held it." LEADERSHIP AND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT To encourage leadership among its members, the Nappanee club has three separate services clubs. High school students take part in the Keystone Club, middle school students are in the Torch Club, while elementaryaged students may participate in the Nappanee Noon Kiwanissponsored K-Kids.

"All three clubs have similar missions, which are to serve the club and serve the community," Johnson said. Recently, the Torch Club held a food drive to benefit the Family Christian Development Center in Nappanee. At the end of the drive, the club held a dance which was suppose to cost $1 pef student. Instead, the students decided to bring in canned food for admission, which was then donated to the FCpC's Food Pantry. The club also conducts a Youth of the Year competition each year. The winner of local competition then moves on to compete in all of Elkhart County. If the student wins the county competition, he or she then moves on to the state level. Last year, Betsy Sauer did just that, taking third place at state. "The competition consists of presenting a packet of what you've done during the year, as well as giving a speech to the judges," Johnson said. This year, Billy Burr and Regina De La Fuente will compete for the local award at the Nappanee Public Library on Feb. 20 at 6 p.m. HEALTH AND LIFE SKILLS To keep its members aware of

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ADVANCE NEWS PHOTO/A.W. GADSON Boys & Girls Club of Nappanee Executive Director Marcus Johnson tosses some balls up during a physical activity in the club’s gymnasium.

the all the negative results that can stem from alcohol, drug and tobacco use, the Nappanee club also holds the statewide program Afternoons R.O.C.K. in Indiana. The program is designed for youths between 10 and 14 years of age, and works to make youths aware of bad decisions before they actually make them. "It is a preventive program," Johnson said. "We have between 20 and 25 students who participate in the program each semester.' The Boys & Girls Club of Nappanee is open to youths

FILE PHOTO The Boys & Girls Club of Nappanee received some storage space for backpacks late last year, as a service project from the local Eagle Scouts Troop member Jeremy Fattorusso. Pictured are (left to right) Boys & Girls Club of Nappanee Board of Directors President Jeff Krusenklaus, Fattorusso, Boys & Girls Club of Nappanee Program Director Lindsay London and Eagle Scout Master Will Wilson.

between the ages of 6 and 18, for $5 a year. The $5 fee is the only regular charge to members, but during the summer months, the club also offers a morning program for a fee. "Our normal summer hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., but we can also take kids in as early as 6:30 a.m.," Johnson said. The club charges S3O per child if he or she is going to be coming in prior to the normal 10 a.m. opening time. The charge for a second child is S2O and $lO for each additional child. While parents are allowed to bring their children in as early

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as 6:30 a.m. during the summer, Johnson wants it to be known that the club does more than just provide supervision for children. "It's not a day care," he said. "It's a program-based club for kids to grow." During the school year, the club is open from 3 to 7 p.m., with teens being allowed to stay until 9 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. More information about the Boys & Girls Club of Nappanee can be found at its Web site, www.bgcgoshen.org/php/club s/nappanee.php.