This summer, members of the Mitchell Club are enjoying free admission to the movies two mornings each week. Thanks to the Regal Entertainment Group's Free Family Film Festival, members can take in their favorite flicks at their local Regal Theatre. In addition, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego will also receive funds to cover staffing and other program related expenses.

"This generous offer from the Regal Theatre Group is a real lifesaver for us in the summer when the number of kids we serve often doubles," said Chris Endris, Site Supervisor of the Mitchell Boys & Girls Club. "Most importantly, this movie experience will be a first for many of our members and our goal is to constantly stretch their imagination, while opening doors to a world of exploration and excitement."

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego shares the joy at Escondido Stadium 16 at 350 W. Valley Parkway, where local members are exposed to summer fun at the movies. The Club can choose from any of the family movies being shown on the theatres 16 screens.

"Regal Entertainment Group is very excited to have developed a partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America that will provide support to local Clubs across the country. This program was designed to offer resources that will enable the local Clubs to take their members to free movies at our theatres during the summer," said Dick Westerling, Senior Vice President Marketing and Advertising for REG. "Our theatres across the country will be working with the local Boys & Girls Clubs to coordinate and enhance this experience."

ESPN and Amtrak joined forces in June to take 22 members and their guardians to a Los Angeles Angels baseball game on Father's Day. The happy group was joined by the popular hosts of The Dave and Jeff Show.

The concept, according to Mario Mayans, president of MEC Network, Inc. operators of the ESPN radio affiliate in San Diego, was simple, "we wanted to tie sports and Dad's and children together for Father's Day. We were very fortunate that the good people from Amtrak stepped up to the plate and provided us an entire train car to hold up to 50 listeners and take them from Downtown San Diego right into Angel Stadium where Amtrak operates a daily stop."

The Angels provided discounted tickets that were paid for by Kaballah Energy Drink. Kaballah Chief Executive Officer, Jorge S. Olson stated, "we were delighted to tie our great energy drink to ESPN, Amtrak and the Angels - most important, we're so pleased to be able to pay for the tickets to permit these children to see - for many of them - what will be there very first professional baseball game."

Dee Mason, spokesperson for Amtrak added, "Amtrak is all about families and convenient, affordable transportation. In June, we'll celebrate our 10 millionth passenger - and we hope we can do that by taking this trainload of children and ESPN listeners to see the Angels." She concluded by stating, "like the popular movie - maybe there will really be some 'Angels in the Outfield' this Father's Day."

Coordinators of the event also wish to thank the staff and management of Chipotle Restaurants for providing box lunches for the Amtrak trip to Angel Stadium.

About one year ago, Richard Dexter burst into the William J. Oakes Branch, chasing a Club member with the intention of beating him up. Luis Sosa, Site Supervisor, stopped Richard to calm him down. While Luis and Area Director Holland Conneely attempted to talk with Richard, he acted as though he was not listening.

Looking back on that day, Richard remembers, "My attitude was: if you're on top, you have to stay on top; you have to be the most feared person on the street. That boy had [disrespected] me and I had no choice but to beat him up for it. Now I realize that it wasn't the way to solve problems. The Boys & Girls Club gave me a chance…" Reflecting on his progress, Richard states, "In here I improved as a person. When I first started coming to the Club, I tried to bring that street life in with me. One of the Club staff members told me, 'You're not out on the streets. The streets are out there. You're in the Club now. In here, we're civilized.' I thought about those words and began to turn things around in many parts of my life.

"At first I thought the Club had too many rules. Then I came to find out that the rules are there for a simple reason: they give everyone a chance to be safe. I realized that the club is a place to relax and be safe. If I would have stayed out there I would have been hurt by now or in a gang for sure."

A year ago, Richard was not doing well of school. Now, he proudly brings his report card filled with A's and B's to the Club to share with Luis, Holland and the rest of the staff. "In school, I have really turned my life around in the last year. I almost failed 7th grade from playing around too much and trying to be big on the streets," Richard admitted. The Club provided him with a place that he could do his home-work. "I began to see that school is the key to my future. I began to buckle down. Homework became my priority."

Friends became his second priority and he would let them know he needed to get homework done before hanging out. "They laughed at me, but I proved that you can be cool and smart. Now I try to hang out with people like me, who have goals," Richard stated.

Richard's family recently moved to City Heights, many miles away from the Oakes Branch. "It's hard because now it takes two buses to get to the Boys & Girls Club," Richard informed. He still makes it to the Club every week! Richard Dexter truly is a Boys & Girls Club success story! We are very proud of him!

The After School Education and Safety Program (ASESP), established by Assembly Bill AB2284, is a competitive grant program, which offers before and after school funding to school districts and County Offices of Education. The overall goal of the program is to provide youth with outcome-driven academic support, a safe and nurturing environment before-school and after-school until 6:00 P.M., and enrichment programs that increase student resiliency and improve neighborhood safety.

The ASESP program in Escondido is called X-Track and is operated by the Boys & Girls Club. Currently over 2,200 students are enrolled in the program, and each site serves approximately 80-200 children per day. X-Track currently operates at four middle school sites in Escondido: Del Dios Middle School, Grant Middle School, Hidden Valley Middle School, and Rincon Middle School. In the 2003-2004 year-end evaluation, 71% of students who attended X-Track at least 30 days during the 2003/2004 school year demonstrated that:

• Students improved regular school day attendance and/or maintained a 95% level of attendance.



• At least 97% of parents rate the success of the program in promoting positive behavior as Outstanding to Good.



• At least 73% of parents reported a noticeable improvement in their child's academic performance since joining the after-school program.



• At least 83% of parents reported a decrease in their child's participation in unsafe and risky behaviors as a result of X-Track.



• One hundred percent of principals say there is a strong partnership between the after-school program and the regular school day.



• One hundred percent of principals reported that the safety of the students has improved as a result of X-Track.

Parker Foundation Challenge Grant Seeks to Develop Teen Center

The Parker Foundation has promised a $15,000 challenge grant for the development of a new Teen Center at our W.J. Oakes Club in Logan Heights. We desperately need to raise an additional $15,000 by the end of September 2005 in order to secure the $15,000 offered by the Parker Foundation challenge.

Almost anyone who has worked at a Boys & Girls Club knows that teens crave a space of their own where they can be away from the "little kids." Responding to this need, the Boys & Girls Club began plans to develop a new Teen Center at the W.J. Club almost two years ago. The new Teen Center will provide 2000 square feet of exclusive space, professional leadership, and directed programs to an estimated 150 teens per year. It is anticipated that attendance will be 25-30 teens per day.

One unique aspect of the teen center will be the strong voice that teens have in the development of Teen Center programs and activities. For example, one key area of interest expressed by the group is jobs and career development. The Teen Center will provide the ideal space for a new Club program called Youth Enjoying Success (YES) that helps develop teens into Junior Staff and provides employment-training skills.

The Boys & Girls Club of Greater San Diego has had success at developing Teen Centers at two of our other metro Clubs. Construction is almost complete on a $1.5 million Teen Center in Linda Vista. We have also successfully developed a Teen Center at our Encanto Club that is very similar to the one being developed at our W.J. Oakes Club. Any donation no matter how small or large will help get to our goal of raising $15,000 to meet the Parker Foundation challenge.

At the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego, we recognize our employees who go above and beyond their job responsibilities to help make their Club a positive place for the kids, fellow staff, and community members. These individuals were nominated by their peers or supervisors and, after careful consideration, chosen for the following awards in 2004.

Manager of the Year:
Karen Poznanski

Full-Time Professional of the Year:
Ron Calloway

Support Service Professional of the Year:
Lori Woosley

Part-Time Professionals of the Year:
Hillary Booker & Joyce Janabajal

Level One Professional Achievement Recipients:
Michaela Angel, Sheila Bland, Hillary Booker, Liezel Buenavista, Ron Calloway, Ruth Cassidy, Liz Cerda, Holland Conneely, Christian Cruzeta, Jessica Downey, Sarah Fletcher, Dawn Gonzalez, Cecilia Gonzalez, Edward Hackbarth, Dallas Halligan, Chicho Hernandez, Joyce Janabajal, Ann Moreno, Crisanta Morton, Ruth Myers, Ana Oliveth, Adrian Ortiz, Mila Patocka, Karen Poznanski

Level Two Professional Achievement Recipients:
Krystal Blalock, Andrew Castillo, Cassandra Coleman

Academy of Boys & Girls Club Professionals Recipient:
Chris Endris