SANTA CRUZ — Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Cruz County, in partnership with the County of Santa Cruz and the Live Oak School District, dedicated the organization’s new Live Oak Clubhouse during a ceremony March 19.
The 10,200-square-foot Clubhouse co-located with Shoreline Middle School, 855 17th Ave., features two floors of education and activity space designed to meet the academic, recreational and social needs of children ages 6-18 in the Live Oak community. The facility, which will officially open to members March 28, features a dedicated Teen Center, instructional kitchen, art room, learning center, dance studio, music and recording room, and digital arts center. The facility also features a working garden, outdoor activity space and Monterey Bay Friendly Landscaping.
The Monterey Peninsula Foundation awarded the Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Cruz County a $100,000 grant to fund educational programming in Live Oak, including the “Power Hour” homework program and tutoring. The Clubhouse will offer after-school and summer services to elementary students and high school students, where presently only Shoreline Middle School students can participate in the Shoreline Teen Club located in a portable classroom on campus. This critical expansion will give more families the opportunity to take advantage of activities and services right in their own neighborhood.
“This collaborative creation of a Clubhouse in the heart of Live Oak reflects the Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Cruz County’s mission to serve all the youth in our county regardless of income level, race, gender, or ability,” said Executive Director Bob Langseth. “The Clubhouse represents much more than just a physical place where children learn, play and hang out with their friends. It provides a critical link between school and home, and is a lifeline to working parents who can rest assured their children are safe after school and in the summer.”
Funded by the County of Santa Cruz on land owned by the Live Oak School District, the Clubhouse represents an important example of public-private partnerships, said Santa Cruz County Supervisor John Leopold.
“Faced with the loss of future redevelopment projects and recognizing the strength and value of community-based youth engagement programs, the County of Santa Cruz was pleased to partner with the Boys & Girls Club and Live Oak School District,” said Leopold, whose district includes Live Oak. “The three organizations, acting on a community recommendation to create more opportunities for youth, worked diligently and collaboratively to establish a center that would serve as an anchor for youth in Live Oak and the greater Santa Cruz County community, nourishing their hearts, minds and bodies.”
Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Cruz County (BGCSCC) is the largest year-round youth engagement organization in Santa Cruz County, serving more than 2,500 members through academic and recreation programs at clubhouses in Downtown Santa Cruz and Live Oak.
With a focus on wellness, academic achievement and identity development, BGCSCC values diversity in all its forms and builds bridges of understanding between children and families from a variety of cultural and economic backgrounds. Afterschool and summer programs include arts, music, technology, tutoring, athletics and indoor aquatics. The organization is a leading destination for people with professional and volunteer interests in youth development.
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Learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Cruz County at www.boysandgirlsclub.info or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BoysAndGirlsClubSantaCruz.