Meet the Boys and Girls Club of Central Georgia

By Kyle Mullins

While Kristine Steinmann was working in the Boys and Girls Club in North Georgia she had an experience that reinforced her belief in the program. One day, she reached out to a young man after not hearing from him for several days and invited him back to come back to the club. He did.

Two years later she received an email from the young man explaining how the day she called him, he and several of his friends were going to hold up a convenience store. The only reason he didn’t is because he received the call from her that day.

“If we hadn’t called him that day and said ‘come to the club,’ he would have gotten in trouble and he wouldn’t have been able to go on and do the things he did,” Steinmann said. “He went to the military. When he came back from the military he went ahead and enrolled in college and is taking classes now.”

Steinmann now works at the Boys and Girls headquarters of Central Georgia as vice president. She is in charge of the day-to-day operations of the club and making sure the kids stay safe.

Weekdays during the after-school hours, the former Burghard Elementary becomes a whirlwind of activity as the building serves it second purpose as a Boys and Girls Club of Central Georgia location.

With kids ranging from ages 6 to 18 years old, and with a host of games and activities for them, the importance of this after -chool program can be lost on the casual observer. However, it’s more than that.

On their website, the Boys and Girls Club clearly states their mission: “to enable all young people . . . to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.”

It is a place for young boys and girls to find structure and guidance, even in less-advantaged economic environments.

“We provide youth with programs to help them become responsible citizens,” Steinmann said. “We have targeted programs in the areas of academic success, good character, citizenship and healthy lifestyles.”

The organization has five locations scattered across Macon. There are two school-based locations at Union Elementary and the former Burghard Elementary.

Many kids join the program as young as 6 and stay until graduation. Last year, 100 percent of the kids in their program graduated on time.

Science Technology Engineering Arts and Math or STEAM-based learning is a main focus in the programs.

During the club’s hours of operation, the kids can use their time to complete their homework. At Burghard or the Carl D. Thomas Boys and Girls Club, the youth receive after school instruction in the location’s computer lab.

“Our frequency of attendance, those kids who come 3 or more days per week is about a god 85 percent of our overall membership and we have about 1,300 kids involved in our program,” Steinmann said. “We serve over 500 kids a day.”

Steinmann said the biggest issue that the club faces is getting teenagers to stay involved in the club. They often reach out to teens who have been involved in the program to try to increase the retention rate.

“When you’re a kid and a teen you start to think ‘I’m too cool’, ‘I can stay home by myself’, ‘I don’t need anyone to watch me,” Steinmann said. “But the reality is we’re not a babysitting service.”

The organization offers many resources to teens. They can receive financial aid and get help filling out college applications.

The after school program’s goal is for students to be productive in completing their homework assignments, while also providing a fun and safe environment. Games are often available to the kids to play after they have completed their work.

“Boys and Girls club targets any child that needs us the most,” Steinmann said. “That could be a child that comes from a primarily low income area. It could be that (a child) has two working parents who just needs after school care or summer camp care.”

Every year, the club hosts a gala that honors youth who have made an impact within the organization. It is an opportunity for the winner to gain scholarships that will help them succeed in school after they graduate.

Khavavia Hill is a 15-year-old member of the Carl D. Thomas Boys and Girls Club location. Every day she helps out by interacting with the children, teaching them about good hygiene, communication and other things of that nature. She is also a candidate for youth of the year of Central Georgia.

“It’s a great honor,” Hill said. “When you think about it there are millions of children that would rather take my place and be in my spot.”

Hill said she hopes to join the Air Force after graduating high school.

Even though there is a paid staff, Steinmann said that the organization often has problems getting the community involved with their programs and that there is a need for more volunteers.

“We probably have anywhere from five to ten volunteers at each of our sites,” Steinmann said. “Some of them will do dance classes with the kids, some of them will do STEM programming, and some will do sports with the kids where they volunteer to act as coach.”

Growing up in an impoverished area can be difficult, and the people of the Boys and Girls club understand that.

“I’ve heard of kids who grew up in a tough part of Macon who got shot and are now graduating from college four years later,” Steinmann said.

Their mission is to help all kids have success in the future, despite their economic status.

To learn more about the organization and how to get involved, visit their website at www.bgccg.org