Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the White House Historical Association Partner for Education Initiative

Mar 14, 2016 Washington, D.C. —

Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) and The White House Historical Association today announced a new partnership aimed at educating kids and teens on America’s rich presidential history. The initiative will first partner with Washington D.C. area Boys & Girls Clubs and expand to the hometowns and birthplaces of past United States Presidents. This announcement kicks-off BGCA’s National Day of Advocacy activities in D.C., with nearly a hundred Club organizations advocating on Capitol Hill for issues that impact millions of kids and teens.
Boys & Girls Clubs of America has long been associated with the White House, with the organization’s Youth of the Year meeting with the President each year as well as a special relationship with President Herbert Hoover. Hoover was elected Chairman of the board for the organization in 1936 and became a lifelong advocate for children. Even in his last days, Hoover was pursuing an ambitious plan to create “A Thousand Clubs for a Million Boys.” The organization has grown significantly from the Hoover era, now serving nearly 4 million kids and teens annually.

The White House Historical Association, the private partner to the White House, supports a wide array of education programing to the public in addition to its work in preserving the state and public rooms of the White House. With this new partnership, the Association will engage young members at Clubs around the country, the nation’s future leaders, with dynamic opportunities to learn invaluable lessons from America’s presidential history.

“Bringing White House and presidential history to life for young members of Boys & Girls Clubs across the country is an exciting opportunity for the White House Historical Association,” said Stewart D. McLaurin, Association president. “From President Hoover’s home state of Iowa to the Nation’s Capital and beyond, we look forward to engaging with these future leaders to foster their curiosity and knowledge for our country’s presidential history.”

The initiative will be included as part of BGCA’s Summer Brain Gain program, a summer learning curriculum aimed to help millions of kids and teens maintain academic acumen during out of school time.

“As dedicated Club staff and mentors equip the leaders of tomorrow with the tools they need to achieve success, it is incredibly important that their lives are enriched with the legacy and history of our nation’s past,” said Jim Clark, president and CEO of BGCA. “Thank you to the White House Historical Association for helping us share these powerful lessons from our country’s history, so the next generation’s leaders can enable our country to achieve a great future.”

To learn more about how you can help support BGCA and its mission to help kids achieve great futures, please go to greatfutures.org. To learn more about the Association and its mission to preserve White House history for generations to come visit whitehousehistory.org.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America

For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (GreatFutures.org) has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, more than 4,000 Clubs serve nearly 4 million young people annually through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun, friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Priority programs emphasize academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 54 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more at http://www.bgca.org/facebook and http://bgca.org/twitter.