Becky Clark, The Boys and Girls Club

At the Boys & Girls Club, we serve with one purpose: "to inspire and enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens." The Boys & Girls Club of the Mississippi Valley is part of a unified nationwide affiliation of more than 4,000 Clubs serving four million kids in the United States and all military bases. As such, Boys & Girls Club of the Mississippi Valley enjoys national name recognition and community confidence based on a solid tradition of excellence in serving youth.

The purpose of Boys and Girls Club is to impact youth by developing their attitudes, skills, values and behaviors that enable them to succeed in life.  This is done by offering programs during the out-of-school hours.  Core programs engage young people in activities with adults, peers and family members that enable them to develop self-esteem and to reach their full potential.  Based on the interests and needs of the boys and girls we serve, Clubs offer diverse program activities in five areas: Education and Career Development, Character and Leadership Development, Health and Life Skills, The Arts, and Sports, Fitness and Recreation

Studies have shown that membership in the Club has proven results:  Club members watch less television, perform better on assessment tests and have exceptional attendance records. In our Clubs alone: 
·        95% of the youth improved or maintained their grades
·        90% improved or maintained school attendance
·        93% improved or maintained good behavior
·        96% learned basic technology skills
·        90% understood the negative effects of drugs, tobacco and alcohol
 
Becky Clark has been the Executive Director at the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Valley for 7 years.  She has a B.S. in Physical Education from Western Illinois.  Her work experience includes 25 years of working in the non-profit sector and teaching.
 
She has taught school, managed a program for adults with disabilities, managed children's programs at the YWCA's of Macon and Atlanta, GA, served as the Executive Director at the YWCA of Macon, GA and prior to Boys and Girls Clubs served as the Social Service/Parent Involvement Consultant for the Head Start Program at Iowa Community Action Agency.  Becky has 3 adult children, 2 grandchildren and loves the "empty nest" syndrome!