Health & Life Skills
Program Descriptions
This nationally acclaimed comprehensive prevention program helps young people resist alcohol, tobacco and other drug use, as well as premature sexual activity. The program features engaging, interactive small group activities designed to increase participants' peer support, enhance their life skills, build their resiliency and strengthen their leadership skills. This year-round program encourages collaborations among Club staff, youth, parents and representatives from other community organizations. The program’s components include: SMART Kids, for children ages 6-9, Start SMART, for youth ages 10-12, Stay SMART, for youth ages 13-15 and SMART Parents, for parents of Club members participating in SMART Moves. The recent updating and revision of SMART Moves was made possible through funding from the DeWitt Wallace – Reader’s Digest Fund.
Act SMART
Developed as a joint project between Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the American Red Cross, Act SMART is an HIV/AIDS prevention program designed for Club members ages 6-17. The program is presented in small groups and can be offered year-round.
The Cavity-Free Zone program was developed in response to the recent U.S. Surgeon General’s report on oral health, which revealed a silent epidemic of oral disease in America, especially among disadvantaged youth. Cavity-Free Zone, underwritten by Crest, aims to improve the oral health of Club members nationwide. Through program materials and a Web site to educate youth (ages 6-18) about oral health and collaborative efforts with local dental schools, dental societies and other health care agencies, Cavity-Free Zone will be a catalyst for change in providing dental services to disadvantaged youth.
An outgrowth of the popular SMART Moves program, SMART Girls is a health, fitness, prevention/education and self-esteem enhancement program for girls ages 8-17. The program focuses on issues specific to female Club members and is designed to encourage healthy attitudes and lifestyles that will enable those members to develop to their full potential. From interactive role playing to more tailored mentoring, girls are given the opportunity to explore personal and societal values as they build skills for eating right, staying fit, getting good health care and developing positive relationships. The current version of SMART Girls was funded by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.
This program promotes and teaches responsibility and reinforces positive behavior in male Club members ages 11-14. Passport to Manhood consists of 14 small-group sessions, each of which concentrates on a specific aspect of manhood through highly interactive activities. Each participant is issued his own "Passport" to underscore the notion that he is on a personal journey of maturation and personal growth. The curriculum is an excellent complement to SMART Girls.
Street SMART
Street SMART counteracts the negative lures of gangs, violence and "street" influences on young adolescents ages 11-13. While building awareness and resistance skills, participants develop the confidence and knowledge to make intelligent choices. Street SMART’s three modules teach young people how gangs work and how to resist being recruited, how to recognize and resolve conflicts peacefully and how to become positive peer helpers. Participants reinforce what they have learned and share it with others by organizing community events that promote the positive messages of Street SMART. The Street SMART program is sponsored by THE ALLSTATE FOUNDATION.