Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Symantec Enhance STEM Programs in Clubs

New STEM opportunities available for both Club youth and professionals through online content, training and program grants

ATLANTA, Ga., Aug. 29, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As thousands of Boys & Girls Clubs across the nation start the new school year, more youth will have an opportunity to learn about science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) during the after-school hours thanks to a new collaboration between Symantec and Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA). Through $250,000 in grants, the Symantec Foundation[1] is providing new online content for Club teens, training opportunities for Club professionals and new STEM program grants for select Clubs across the nation.

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"Out-of-school programs, like those offered at Boys & Girls Clubs, are proven to be very effective in stimulating interest in STEM-related careers, particularly among underserved youth," said Jim Clark, president and CEO of BGCA. "We are grateful for supporters like Symantec who help us increase the ways our Clubs get youth excited about STEM initiatives and provide the skills necessary for success in the 21^st century workplace."

The multi-faceted partnership kicked off at BGCA's National Conference where Symantec hosted training sessions for hundreds of Club professionals around strategies for effectively engaging youth with science. Later this year, Symantec employees will also share advice on STEM-related careers through a new multimedia content series on BGCA's website for teens, MyClubMyLife.com. In addition, 10 Clubs will each receive a $7,500 grant to enhance their STEM-related programming – from robotics to game design – and increase the number of youth engaged in science and technology initiatives in their communities. Clubs that received grants include:

• Boys & Girls Club of Venice (Culver City, Calif.)
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida (Heathrow, Fla.)
• The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Houston
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Emerald Valley (Springfield, Ore.)
• Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula (Silicon Valley, Calif.)
• Waltham Boys & Girls Club (Waltham, Mass.)
• Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities (Roseville, Minn.)
• Boys & Girls Club of Utah County (Lindon, Utah)
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington (Herndon, Va.)
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Silicon Valley (Silicon Valley, Calif.)

"Through our relationship with BGCA, we hope to motivate the next-generation to develop a passion for technology as most of the fastest-growing occupations will require at least some STEM background," said Julie Talbot-Hubbard, vice president and chief security officer at Symantec. "STEM programs build students' skills to help them graduate from high school and ultimately compete and succeed in today's highly technical workforce." 

To learn more about STEM programs and opportunities at Boys & Girls Clubs, visit www.GreatFutures.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 through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native American 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 and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Club programs promote academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 57 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more at http://bgca.org/facebook and http://bgca.org/twitter.

[1] A Corporate Advised Fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation

SOURCE Boys & Girls Clubs of America