As we look back on an incredible summer at BGCMA, our Summer 2024 programs were packed with creativity, learning, and unforgettable experiences for our members. From the return of the much-loved Salsa, Salsa! competition, where East Dekalb Boys & Girls Club took home top honors, to the immersive design experience of Club Ideate, and the inspiring College and Career Readiness tour at Wesleyan College, our youth had countless opportunities to grow and explore. We also saw our young coders shine in the Codefu and Compudopt Coding Camps, and our aspiring legal minds excel in the 3rd Annual Law Camp. This summer truly showcased the talent, dedication, and potential of our BGCMA members, setting the stage for an even brighter future.
Salsa, Salsa!
East Dekalb Boys & Girls Club took home winning honors in this year’s much-anticipated return of the annual Salsa, Salsa! competition on July 10 at Warren Club. The event celebrated BGCMA’s cooking and gardening programs, aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles and eating habits among youth participants. Leading up to the event, youth worked in their Club gardens to grow fresh vegetables for their recipes. This year’s event was a collaboration with the Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation and Willy’s Mexicana Grill, marking its first occurrence since 2019. Guests had the opportunity to taste original salsa recipes and engage with youth from At-Promise South, A. Worley Brown, Douglas County, East DeKalb, Warren, and Whitehead Clubs. East DeKalb’s winning salsa recipe will be featured in Willy’s Mexicana Grill’s Roswell location. Concluding the event, Willy’s provided BGCMA with a $30, 075.53 check!
Club Ideate
Gensler Atlanta once again partnered with BGCMA to host Club Ideate –an annual program established in 2017 that aims to increase awareness of how creative thinking can shape communities. As part of the three-day immersive design summer camp, middle school and high school members from our Harland and Warren Clubs learned how to create spaces, buildings, and experiences for a community to promote health, wealth, and community engagement. “The Atlanta campus of Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) provided the perfect inspirational atmosphere for our members to creatively design ways to enhance the City of Atlanta through sustainable community development,” said Director of Arts & Innovation Ruben Royster. “They were able to present these ideas in the form of a 3D model to developers and jurors for feedback and the possibility of implementation.” This program would not be possible without the support of our Club staff, SCAD, the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA), and especially Gail Malone and the entire Gensler team.
College and Career Readiness Wesleyan Tour
On June 12, 7 teen girls from Anderson and At-Promise Southwest attended a tour at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia. They were able to dream big by learning about the liberal arts majors, visiting science labs, touring their historic downtown campus, and participating in a First Generation College Panel discussion. Special thanks to Ambernique Howard for chaperoning and Alethea Banks for safely transporting the teens.
Compudopt & Codefu Coding Camps
June 12-14, the Codefu Coding Camp hosted 45 first and second-graders at the Anderson and Harland Clubs, where they used sprites to create robot programs, learning to animate, produce sounds, and share their creations. The Compudopt Coding Camp, ran from June 3 to July 10, engaged 75 third to eighth graders at the McNair and Matthews Clubs in coding projects like creating rockets and conductors. Participants earned free laptops upon completion and were celebrated in closing ceremonies, recognizing their hard work and creativity.
The 3rd Annual Law Camp with Kilpatrick, Townsend & Stockton, LLC
The Law Camp took place June 24-28. This is the first time that the camp included field trips to the Appeals Court, Georgia Supreme Court, and Georgia State University Law School. The 17 teens from Draper, Whitehead and W.B. Small Clubs participated in a mock trial at the Georgia Supreme Court where some members enacted the 9 judges and others were lawyers defending a case involving a teen being denied prom entrance after suspicion of underage drinking. This was a real case in the courts. To complete the law camp, the members participated in a mock case negotiation and a closing celebration. Special thanks to Jaleesa Jones and Gregory Bannister for being awesome chaperones.