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Boys & Girls Club reports steady attendance, new workforce space and teen job program
Summary
Local Boys & Girls Club leaders told the Holmen board about steady program attendance, an upcoming workforce development building, and a teen ‘Up Next Job Program’ that gives stipends and workplace experience.
Leaders from the Boys & Girls Club of Greater La Crosse presented their annual community fund report to the Holmen School Board on April 14, describing average daily attendance, program expansions and a new workforce development building.
"Our averages for the summer program are about 182 with, on most days, it being around 225 kids. And then after school program, our average daily attendance is about 230," Jackie Watry, who identified herself as representing the Holmen Area Community Center at the Boys & Girls Club, told the board. Watry said the Erickson Club site began groundbreaking for a new workforce development building about two weeks earlier to support career exploration for students.
The report outlined programs by age group: K–5 after-school rotations and a daily "power hour" of educational activities planned by Erica Schmelzer, the club's education specialist; guitar lessons sponsored by a local music shop for fourth grade and up; a planned violin program; and a teen-focused "Up Next Job Program" that includes applications, interviews, references and a small stipend after completion.
Participation numbers and staffing: Watry said summer daily averages run roughly 182–225, after-school daily averages about 230, and teen daily attendance about 80. Education specialist Erica Schmelzer said her tutoring and Education programming serves about 60 children across grades and typically draws 10–20 students per day depending on staff availability.
Youth and family services specialist Sierra Gage described counseling and group programming, noting targeted monthly mental-health initiatives. "In total we had about 47, maybe a little bit more teens participate and logged over 4,000 minutes walking" during a depression-awareness walking challenge, Gage said, and she reported smaller participation numbers for subsequent initiatives that reduced screen time and addressed healthy relationships.
Boys & Girls Club leaders thanked the district for ongoing collaboration and said they plan to expand school partnerships, continue workforce programming and launch new musical offerings in the fall.
Board response: Board members thanked the club for programming and partnerships with district schools. No formal board action was taken on the report.
