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Boys & Girls Club seeks district site for teen club serving East Chicago middle and high school students
Summary
Mike Jessen of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Northwest Indiana proposed a dedicated teen club at a district facility to boost teen attendance after post-pandemic declines, offering low-cost membership, scholarship support and programming targeted to middle- and high-school youth.
The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Northwest Indiana proposed a district partnership to create a teen-focused club space in East Chicago that would target middle- and high-school students and expand after-school leadership and enrichment.
Mike Jessen, president and CEO of the regional Boys & Girls Club, told the board the organization serves roughly 300 members locally, with about 160–180 children attending daily, and that the club charges a low-cost $50 annual membership with scholarship opportunities for families.
Why it matters: Board members and the superintendent said increasing teen engagement is a district priority. The club’s proposal would repurpose or lease a district facility for expanded teen programming, which could change after-school offerings and facility scheduling.
Jessen said the club has been a longtime East Chicago partner and argued the primary gap is teen participation: “Prior to COVID our numbers were higher; post‑COVID we’re back to prior levels except for teens,” he said, and described a plan to create a dedicated teen center that would house leadership and expanded programming. He added the organization would seek to cover supplies and equipment and expected to work with the district on insurance and liability details.
Board members asked whether the center would accept non‑district teens; Jessen said the club’s initial concept is for East Chicago youth only (middle and high school), with transportation for middle-school groups to the proposed center.
The club identified a candidate facility (the Kerry Gosh Early Learning Center was named during the discussion) and said it would welcome further conversations about cost‑sharing, operations and milestones. Trustees requested follow-up details, including proposed space, line-item expenses for upkeep, and confirmation that any vendor or partner would follow record-retention and liability requirements.
What’s next: The board did not take a formal vote. Staff said they would continue exploring facility availability and financial terms with the Boys & Girls Club.
