Demand prompts Boys & Girls Clubs to open additional learning centers
Citing increased demand, Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio is adding four more ClubSmart Learning Center sites to the 11 originally identified by the organization as places where kids in digital-only education environments can get in-person help during the school day.
Three new sites were added in Lorain County: at Oberlin’s Eastwood Elementary School, the former Vermilion Elementary School and Elyria’s Crestwood Elementary. Also added to the list of scheduled ClubSmart openings is the Eller Teen Club in Akron.
At ClubSmart Learning Centers, BGCNEO staff members will help kids with their virtual learning, which will follow each school district’s curriculum. Club staff proctors will help children complete their schoolwork and provide additional stress-relieving programs such as art, writing and athletics.
The first group of learning centers will open Tuesday in Cleveland, Vermilion and Oberlin. Others will launch later in September.
“While opening more ClubSmart Learning Centers will obviously put a strain on our resources, we know it is the right thing to do for our kids,” BGCNEO President and CEO Jeff Scott said.
Former teacher Amy Skolnik, who has been serving as BGCNEO’s Erie County regional director, has been named to head the ClubSmart program and other learning center initiatives.
Visit www.bgcneo.org for information on ClubSmart locations, starting dates, hours and registration. Space is limited by building capacity thresholds and social distancing protocols. Once a ClubSmart Learning Center reaches capacity, registrants will be placed on a waiting list.
Here are the 15 places where ClubSmart Learning Centers will open:
Cleveland:
- Broadway Club, 6114 Broadway Ave., Cleveland. Starts Sept. 8, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays. Registration: In person, now. Contact: Joseph Greathouse at jgreathouse@bgcneo.org.
- Saint Luke’s Club, 2705 MLK Jr. Drive, Cleveland. Starts: Sept. 8, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays. Registration: In person, now. Contact: Earl Ingram at eingram@bgcneo.org
- King Kennedy Club, 2561 E 59th St., Cleveland. Starts: Sept. 8, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays. Registration: In person, now. Contact: Richard Starr at rstarr@bgcneo.org.
- East Tech Teen Center, 2439 E 55th St. Cleveland. Starts: Sept 8, noon to 4 p.m. weekdays. Registration: In person, now. Contact: Anthonette Merritt at amerritt@bgcneo.org.
Lorain County
- Crestwood Elementary School, 42331 Griswold Road, Elyria. Starts: Sept.14, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays. Closed Wednesdays. Registration: online at https://tinyurl.com/crestwoodbgc. Contact: Diane Crumley at dcrumley@bgcneo.org.
- Former Vermilion Elementary School, 935 Decatur St., Vermilion. Starts: Sept. 8, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Registration: In person at Board Office, 1250 Sanford St., Vermilion. Contact: Jerome Johnson at jjohnson@bgcneo.org.
- Eastwood Elementary School, 198 E. College St., Oberlin. Starts: Sept. 8, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Registration: Online at oberlinschools.net and click ‘Boys and Girls Club Membership Application’ down on left-hand side. Contact: Amy Skolnik at askolnik@bgcneo.org.
- Desich Family Campus, 4111 Pearl Ave., Lorain. Starts: Sept. 21, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Registration: In person, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays through Sept. 10. Contact: Amy Skolnik at askolnik@bgcneo.org.
- Westview Terrace, 2214 W. 24th St., Lorain. Starts: Sept. 21, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Registration: In person, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays at the Desich location, 4111 Pearl Ave., Lorain. Contact: Jerome Johnson at jjohnson@bgcneo.org.
- Southside Gardens, 3010 Vine St., Lorain. Starts: Sept. 21, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Registration: In person, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays at the Desich location, 4111 Pearl Ave., Lorain. Contact: Amy Skolnik at askolnik@bgcneo.org.
- Elyria Middle Avenue, 1821 Middle Ave., Elyria. Starts: Sept. 21, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays for youth, noon to 5 p.m. for teens. Registration: In person, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays through Sept. 10. Contact: Diane Crumley at dcrumley@bgcneo.org.
Akron
- Steve Wise Club, 889 Jonathan Ave., Akron. Starts: Sept. 10, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Registration: In person, now. Contact: Sam Slovisky at sslovisky@bgcneo.org.
- Eller Teen Center, 888 Eller Ave., Akron. Starts: Sept. 21, noon to 5 p.m. weekdays. Registration: In person, now. Contact: Anthony Isom at aisom@bgcneo.org.
Sandusky
- Osborne Elementary School, 920 W. Osborne St., Sandusky. Starts: Sept. 21, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Registration: Weekdays at school board office, 407 Decatur St. Sandusky from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. or at 135 E. Washington Row, in lobby, from 2-5 p.m. Contact: Jerome Johnson at jjohnson@bgcneo.org.
- Sandusky Teen Center, 2112 Cleveland Road, Sandusky. Starts: Sept. 21, noon to 5 p.m. weekdays. Registration: In person. Contact: Jerome Johnson at jjohnson@bgcneo.org.
In addition to the new ClubSmart locations, BGCNEO announced it will reopen traditional afterschool Clubs at Westwood and McCormick elementary schools in Wellington as well as at Stepstone Academy in Cleveland. New afterschool Clubs will open at Knollwood Elementary and Brookside Intermediate schools in Sheffield Lake.