Boys & Girls Clubs set to open eight new sites throughout Northeast Ohio this summer – cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio-- Eight new Boys & Girls Clubs are expected to open across the region this summer, including sites in Cuyahoga, Summit, Lorain and Huron counties.

The expansion is the first step in the strategic plan of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio to provide more youths with greater experiences and the opportunities they desire, said Jeff Scott, the CEO of the organization.

The first set of new clubs will open next month and will be school-based sites funded by stimulus dollars and the Ohio Department of Education.

Some of the sites will be in Euclid, Cuyahoga Falls, Garfield Heights and Akron. The organization also plans to open its first club in Huron County at New London Elementary School on June 13.

Nationally, the Boys & Girls Clubs aim to provide safe, fun places for children 6-18 to go after school and in the summer.

In Northeast Ohio, Scotts group serves children in Cuyahoga, Summit, Lorain and Erie counties. The non-profit organization operates 40 clubs throughout in the region.

After the pandemic, many school systems are pivoting back to the traditional after-school models or taking a hybrid approach. Because of that, Scott said, the organization had a duty to do more to help youths across Northeast Ohio.

There is no charge to join a club. Memberships are free and open for youth ages 6-18. Activities include athletics, academic help, arts and music programming, leadership opportunities, field trips and breakfast and lunch daily.

In the future, Scott said he hopes donations from individuals and corporations will allow the organization to create more stand-alone clubs across the region. Ultimately, he wants to add another 15 sites across Northeast Ohio.

Our youth deserve our unrelenting efforts. We can never stop. Never sit still. This is the first step in continuing to do more for our youth, he said.

You can learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs and access membership registration forms by visiting http://www.bgcneo.org. To access the summer membership form, go to tinyurl.com/BGCNEOsummer.

The new clubs will be at:

Akron Buchtel Community Learning Center, for students who have completed sixth through 12th grades. The starting date has not been determined.

Akron North High School, for teenagers in ninth through 12th grade. The starting date has yet to be determined.

Cuyahoga Falls Preston Elementary School, for children who have completed kindergarten through fifth grade. The starting date has not been set.

Ely Elementary School in Elyria, for children who have completed kindergarten through fifth grade. The club starts June 27.

Euclid Middle School, for children ages 6-18. The starting date has yet to be determined.

Garfield Heights High School, for children who have completed kindergarten through seventh grade. The club begins June 20.

Longfellow Middle School in Lorain, for children who have completed kindergarten through seventh grade. The club begins June 13.

New London Elementary, for those who have completed kindergarten through seventh grade. The club begins June 13.

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Boys & Girls Clubs set to open eight new sites throughout Northeast Ohio this summer - cleveland.com