Our Programs:

Our Education & Career Development programs are designed to prepare our members to graduate from high school and prepare for college, trade school, military or employment.

Power Hour

Our Power Hour program is designed to help young people develop academic, behavioral and social skills through homework assistance and completion. Members get help with homework from one of our staff members or volunteers. This program is available Tuesday through Friday from 4pm – 8pm in our E.P. “Chuck” Charlton Library.

Reading

Designed for all of our members, participants read a designated book, participate in a group discussion and finish off each session with a project relating to the reading and discussion. We offer three separate programs:

K – 2nd Grade Book Club

3rd – 5th Grade Boys Book Club

3rd – 5th Grade Girls Book Club

Science Club 

Science Club is a weekly hands-on science program where members run their own science experiments, including R.O.V (Remote Operated Vehicles) and Zoom Glue. Its science, engineering, problem solving and fun all rolled into one.

Digital Arts

 Digitals Arts Suite are programs designed to develop members’ technical skills, creativity and critical thinking with projects in web design, graphic design, digital photography, electronic-music making and digital-movie making.

Design Tech

By using digital courseware, group and individual activities, members learn artistic concepts and technology skills to create professional quality print materials and animation with photo manipulation software and Microsoft Publisher.

Photo Tech

Members take digital photographs and study distance, angle and photo composition. Then, through interactive courseware, group and individual activities, they learn to manipulate digital photos, from basic tasks such as cropping and adjusting color and light, to advanced projects using image filters and layering with photo manipulation software.

Music Tech

 Through interactive digital courseware, group and individual activities, members explore music software and basic music theory, while learning to write sheet music theory, while learning to write sheet music, mix music loops, compose and record songs.

Movie Tech 

Through interactive digital courseware, group and individual activities, members create simple movies using movie editing software. Detailed instructor materials show Club staff how to walk members through the processes of screenplay writing, filming and editing digital movies.

Skill Tech

Skill Tech is a program designed to familiarize youth with technology, particularly basic computer skills, productivity software and Internet use.

National Fine Arts & National Fine Arts Exhibit

Members create various art projects through different mediums including sculpture, collage, watercolor, mixed media as well as monochromatic and multi-colored drawing. A yearly art exhibit is held showcasing member’s work. The artwork is then sent to the regional and potentially national level.

Drawing Class

This program allows members to learn to turn 3D objects into 2D drawings as well as creating their own drawings. Techniques such as shading and perspective drawing will be taught in the mediums of monochromatic and multicolored drawings.

Painting Class

Our Painting Class allows members to work with various types of paint including acrylic, watercolor and tempera. Throughout this class, members will learn to shade and use different brush techniques.

Open Arts Room

During Open Arts Room, kids will learn how to work with a variety of mediums such as pastels, mixed medias and college materials. This entails a variety of fun projects from printmaking to arts & crafts.

Character & Leadership Development

Our Character & Leadership Development programs are designed to prepare our members to be an engaged citizen, involved in the community, register to vote and model strong character.

Keystone Club

Our Keystone Club is a premier High School Leadership program. Founded in 1964, Keystoning meets high schoolers vitally important needs for positive group experiences. With the guidance of Club staff, opportunities are provided for teens to make leadership decisions, engage in academic and career experiences and serve others.

Torch Club

Our Torch Club program is a chartered small-group leadership and service club for boys and girls in grades 5th through 8th. The program is a powerful vehicle through which Club staff can help meet the special needs of younger adolescents at a critical stage in their development. Torch Club members learn to work together to plan and implement activities in four areas:

Service to the Club and community: Education, Health and fitness and Social recreation

Junior Staff

Our Junior Staff program assists Club teens in exploring a career in youth development or other human services, with a particular focus on Boys & Girls Club work. This program helps prepare them for responsibility in the workplace

Gym Leagues

Several different leagues take place throughout the Junior Division season. The gym has structured leagues and activities as well as open gym throughout the week.

Junior Division Fall Leagues

JR Division soccer

Several different leagues will take place from November to January including K-2nd grade Instructional Soccer, 3rd – 5th grade Soccer and Middle School Dodgeball. League games are held one day throughout the week per age group.

High School Flag Football League

Our High School Flag Football League takes place from November through January. Members learn the fundamentals of playing football.

Junior Division Basketball Leagues

Several different leagues include K-2nd grade Instructional basketball, 3rd – 5th grade Basketball and Middle School Basketball. These leagues run from January through April and games are held one day throughout the week.

High School Basketball League

Our High School Basketball League is a very competitive and popular league among our city teens and neighboring community teens as well. Games are held once a week from February through April.

Dance

Members in grades 3rd – 8th learn appropriate hip-hop dance moves as well as some break dancing.

Zumba

It’s easy to do effective and totally exhilarating work out. Several classes are offered throughout the year for different age groups, with our certified instructor.

Aquatics

Recently renovated in 2011 thanks to grants provided by the Charlton Foundation and the Peabody Fund, our Aquatics Center provides all of our members an opportunity to build self-confidence, good sportsmanship and strong character skills that we strive to build in the community in which we serve.

Swim Lessons

Learn to swim at the Boys & Girls Club of Fall River! Swim lessons are offered on Saturday and are drop-in classes. Members are broken down by skill levels and taught appropriate skills based on their individual ability. Levels are broken down into Beginner Level 1, Beginner Level 2, Beginner Level 3, Advanced Level 4 and Advanced Level 5.

Fall River Flyers Swim Team

The Fall River Flyers Swim Team competes against other Boys & Girls Clubs in both Rhode Island and Massachusetts. This is a competitive swim team for any club member. This program runs from October through March with its culminating Championship in April. Practices are held five days a week; members must attend the scheduled practices for their age group and the acquired amount for their age group to be able to swim in the meets on Saturdays.

10 and Under Age Group

Tuesday thru Thursday: 5:30pm - 6:30pm

Saturday: 10:15am - 11am

(Swimmers must attend 3 times a week)

11 and Older Age Group

Tuesday thru Thursday: 6:15pm - 7:30pm

Saturday: 11am - 12pm

(Swimmers must attend 4 times a week)

Junior Life Guard

Members in grades 5th through 8th learn the basics of life guarding, from basic First AID and CPR to testing, scanning the pool and rescue skills.

 Adult Division Swim

Our pool is also available as part of our Adult Division Membership. Adult members may use the pool at their convenience during specified times each day. Adult swim hours are as follows from September through June:

Monday thru Friday: 6am - 9am, 12pm - 2pm

Saturday: 6am – 9am, 12pm – 1pm

Sunday: 9am – 11am

Healthy Lifestyles

Our Healthy Lifestyles programs are designed to prepare our members to adopt a healthy diet, practice healthy lifestyle choices and make a lifelong commitment to fitness.

NetSmartz

Our NetSmartz program is an internet safety program produced with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children with age-appropriate interactive modules teaching the importance of surfing the web safely, including social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter.

SMART Girls

Our SMART Girls program is a health, fitness, prevention / education and self-esteem enhancement program for girls. The program is designed to encourage healthy attitudes and lifestyles that will enable adolescent / teen girls to develop to their full potential.

SMART Moves

Our SMART Moves program is a comprehensive prevention program that helps young people resist alcohol, tobacco and other drugs and avoid premature sexual activity. The program features interactive, small-group activities designed to increase participants’ peer support, enhance life skills, build resiliency and strengthen leadership skills. This year-round program uses age-specific modules that engage Club staff, parents, community members and older teen members in a team approach to prevention.

Street SMARTs

Our Street SMARTs program is designed to counteract the negative lures of gangs, violence and “street” influences on young adolescents, with a focus on bullying.

Mission Statement:

Our Mission is to enable youth to reach their full potential as responsible, caring and productive citizens.

We believe that every child in our community should have a safe place to learn and play, where caring adults supervise, guide and lead them into adulthood. The Boys and Girls Club of Fall River is that place. To the full extent of our powers, we will assure that our members will complete high school and have access to post-secondary education. In partnership with our community, we will be outstanding stewards of the public trust and our donors' gifts.

History:

The Boys and Girls Club of Fall River was founded Feburary 1, 1890. The first meeting place and clubhouse was a store front on Third Street. The Boys' Club of Fall River became incorporated in 1892. In 1897 a new clubhouse was opened on Anawan Street, it was the first building built specifically for a Boys' Club in the nation. In 1906 the club became a charter member of the National Movement of Federation of Boys' Clubs. A new and expanded facility was opened in 1967 at our present locationon 803 Bedford Street. In 1982 The Boys' Club of Fall River changed to The Boys and Girls Club of Fall River. In 2005 we expanded our facilities with an 18,000 square foot third level addition.

Our Facility:

The Club consists of a tri-level building constructed in 1967. It occupies at 55,000 square foot program space. The program space includes a gymnasium, swimming pool, learning center, game room, technology center, arts room, dining area, full kitchen, and teen center.