Ramona Boys & Girls Club to reopen in August
Registration begins July 26 for four branches of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego, including Conrad Prebys Ramona, that will be welcoming young people back in August.
The other three are Encanto, Oakes in Logan Heights and the Baker Branch in Escondido.
Children can reconnect with friends, build academics, get physically active, and just have fun, as the Boys & Girls Clubs sites reopen in compliance with Centers for Disease Control COVID-19 guidelines. Others that have already reopened are 4S Ranch, Payne in National City, Bronner in Valley Center, Clairemont, Conrad Prebys in Escondido, Roberts in Linda Vista, and Sulpizio in Poway.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego serves kids ages 5-18, focusing on academic success, character development and healthy lifestyles at 19 sites in diverse regions of San Diego County.
“We are excited to be reopening our remaining sites with the start of the school year,” said Michelle Malin, Senior Vice President. “Children have faced so many challenges during the past year including virtual and hybrid learning, which was difficult; and not being with their teachers and friends, which left many feeling isolated and alone. Now, more than ever, the kids need the Boys & Girls Clubs.”
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego has been there for students when school is out for decades, at the end of the school day and during school breaks. With the start of the new school year, many schools are planning to resume their regular schedules. Due to the pandemic, many young people still will be behind academically and perhaps also socially, as a residual effect of being quarantined for so long.
The Clubs will offer an hour of homework assistance and academic support each day through the PACE program (Pathways to Academic & Creative Excellence). Additional enrichment activities will include literacy, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), art and more.
Many children have been isolated during the pandemic, unable to interact with their friends and spending hours at home with too much time in front of a screen, Malin said. Anxiety is high, and obesity is on the rise. Kids participating in the Clubs will get up and move again, with at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily. Sports leagues also will be making a comeback, with most of them beginning within the next several months.
The annual membership fee is $60. Additional fees vary by site and program. Scholarships are available for those who qualify. For more information and to register, visit www.sdyouth.org.