Home | Boys & Girls Clubs of America | Career Center | Contact Us | Site Map
Designate UW/CFC #8047Donate Now!
Who We Are What We Do Our Partners Club Alumni: Come on Home ClubFinder: Find A Club Near You How You Can Help In The News Events
District of Columbia
Northern Virginia
Maryland
Administrative Service Center
National Finder
Silver Spring Branch

Silver Spring Branch
1300 Forest Glen Road
Silver Spring, MD 20901
Phone: 301.593.4600
Fax: 301.593.2274

Julius Johnson, Area Director
jjohnson@bgcgw.org

Camille Harris, Branch Director
charris@bgcgw.org

Tim Robinson, Program Director
trobinson@bgcgw.org

Aaron Bullock, Athletic Director
abullock@bgcgw.org


Click here for directions to the club

After School Hours
Monday - Friday
2:30 pm - 7:30 pm (Ages 5 - 18)

Summer Hours:
Monday thru Friday 7:30am to 5:00pm (Campers ages 5-13)

Camp Start Date: June 23, 2008

End Date: August 15, 2008

Camp Cost: $150/week ($120/week for families with multiple children)

Before/After Care: $10/week

Before Care: 7:30 - 9:00 am

After Care: 5:00 - 6:30 pm

Contact Person - Camille Harris 301-593-4600



Director's Note
The Silver Spring Branch is a safe and enriching environment for youth in our community. We offer programs in a variety of areas that address the complex needs of today's youth. The programs offered at the Club are fun, innovative, and engaging. In addition to our superior programs, we have dynamic and caring staff members who serve as role models and mentors to our members. At the Silver Spring Branch we provide a positive environment where youth can truly shine!

Club Activities Descriptions


All activities are open to all club members unless specified in the program description.

Character & Leadership Development

Torch Club is a chartered small-group leadership and service club for boys and girls ages 11-13 yrs old. Torch Club is a powerful vehicle through which Club staff can help meet the specific character development needs of younger adolescents at a critical stage in their development. Torch Club members learn to elect officers and work together to implement activities in four areas: service to Club and community, education, health & fitness and social recreation.

Junior Staff Career Development Program is a comprehensive group club program assisting members, ages 11-18 years, in exploring a career in youth services or human service, particularly Boys & Girls Club work. The program prepares youth for leadership roles as human service professionals or volunteer leaders.

Across Ages is a mentoring program for members, 11-12 year olds and people over fifty years of age. This program teaches youth to become active and productive adults, while building bonds between the members and the mentors. The participants in this program complete monthly community service projects and take field trips regularly.

Youth of the Week/Month is designed to promote and recognize service and contribution to Club and community, academic performance, outstanding participation, assistance to others, and excellent behavior. Every Friday one Club member from each age group is recognized in front of the club for standing out in the above criteria. At the end of each month one member is selected as "Youth of the Month" for excelling in the qualities mentioned above. This member is given a certificate and has his/her picture hung throughout the school year.

Youth of the Year is BGCA's premier youth recognition program for Club members. All members can benefit from participation in this program, which promotes and celebrates service to Club, community and family; academic performance; moral character; life goals; and poise and public speaking ability.


Education & Career Development

Power Hour - provides Club professionals with strategies, activities, resources and information to create engaging homework help and tutoring program that encourages Club members to become self-directed learners.

Partners in Learning Literature Groups provide supplemental reading and writing instruction with collaborating organizations to children (k-8 grades) who need assistance in reading. Each Literature group has an average of four children per group. The group meets 4 times per week for 40-50 minutes. Literature Clubs help increase participants' phonics, comprehension, writing, and critical-thinking skills.

Health & Life Skills

Smart Moves - The SMART Moves (Skills, Mastery And Resistance Training) prevention/education program address the problems of drugs and alcohol use and premature sexual activity. Based upon proven techniques, the program uses a team approach involving Club staff, peer leaders, parents and community representatives. More than simply emphasizing a "Say No" message, the program teaches young people ages 6-15 years old how to say no by involving them in discussions and role playing, practicing resistance and refusal skills, developing assertiveness, strengthening decision-making skills and analyzing media and peer influence. The ultimate goal is to promote abstinence from substance abuse and adolescent sexual involvement through the practice of responsible behavior.

Smart Girls - An outgrowth of the popular and effective SMART Moves program, SMART Girls is a health, fitness, prevention/education and self-esteem enhancement program for girls ages 10-15. The program is designed to encourage healthy attitudes and lifestyles that will enable early adolescent girls to develop to their full potential.

Passport to Manhood - This program promotes and teaches responsibility and reinforces positive behavior in male Club members ages 11-14 yrs old. Passport to Manhood consists of 14 small-group sessions, each of which concentrates on a specific aspect of manhood through highly interactive activities. Each participant is issued his own "Passport" to support the notion that he is on a personal journey of maturation and personal growth.

Cooking Club - The cooking club teaches young people how to prepare their own healthy snacks. They learn measuring skills, basic cooking techniques and kitchen safety rules.

Sports Fitness & Recreation

First Tee Golf - This program, in collaboration with First Tee, teaches Club members ages 6-18 yrs old golf skills and etiquette.

Basketball (Jr. NBA/Force One League) - Gives boys and girls, 5-18 years old, an opportunity to learn the fundamentals and rules of basketball, have the excitement of playing games with a game clock, and have FUN with the game of basketball.

UNITY Football - give members 7-14 years old an opportunity to play organized competitive football.

The Arts

Photography Club - Teaches members how to use digital cameras as well as computer software to enhance these pictures.

Art for Beginners - This program focuses on visual arts including painting, drawing, and craft projects.