Boys & Girls Club Kids Participate in Revolutionary New ‘Pen Pal’ Technology

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale and Aha!101 recently launched a program where Club members in Scottsdale connect live with peers in China through a glorified ‘Pen Pal’ system. The Boys & Girls Club members, who are also English Language Learners (ELL) students, received a tablet, which will become their gateway to becoming fluent in English while connecting to peers around the world.

Through the program, called Woogi U, youth will participate in a student-driven, game-based English language program on the tablet that connects English-speaking and non-English speaking children from around the world. The students will connect and collaborate directly with students in schools throughout China as they practice English while developing 21st century skills such as critical thinking, teamwork, entrepreneurship and cultural understanding.

The Woogi U program is designed to motivate students by games, relevance and social interaction as well as help peak curiosity for understanding the English language, increasing learning speeds. The tablets were donated by Aha!101 and will be owned by the Boys & Girls Club members once they master the first year of English fluency.

“We are thrilled to provide 21st century learning devices to these Boys & Girls Club youth, whom we believe have so much potential to be a positive influence on their family, community and country, “ says Reed Frerichs, Managing Director of Aha!101, “We are setting them free to learn critical life skills at anytime and anywhere.”

The program is said to be extremely scalable, effective and runs at a minimal cost. The Woogi U program is also an affordable English language product for non-profits such as the Boys & Girls Clubs as it offers a dynamic learning experience which engages students and keeps them wanting to learn more, all delivered on a state of the art tablet.

“This partnership is a perfect match as it helps drives our mission of providing academic success, character and healthy lifestyles, all while being on the forefront of technology,” says Steve Davidson, President/CEO at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale. “We look forward to seeing our Club members excel with this program as well as have fun meeting peers in other countries – something they might not ever get the chance to do otherwise.”