Thunderbirds Charities awards $50,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale for Innovative Dream-Maker programming

Thunderbirds Charities awarded $50,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale (BGCS) to help fund and grow the youth development organization’s Innovative Dream-Maker initiative for arts and innovation programming.

Fine arts, performing arts, graphic design, drama, music, photography and entrepreneurism are all focuses of the Club’s Innovative Dream-Maker programming.

“We’re thrilled to help Boys & Girls Club of Greater Scottsdale and their mission to foster innovation in our communities,” said Thunderbirds Charities President Carlos Sugich. “BGCS has a tremendous positive impact on our young people and we’re very proud to help any way we can.”

“This generous gift from Thunderbirds Charities is critical to our year-round Innovative Dream-Maker initiative,” said Robyn Julien, BGCS President and CEO. “We are continually grateful to Thunderbirds Charities for their commitment to our community and helping our youth develop the skills they need to be successful.”

BGCS offers of variety of arts and innovation programming at their nine Clubs located within the communities of Scottsdale, North Phoenix, Fountain Hills, Mesa, the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community and the Hualapai Nation.

The National Fine Arts program offered to all members focuses on one medium a month to encourage artistic expression including drawing, painting, printmaking, collage, mixed media and sculpture. Youth artists whose work shows improvement and promise in their age group are placed in competition at local and regional exhibits. A panel of judges selects works for inclusion in the National Fine Arts Exhibit, which is displayed at Boys & Girls Clubs of America events.

Boys & Girls Clubs’ ImageMakers Photography program teaches youth the art and science of photography designed to help Club members go beyond taking simple snapshots on their phones and develop the skills to produce impactful photographs.

The Clubs’ What’s Your Vision? program challenges youth to identify an opportunity to solve a problem, then design a business or product around their idea. The program introduces youth to the entrepreneurial spirit, business ethics, planning and research, development and design, marketing, finances, and presentation skills.

“In our Clubs, we witness firsthand the positive impact of arts programming: it promotes and sharpens self-directed learning, problem solving, persistence, collaboration and critical thinking skills,” said Julien. “Studies show that arts education helps students master other subjects such as reading, math and social studies as well.”

Find out more about programming at Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale by visiting www.bgcs.org.