Academic Success
%
of students who received literacy instruction from fall to spring made positive gains in cumulative test scores
youth participated in STEM activities
%
of Club seniors graduated from high school.
About Academic Success
The Academic Success strategy assists young people to succeed in academics. Programs provide youth opportunities for career exploration, educational enhancement, and augmented learning in literacy, finance, arts, and technology.
Program Areas
Literacy
BGCTC’s literacy program small includes group reading instruction and literacy enrichment stations to teach phonics, spelling, language structure, reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
We utilize the Sonday System reading program (a Winsor Learning, Orton Gillingham-based reading intervention curriculum) for members who have been assessed as needing focused reading support. K-8 Club members are assessed through the FastBridge Learning FAST™ reading assessment tool four times per year to track progress and growth in literacy skills.
Numeracy
BGCTC’s K-5 Numeracy Enrichment program serves youth at a pivotal stage where they must transition from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.” Activities include hands-on, multisensory math stations centered on Minnesota Academic Standards in Mathematics to help youth build math proficiency. Topics include counting and cardinality, operations and algebraic thinking, numbers and operations, measurement and data, and geometry.
STEAM
BGCTC’s STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Math) Program includes visual and performing arts to enhance appreciation for the arts including crafts, visual, performing and literary arts projects, and showcasing members’ abilities at art exhibits, talent shows, and performances at community events. We also offer a STEAM Mentoring program that brings together youth and mentors for hands-on STEAM activities with a focus on conservation, visual and performing arts, and showcasing members’ abilities at art exhibits, talent shows, and performances at community events.
Career Launch
A career exploration and mentoring program for teens ages 13-18. Activities offered in this area are designed to work at several levels, from general career exploration to actual job experiences. This program includes the Career Launch website that allows teens to take an interest survey, explore careers, identify training or college requirements, seek out financial aid and play skills-building games.
Money Matters
This financial literacy program is designed specifically to help teens (ages 13 to 18) expand their knowledge of money management and learn the skills that lead to financial independence and well-being.
The Arts
Arts help young people enhance self-expression and creativity, and develop skills in crafts, visual, performing and the literary arts. Members’ abilities are showcased at art exhibits, talent shows, and performances at community events.