2026 Summer In Review!

Just like that, we're wrapping on another fantastic summer at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Lansing and getting ready for a brand new school year and the re-launch of our after-school program! It's always bittersweet to see summer draw to a close, but we always cherish the friendships and memories and become even more excited for next summer.

One of the critical benchmarks we refer to when analyzing our impact is the number of meals served. Summer can be a challenge for families who depend on school meals for their kids, and hungry kids struggle to learn, engage, and just have fun. All kids deserve to enjoy their summer. This is why the Boys & Girls Clubs of Lansing are proud Meet Up and Eat Up sites during the summer and provide breakfast and lunch for all kids ages 18 and under regardless of whether they are Club members. Particularly at our Northside and Westside sites located in public housing complexes, many Club members bring their younger siblings along for meals and walk them back home when programming restarts. In total, we have served almost 12,000 meals across our three sites and each meal served makes a difference, giving kids the fuel to have the fun summer adventures that they are meant to have.

Even with the summer program running for only ten weeks, our staff managed to pack in a lot of programming and activities during that time.

Garden Club absolutely flourished this season with Learning Center Supervisor Ms. Gonzalez and Board Member Dr. John Sauchak at the helm. Participants learned firsthand the struggles of fending off pests from their plants, namely Japanese beetles and the groundhog that has taken up residence in the garden. They tested soil pH and learned why the acidity in soil matters and how it impacts the nutrients, thanks to Ms. Gonzalez's background in soil science. Dr. Sauchak even brought treats like zucchini bread to show the kids all the yummy foods you can make from a garden harvest, even a big scary vegetable like zucchini.

The Art Room has hosted several contests including the very popular Fashion Design contest where Club members designed and created their own garments to show off in a Fashion Show during the 1 o'clock Club meeting. Art Room Supervisor Ms. Rebeccah even brought in Grace, her African Grey Parrot, and gave an impromptu lesson about bird care and Grace's many talents.

The Dart Foundation Innovation Lab has also been quite popular this summer with Mr. McKee teaching 3D modeling and printing! Club members can make their doodles come to life with 3D printing pens or model new creations on specialized software to print on the 3D printers. During downtime, the kids enjoy watching the printers work their magic filament by filament.

The Northside and Westside extension sites have been doing some great things this summer! Both sites have gone on field trips to the movies thanks to a grant from Regal Cinemas. They even got together to celebrate Trequan, a Westside Club member, placing second in a poster board and essay contests sponsored by HAI Group in partnership with Lansing Housing Commission. From trips down the street to get popsicles to creating their own lava lamps, there is a new adventure everyday at the Northside and Westside sites.

While the Westside site has only been operating since June, our staff there has already received some great feedback from families. One parent, whose children have come to Club almost every day since opening, shared that their children "have become more energetic, enthusiastic, and excited even outside of Club hours" and "look forward to coming back each day." Both extension sites have done an amazing job at cultivating safe and positive environments for kids right in their own neighborhoods.

Finally, we would like to express our immense gratitude to our staff, both year-round and summer, for their incredible work this season! With shifting hours, new faces, and different programs, it is a lot of work keeping everything running smooth around here and we could not do it without them. Ms. Melody returned to work at the Club for her third summer this year and has been instrumental in helping establish both extension sites. When asked why she keeps coming back, she had this to say:

And that right there is what the Boys & Girls Clubs of Lansing is all about. Every staff member here cares and wants to be that trusted adult any kid can turn to when they need support. We want to set our kids up for great futures and that means being there for them right now.