Site Spotlight: Westside Extension
It was a very bright October afternoon for the official ribbon cutting of our Westside Extension Site located in Waverly Place Apartments. The only thing brighter than the sun were the smiles on the faces of the staff, Board members, council members, and community partners in attendance!
The partnership between the Boys & Girls Clubs of Lansing and Lansing Housing Commission has been pivotal in expanding access to after-school programming throughout Greater Lansing, and that on its own is worthy of celebration. However, it is the kids who make us the most proud by far. We talk about community investment being critical but that only goes so far without the personal investment of youth and their families too. At the Westside, this investment is obvious by how the kids have made the site their home away from home. During Wednesday's open house, the kids greeted visitors and introduced themselves, ensuring that no one, even adults they have never seen before, is a stranger while at the Club. Since the site opened in June, staff have shared many stories about the kids, still new Club members themselves, welcoming newer members and making sure everyone feels included and understands the flow of a day at the Club. Parents have commented how they have noticed a positive difference in their children at home and that they are always excited to return to the Club. This is the energy that sustains us and keeps us and our community partners motivated to deliver quality programming that provides a strong foundation for youth to grow and flourish into the best versions of themselves.
Now here's a peek at all the fun stuff that's been happening at the Westside!
STEM
Boys & Girls Clubs are ranked #2 of afterschool programs throughout Michigan where kids have access to STEM learning and engagement. At Westside, STEM activities have been a huge hit! Mr. John, the Westside Lead Supervisor, shares "[t]he youth here at West really enjoy all STEM programs and show up for nearly every one."
The best part of making your own slime? Testing the streeeeeeeeetch!
Some recent favorites are experimenting with slime recipes, using different activators and adding essential oils, and making lava lamps!
Lava lamps are even cooler when you make them yourself.
Self-Care
The Westside hosted a Self-Care Week to better support Club members in building good hygiene habits and establishing a self-care routine. Each day focused on a different area of personal health and well-being. On the first day, the program focus was on oral health and proper toothbrushing and flossing techniques. Club members practiced by "flossing" glitter and paper scraps out from between ice molds representing teeth. The following days focused on other areas of personal hygiene and included a matching game where member had to identify the purpose for different hygiene products. The final day focused on mental well-being and emotional regulation strategies. Staff and Club members discussed different ways to take care of themselves and ways to cope with stressful situations and big feelings. This combination of hands-on activities with group discussion helped kids better apply these lessons to their own routines. Sometimes, seemingly little things like flossing might not seem like they make that much of a difference, but when kids can see the glitter trapped in the ice molds and compare that to the food that gets caught in their own teeth, it creates an impression and provides a foundation for applying changes to their personal routines.
Since running this program, staff have noticed a difference in the kids building better habits and also making strides in regulating their emotions. One Club member in particular had been struggling with following directions and responding to authority with respect. Since Self-Care Week, staff have noticed that this Club member has gotten better at recognizing when he is becoming upset and taking space to calm himself before reacting. Big feelings happen whether you are a kid or an adult, but it is how you react that matters and that can be hard to learn. Seeing this Club member become more able to control his emotions, listen to staff, and work through difficult moments is a great example of the growth that is possible when Club members are given consistent support and opportunities to improve. We are very proud of him and all the Westside Club members for making the effort to build healthy habits and take better care of themselves!
Club Member Art
At "A Night to Remember: The Great Club Quest" in 2025, we introduced Club Kid Art to our silent and live auctions and attendees absolutely loved it! This year, we wanted artists from all of our sites to be represented and all three sites answered the call! Addison and AnnaLecia from the Westside wanted their paintings to coordinate and spent weeks planning and developing their idea before deciding on creating matching nature scenes. One painted the landscape at dusk and the other at dawn.
Both girls put a lot of thought and time into their paintings and really committed themselves to bringing their idea to life. This project gave them an opportunity to develop their artistic skills, work toward a shared goal, and create something meaningful that raised money for their Club. Great work, Addison and AnnaLecia!! We love seeing Club members exercise their creativity and use their talents to better our organization!
It is an honor to be a part of the community at Waverly Place Apartments and collaborate with Lansing Housing Commission to bring quality programming to the youth who live there. Thank you to our community partners who made this project possible and to the families who trust us with their children after school and during the summer. Your investment matters and we could not do this work without you!
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