Our Mission
To enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.
To enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.
BE GREAT is an idea that within every child there is the potential for greatness, and all of us play a vital role in helping young people find and achieve their dreams. Boys & Girls Clubs encourage all kids to BE GREAT by nurturing their self-esteem through instilling in them a sense of belonging, competence, power and influence, and usefulness.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of South Central Kansas do this daily by providing young people with caring adult professionals and fun, age-appropriate, well-rounded programming. The Club has been giving kids a better chance against problems such as gangs, street violence, and juvenile crime since 1990.
The first Boys & Girls Club in Wichita was our Oaklawn Unit and it opened in 1990 as the result of a partnership between the founding board, United Way of the Plains, Derby and Wichita School Districts, and several businesses. From the Oaklawn Unit, the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Central Kansas grew. In 2007, the Club expanded its presence in Northeast Wichita by opening the second stand-alone Clubhouse on Opportunity Drive. In September 2020, the Club added the Chautauqua site in partnership with Holy Savior Catholic Academy. In March 2022, the Club added two sites in partnership with the Maize School District at the new Intermediate Schools to serve 5th & 6th graders. We expanded our Maize presence is August 2022 by opening four more school based Club sites in Maize, along with six school based Club sites in Emporia. Our most recent expansion, we opened three school based Club sites in Derby in August 2023!
Boys & Girls Clubs provide a safe haven and stimulating environment for kids in our community. Youth development professionals provide guidance, support and supervision for age-appropriate group activities.
The Clubs do more than just give kids a place to go after-school and during the summer. They provide homework assistance and tutoring, art, reading, health education, character and leadership activities, science and technology and sports programs for every child interested in participating. Each program area focuses on the youth development strategy to instill in every child a sense of competence, belonging, power, influence, and usefulness.
Above all, the Boys & Girls Clubs are where great futures start!