No Longer statistics

Darryl Smith, program director of the Anderson Boys and Girls Club in Marietta, says they are empowering the youth of Marietta and molding successes, not more statistics. When referring to the club mission statement, he says they take children from disadvantaged circumstances and give them a sense of competence by always teaching them something new, a sense of usefulness when they show them to do things such as recycle cans, a sense of belonging by giving each child a membership card, and a sense of influence by taking time to listen to each child.

And it seems to be working. The Marietta city school population is notoriously transient, with one school averaging a 100 percent turnover rate in one year. However, Anderson Club executive director, Sharon Mapp, says that 25 percent of the 18-year-olds who graduate from high school and the club have been members of it since they were six years old. Smith says they have families who move out of the area but whose children continue to attend the club’s after-school programs, even if it means they must make a lengthy commute. For Marietta city residents, the school system provides bus transportation to the club after school hours. An annual membership to a club is just $25 and scholarships are available. According to the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Atlanta Web site, the “organization relies upon private, corporate and United Way funding to fill the gap between membership dues and operational expenses.”

The club also caters to teens up to 18 years. Smith says they are not just a recreation center, but also a “youth development agency. We’re like potters.” Teens have their own “Teen Center” with a workout room and computer lab. They hold conferences, like the Girls Power Summit, to help the teens to voice their concerns and build relationships with each other and the staff.

According to Mapp, in the past five to six years the club’s membership has become more diverse with about 65 percent black, 25 percent Hispanic, and the remainder white or other races. Mapp says, “We don’t care what color you are, we want you to be part of our club.” The current membership is 480 and Mapp says their goal is to have 650 members by August. Last year, the Anderson Club opened a satellite campus on Franklin Road in Marietta. According to Jorge Del Angel, Franklin Road club program director, out of approximately 64 members, there are about 20 Hispanic members who attend their club. Their goal is to have a Hispanic membership of 75 percent. Two of the five staff members speak Spanish and are able to serve the Hispanic members. Del Angel, who is originally from Mexico City and is fluent in Spanish, says Hispanics trust other Hispanics and, therefore, he has been able to recruit more of them. However, recruiting Hispanics has been difficult. The Anderson Club recently held a soccer clinic, hoping to attract at least 100 Hispanic children, and passed out Spanish-written flyers door-to-door in the five-mile radius the club serves. Only 30 children participated. It had rained the day before and the field was wet, but as Hispanic resident, Rosia Ponce, believes, it is very difficult to engage Hispanics in the community due to cultural differences, the language barrier and a fear of organizations from residents who are not legal citizens. Their best hope for spreading the word, Smith believes, is when Hispanics see other Hispanics involved.