Old Navy Partners with Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence in Support of Summer Learning Initiative, Career Development for Teens

PROVIDENCE, RI – To help students avoid summer learning loss and remain on track with their education for the coming school year, Old Navy partnered with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence to deliver the innovative “Brain Gain” program at the organization’s Fox Point Clubhouse this summer. Along with Old Navy’s educational support, local associates will serve as career development mentors for Club members throughout the coming year.

Developed exclusively for Boys & Girls Clubs across the country, “Brain Gain” is comprised of six one-week modules with fun, themed activities for students of all ages. Each module takes a project-based learning approach to help students develop critical problem-solving and creative-thinking skills through discovery, imaginative expression, and group work. The initiative ran in 1,000 Clubs nationwide this summer.

In Rhode Island, students participated in learning modules with topics such as “Saving the World,” “Internet Safety,” and “What it means to Dream Big.” In “Saving the World,” for example, young students learned about the careers of those who help others, such as nurses, police officers and firefighters, while older students studied the positive impact of recycling on our environment while performing neighborhood clean-ups. In “What it means to Dream Big,” students were tasked with writing about what they’d like to be when they grow up with an emphasis on the importance of succeeding in school for their future. The program was run by Sarah Murray, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence’s Youth of the Year.

A resident of Providence, Sarah, 17, has been a Club Member for eight years and was valedictorian of this year’s senior class at Mt. Pleasant High School. She began working at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence three years ago through the Summer Youth Employment Program, later landing a year-round position. Having spent time in foster care, Sarah is particularly sensitive to issues related to bullying, poverty, and the need to persevere through obstacles. As the Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence’s Youth of the Year, Sarah traveled to New York City in early August to meet her fellow Youth of the Year nominees from around the country. Sarah will attend Rhode Island College in September with aspirations of becoming a pediatrician.

“The Boys & Girls Club has helped to make me the person I am today,” said Sarah. “Now that I have an opportunity to work with kids who come from similar circumstances as my own, I have a chance to give back to my community and be a positive role model in the lives of others—it’s extremely rewarding.”

In addition to supporting the “Brain Gain” summer learning program, Old Navy has partnered with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence to provide members with career development opportunities.

Throughout the coming year, local Old Navy associates will host youth from the Club’s Workforce Development program at their stores to educate them about careers in the retail industry. Old Navy will also use the Boys & Girls Club as a referral source when looking to fill open positions.

“Our ongoing partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs underscores our strong belief that everyone should have an opportunity to succeed, whatever their circumstance may be,” said Ivan Wicksteed, CMO of Old Navy.

About the Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence
The mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence is “to enable and inspire children and youth, especially those from diverse or difficult circumstances, to reach their full potential as productive and responsible members of their community.” For 145 years, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence have provided a safe and positive learning environment for youth in the neighborhoods where they live. For more information, visit www.bgcprov.org.

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