Boys & Girls Clubs of America Hosts Teen Town Hall to Discuss Violence and School Dropout Rates Among Our Nation's Teens

Event Includes a Call to Action to Presidential Contenders to Address These Key Issues

LOS ANGELES, April 1, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) announced a national initiative to ignite conversations about the issues faced by America's youth in our local communities. The initiative will include a series of local Teen Town Hall Meetings in communities all over the country and a website www.myclubmylife.com where teens and experts discuss a variety of issues ranging from high school dropout rates to crime and violence.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080331/BGCA )

The kick-off event was a Teen Town Hall Meeting in Los Angeles that brought together a group of teen experts and Club alumni, including film star Nate Parker from "The Great Debaters;" nationally renowned criminologist Dr. James Alan Fox; parenting expert and author Dr. Michele Borba; Mildred Lopez, Associate Director of Gang Reduction and Youth Development for the City of Los Angeles; Demetrice Tuttle, BGCA's National Youth of the Year; Brittny Cantero, BGCA's Southwest Youth of the Year; Judith J. Pickens, SVP of BGCA, and a panel of articulate teens.

The purpose of the initiative is to give America's youth the skills and the motivation they need to reach their full potential, while protecting them from crime, violence, drugs and other problems they face every day. As a part of the campaign, BGCA intends to reach out to the Presidential candidates, to share what today's teens have to say about the issues facing our country.

A national online survey of some 1,100 Boys & Girls Club members and other young people (11-18 years old) from around the country revealed that education, drug abuse, teen pregnancy, and limited employment opportunities were among the most pressing issues facing America's young people today. The survey underscores the view that the millennial face problems as diverse and complex as any previous generation - with weightier consequences and fewer safety nets at home and in the community.

Without community involvement, these issues too often go unaddressed, leaving young people to face them alone. Boys & Girls Clubs of America is helping young people find solutions to these problems in a positive environment where they can readily connect with caring adults.

"Today's teens are concerned about real issues affecting their personal health and safety as well as that of their families," said Senior Vice President for Programs and Youth Development Services for BGCA, Judith J. Pickens. "Boys & Girls Clubs of America is launching these town hall events because today's teens want their voices to be heard. We hope the Presidential candidates are listening."

In the survey, more than 50 percent of respondents think their school has a problem with bullying. In addition, 22 percent know of students that regularly carry weapons, and 28 percent have been offered drugs while at school.

Less than a third of students surveyed felt very happy with their schools, and more than 25 percent felt afraid to go to school. Boys & Girls Clubs create the kind of safe and productive environment these young people need, according to the survey, with almost 70 percent of respondents saying they feel very safe at their local Club.

One third of respondents indicated that making sure young people are well-educated was the most important issue facing our country. At the same time, only 15 percent believe that elected officials care about their issues.

"These survey results demonstrate that today's young people are more concerned than ever about pressing issues affecting their daily lives, and will look for the Presidential candidates to address them," said Pickens. "It also shows that young people do not see their local leaders and elected officials taking strong enough action to improve conditions."

After the event, full survey results along with insights from the Teen Town Hall Meeting will be sent to each of the Presidential candidates so they can make these concerns part of their campaigns.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America has launched a website www.MyClubMyLife.com where teens have the opportunity to comment about the issues they find most pressing. The website will remain active throughout 2008 with the intent that - while these young people can't yet vote - they can certainly present their points of view which should be of interest to our communities and our country's elected officials.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America

Boys & Girls Clubs of America (www.bgca.org) comprises a national network of more than 4,000 neighborhood-based facilities, with 4.8 million youth served through Club membership and community outreach, in all 50 states and on U.S. military bases worldwide. Known as "The Positive Place for Kids," the Clubs provide guidance-oriented character development programs on a daily basis for children 6-18 years old, conducted by a full-time professional staff. Key Boys & Girls Club programs emphasize leadership development, education and career exploration, financial literacy, health and life skills, the arts, sports, fitness and recreation, and family outreach. National headquarters are located in Atlanta.

The Teen Town Hall initiative is part of Boys & Girls Clubs of America's Impact 2012 campaign, aimed at deepening the impact of the organization on the youth it serves -- through more than 5,000 Clubs by 2012 -- and to achieving specific, measurable outcomes in academic achievement, life aspirations and juvenile crime reduction in every community served.