Oh, The Places They'll Go

The more that you read,

The more things you will know.

The more that you learn,

The more places you’ll go.

~ Dr. Seuss

Recognizing how great the need was, BGCSEGA stepped up and made the move to expand the services they already offer to encompass an early literacy program. They jumped right in and worked with the schools to get a curriculum, open a new site for the Early Literacy Academy at 1805 I Street, and establish a library on site supported by the Marshes of Glynn Libraries. With a stated mission “to provide the foundation for all children to have successful academic careers and become lifelong readers through empowering families and communities with individualized instruction and measurable results,” they began enrolling children in July of 2020. According to Dolan, most of the children they serve are enrolled in FACES and Head Start programs. They now have approximately 77 children a day participating in the Early Literacy Academy. And even more impressive, Dolan shares, “We are the only Boys & Girls Club in the nation doing it.”

Most importantly, now five years in, they have the numbers from test scores to show that the program is successful. Glynn County Schools have been tracking the Early Literacy Academy students’ Lexile measures and report that their reading skills far exceed those of their counterparts who are not participating in the program. There is nothing more satisfying that seeing children actively enjoying books and knowing that this investment in their future has been proven to work, providing them with skills essential to their success later in life. Events like Literacy on the Lawn with storybook characters visiting and reading to children are teaching them that learning can be fun.

Geri Lynn Mullis, Executive Director at Marshes of Glynn Libraries, also expressed her excitement about the success of the BGCSEGA Early Literacy Academy and the libraries’ involvement in the program. She’s proud of the “satellite library” (known by the library as a book deposit”) that they maintain at the Early Literacy Academy. The children also come to the library regularly for storytime sessions and the library staff also does some outreach programs with the ELA students. It’s a wonderful working partnership that pays off in big benefits for the children and helps encourage them to be lifetime learners.

If you’re interested in getting your children involved with the Early Literacy Academy or other Boys & Girls Club of Southeast Georgia programs, you don’t have to wait until fall, start now! The Olympics are the theme for this year’s Summer Camp program and enrollment is open for all. With daily field trips that include library storytimes, and planned activities that include art, weekly reading activities, outdoor recreation, games, sports, STEM & Technology, Summer Brain Gain Activities, indoor games, and other mentor activities, they’re going for the gold! Learn more and find registration forms at bgcsega.com.