August 2016

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County was proclaimed the National Champion for the Zero Robotics National Competition for Middle Schools. The competition took place on August 12 at the Kennedy Space Center in Titusville, FL. The team from the Marjorie S. Fisher Boys & Girls Club entered the competition as the state champion, accompanied by The Naoma Donnelley Haggin Club of Delray Beach who had placed third, as their consulting team. A total of 12 teams across the country competed for the national title and Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County was the only Boys & Girls Clubs to enter this competition in the entire state of Florida. The organization had a total of four teams enter the competition with two of the teams placing in the top three at the state level.

As the nation’s No. 1 advocate for youth, BGCA has set bold goals to enable more kids to achieve a great future, including logging 4 billion hours of physical activity from Club kids and teens by 2018. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County decided to take up the challenge and on August 4, 2016, they had the first summer national fitness competition at Pioneer Park Elementary School in Belle Glade, FL. Over 350 Club members from Boca Raton, Wellington, West Palm Beach, Delray, Riviera Beach, and Belle Glade attended the event. The event was organized by the teen members and included an array of activities and presentations throughout the day. The objective of the National Fitness Challenge is to enable Clubs to host fitness competitions for kids and teen members, encourage a competitive spirit, and challenge members to achieve tangible fitness goals that will lead to healthy lifestyles.

Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center in Wellington has extended their Taking the Reins program to the Club members of Boys & Girls Clubs of Wellington throughout the summer as part of summer camp activities. This program utilizes horses to help develop communication and learning skills by highlighting the importance of listening, exercising clear communication, and building trusting relationships.

The Marjorie S. Fisher Club of West Palm Beach will be representing the state of Florida in the Zero Robotics National Competition for Middle Schools as the state winners. The National competition will take place on August 12 at the Kennedy Space Center in Titusville, FL. The Naoma Donnelley Haggin Club of Delray Beach placed third in the competition and will be accompanying the Marjorie S. Fisher team to the national competition as a consulting team.