To recognize the hard work and determination of more than 50 Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County graduating members, GL Homes hosted a graduation celebration dinner at Duffy’s Sports Grill located in North Palm Beach, Fla. on Tuesday, May 10.  Club members were recognized for beating the odds and achieving a much higher graduation rate than other Florida seniors. Over the past few years, Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County members have earned a 98% graduation rate, while the state average last year was 90% and 91% for Palm Beach County students. The graduation rate is even lower for minority students across the state. The latest statistics from the Florida Department of Education show only an 87% graduation rate for Black/African American students and 90% for Hispanic/Latino students.

“GL Homes is proud to honor the hard work of all graduating seniors, but we are especially impressed with Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County members,” said GL Homes’ Senior Director of Community Relations Sarah Alsofrom. “The pandemic has been difficult for most students due to such obstacles as distance learning, and for these teens to flourish when the odds were stacked against them is truly impressive. GL Homes feels their accomplishments should be celebrated.”

Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County operates seven teen centers and four high school Clubs throughout the area. 110 certified teachers work inside the Clubs to help Club members stay on track academically and graduate on time. The extra academic help has been crucial as many students struggle to catch up after distance learning challenges that disproportionally impact Club members.

“Academic success is a key priority outcome for our organization, and it is only achieved through significant investments in programming and hard work by our Club members,” said Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County’s President & CEO Jaene Miranda. “Our vision is to provide a world-class Club experience that assures success is within reach of every young person who walks through our doors, with all members on track to graduate from high school with a plan for the future. When you factor in that more than 95% of our Club members live at or below the federal poverty level, we believe a focus on a child’s academic success is crucial to help end generational poverty in Palm Beach County.”

In 2021, 93% of graduating Club members attended college, a post-secondary degree-granting program or military service. This year is no different, with Club members preparing to go to such schools as Howard University, Florida A&M, Palm Beach Atlantic University, Florida Atlantic University, Palm Beach State College and many more.

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