52 Boys & Girls Teen Club Members took part in The Annual Summer College Tour this past summer. The members traveled to 4 different universities in 3 different cities within the state of Florida. Their first stop was in Tallahassee where they visited 2 different universities, Florida State University and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. They then headed to Daytona Beach to tour Bethune Cookman University, then finally made their last stop in Orlando at the University of Central Florida. The trip was an overall success with the help and dedication of 13 staff chaperones making it engaging and impactful.

“Months of coordination and preparation were essential, to ensure every teen member’s experience was rememberable,” stated Chilondra Sheppard, Senior Career Bound Director for Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County.

The tours are guided by the university staff and or Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County alumni of the touring university.  A large intentional component of the tour was adequate informal time, which was spent on questions regarding student life, financial aid, and the admission process. The ultimate goal of the college tour is to expose the teens to what the next 4 years will look like at each university.

Career Bound encourages post-secondary planning and college touring because it provides an opportunity to experience what environment they will need to thrive in when it’s time to leave the comforts of home and gain independence. This program helps alleviate some of the stress that comes with deciding where to attend college by ensuring that each member is educated on each university.