On Wednesday, March 31, Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County hosted an Opening Celebration of the Smith and Moore Family Teen Center in Belle Glade, Fla. The new 13,000 square foot center is located at 341 SW 12th Street, Belle Glade, Fla. U.S. Sugar was the Presenting Sponsor for the ceremony, which included a ribbon-cutting and speeches from local dignitaries, Palm Beach County’s Youth of the Year and Boys & Girls Clubs of America President and CEO Jim Clark.
“We have opened the doors of a Club that will allow so many teens to experience new beginnings and a future that has no boundaries,” said the Honorable Danielle Moore. Moore and her mother, the Honorable Lesly Smith, donated the lead gift. “The Club members will receive academic support, preparation for post-secondary credentials, and be able to explore careers in the arts, science and technology, agriculture, culinary arts, construction trades and so much more,” continued Moore.
The Opening Celebration was the first chance for the community to see the Teen Center’s high-tech amenities such as Robotics Lab, Technology Center, Makers Space, Digital Media Center, Sound Studio and Culinary Kitchen. This world-class facility is a game-changer for youth in the Glades area by ensuring Club members graduate on time and with a plan for a post-secondary degree. This is the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County’s first career readiness center with a goal to create other teen centers throughout the county.
“As the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County celebrates our 50th year of service and the Smith & Moore Family Teen Center’s success, our vision is to continue to expand our career bound program which promotes and supports ‘on time’ high school graduation with a plan for the future,” said President and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County Jaene Miranda. “Our hope is to deliver dedicated ‘career incubator’ space at all Clubs that will allow teens to immerse themselves in high-growth industries through project-based learning and internships.”
The Smith & Moore Family Teen Center of Belle Glade was built with a successful $12 million capital and endowment campaign. The donations funded the construction of the building and an endowment that will provide a portion of future operational costs of the building to ensure that the Teen Center will never have to close. A new capital campaign has started to celebrate Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County’s 50th anniversary and expand the county’s Teen Center concept. If you are interested in making a donation towards this initiative, contact Mary O’Connor at moconnor@bgcpbc.org or 561-512-9706.
A community open house was held Saturday, April 3, with Florida Crystals acting as the Presenting Sponsor. Glades Central Community High School’s marching band kicked off the event with a parade on Martin Luther King Jr Blvd and ending at the new Teen Center.
