Wheeler Dowe

Education & Career Development

Power Hour:
Provides Club members ages 5-18 with homework help, tutoring, and high-yield learning activities and encourages members to become self-directed learners.

Career Launch:
Prepares Club teens ages 13-18 for the world of careers and work. Club team members and volunteers help teens build their job search skills and job readiness by using the CareerLaunch Facilitator Guide and working with teens individually or in small groups.

Money Matters:
Promotes financial responsibility and independence for Club members ages 13-18. The program helps Club members to learn financial literacy, so they can make good financial decisions as adults.

Health & Lifestyles

SMART Moves:
The SMART Moves (Skills Mastery and Resilience Training) is a prevention and education program that addresses problems such as alcohol, tobacco, and premature sexual activity. The program features engaging, interactive, small group activities that increases peer support, enhances life skills and strengthens leadership ability.

Healthy Habits:
Designed to incorporate healthy living and active learning in every part of the Club Experience, Healthy Habits emphasizes good nutrition, regular physical activity and improving overall well-being. The program is the Mind component of Triple Play: A Game Plan for the Mind, Body and Soul.

Character & Leadership Development

Youth of the Year:
A youth recognition program for Club members. The program promotes and celebrates service to Club, community, and family; academic performance; moral character; life goals; and poise and public speaking ability.

Keystone Club:
A chartered leadership and service Club for boys and girls ages 14-18. Keystoners elect officers and implement activities in six areas: service to Club and community character and leadership development, education and career exploration, unity, free enterprise and social recreation.

Torch Club:
Torch Clubs are chartered, small-group character and leadership clubs for boys and girls ages 11 to 13. Torch Club is a “club within the Club,” helping to meet the special character-development needs of younger adolescents at a critical stage in their life.

The Arts

Lyricism 101:
Encourages artistic expression among Club members through the music of hip-hop culture and the culture of the cipher.

Image Makers National Photography Program:
Encourages Club members to learn and practice various forms of photography.

MusicMakers:
Promotes Club members natural love of music and increases their appreciation of this art form while building their skills so they can express themselves using instruments such as guitar or drums.

Art Room:
Our five Club units house art rooms for Club members to express themselves artistically thought drawing, painting, crafts, and more.

Sports, Fitness, and Recreation

ALL STARS:
All Stars is an organized league sports and recreation program offering flag football, basketball, and soccer for youth ages 6-18. ALL STARS aims to increase opportunities for physical activity, social interaction, and recognition through high-quality structured sports programming

Triple Play:
Triple Play is a dynamic wellness program that demonstrates how eating right, keeping fit and forming positive relationships add up to a healthy lifestyle. Triple Play takes a holistic approach to health and wellness in three key areas:

Mind:
Helps Club members develop a knowledge base to acquire healthy habits, such as making smart food choices, understanding appropriate portion sizes and creating fun and balanced meals.

Body:
Encourages young people to be physically active through fun daily fitness, including games and activities to get them moving. Daily fitness challenges give youth of every age a chance to play longer and harder at a variety of games.

Soul:
Provides social recreation programs and activities that strengthen interpersonal skills, foster good character and develop positive relationships and cooperation among young people. Club youth acquire a healthy self-concept and belief in their self-worth, and cope well with positive and adverse situations.

Gamesroom:
A place where kids can play board and table games, compete in a tournament, or learn a new activity with friends. The room is filled with pool tables, air hockey, ping pong, and a variety of other games.

Aquatic Program:
Two of our Club Units (Wheeler-Dowe and Keenan-Stahl) have indoor pools, offering members the opportunity to learn to swim as well as enjoy water fitness activities.

Outreach Programs

Evening Reporting Center and Juvenile Diversion Programs:
Youth in these Outreach Programs are referred to our Clubs by IMPD, Marion County Family Court, Juvenile Probation, or the Prosecutors Office in an effort to reduce recidivism, prevent the costly removal of juveniles from their homes and communities, and engage youth in programs that will lead to increased academic success and community involvement.

The ERC and Diversion programs provide intensive supervision, educational support programs, community engagement activities, recreation, and Restorative Justice based programs designed to encourage youth to avoid risky behaviors and decrease impulsivity. Programs are led by full-time Case Managers who also conduct monthly Family Activities and Volunteer Opportunities for our youth.

Image Makers National Photography Program:
The Pivot Re-Engagement Center is designed to provide recreational programming for young men and women between the ages of 16-24, who are not enrolled in school and are not employed, with the long-term goal of building positive, mentor-like relationships and engaging them in High School Equivalency (HSE) or job placement programs.

The Pivot Re-Engagement Center is located at the Finish Line Boys & Girls Club, during non-Club hours. During the school year, Re-Engagement Center hours are 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. When school is not in session, and the Club is open during daytime hours, the Re-Engagement Center program is offered during the evening, from 7:00 – 11:00 p.m. The Pivot Re-Engagement Center offers recreational opportunities for participants including open gym for basketball, and activities in the gamesroom including pool tables, ping pong , video games and more. Second Helpings provides lunch/dinner for participants each day, and program partners are available to provide literacy, HSE, employment and other programs, as well as referrals for additional services.

College and Career Readiness:
Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis provides College and Career Readiness programs for Club members ages 12 and up our five Clubhouses around the city. These programs help our Junior High/Middle School and High School students explore various jobs and careers and plan for their futures. The College and Career Readiness program allows teens to participate in College Tours, assists with college applications, financial aid and scholarship opportunities, and collaborates with local employers to help youth develop entry-level work skills and explore employment opportunities.

Funders/Partners: Lauter Family, Taco Bell Foundation for Teens, Lumina Foundation, Navient, Finish Line Youth Foundation

James R. East Scholarship Program:
Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis boasts the largest endowed Scholarship Fund of any Boys & Girls Club organization in the country. With over 20 named and endowed scholarships, BGCI is able to award over $200,000 in awards each year. To be eligible, young people must have been a member of an Indianapolis Boys & Girls Club for at least 3 years, and must have proof of acceptance into a vocational, technical, 2-year or 4-year program, college or university.