Press Journal
Opinion
Page A6, Saturday, May 17, 2008
CLUBS FOR GROWTH: Boys & Girls Clubs in Florida are paying dividends to the state.
Comparing
the academic and behavioral performance of club members with other
students from the same public schools, Florida TaxWatch found that the
club members:
- Posted bigger gains in reading and math.
- Had lower rates of absenteeism at all grade levels.
- Dropped out less often.
These
findings are especially impressive since club members were
disproportionately low-income (68 percent qualifying for free or
reduced-price lunches vs. 52 percent in the comparison group) and the
percentage of black club members was more than twice the state average
(49 percent vs.
23 percent).
By staying in school and
staying out of trouble, members of Boys & Girls Clubs become more
productive citizens who impose lower social-service costs on society,
said TaxWatch and its research partner, MGT of America.
Factoring
in 11,293 additional high-school graduates the state would have had in
the 2006 school year if Florida’s over-all droupout rate had been as
low as it was for club members, TaxWatch calculated a collective $78.3
million in increased annual earnings and $157 million in lifetime
Medicaid cost savings.
Because those figures don’t include
prospective costs for incarceration, drug treatment and other negative
social impacts, TaxWatch’s computations may be considered conservative,
actually understating the benefits of Boys & Girls Clubs in our
communities.
President & CEO Wins National Award
President
& CEO Ronnie Hewett was honored with the National
Executive of the Year award at the Boys & Girls Clubs national
conference. He was selected from among over 1,300 Boys & Girls Club
CEO’s across the country. Mr. Hewett joined the Boys & Girls Clubs
of Indian River County as its President & CEO in 2005 and has been
in the Boys & Girls Clubs movement for 38 years.
