West Orange After School Programs

Where We Operate:

The West Orange Community House and Boys & Girls Club operates most of the After School programs in West Orange.  For more than a decade we have been growing and expanding our programs throughout the town.  Currently we are operating in 5 of the 7 elementary schools in West Orange and hope to one day operate in all 7.  We also fund an enrichment program at the Liberty Middle School and may even open a program, once again, at the Edison Middle School.   

What Makes Us Different:

What makes us different from other after school programs? We like to re-invest in our programs to offer our kids a well rounded experience.  While we are not an Enrichment program, we offer enrichment components at each site plus pizza parties, special visitors like Great Scott the Magician, and extended care till 6pm for those parents who work late.  

Enrichment Activities:

Some of our enrichment programs include fun foods, arts and crafts, step team, architect club, theater, talent shows, lego club, robotics, clay modeling, crazy crafts, all-sports, basketball drills, etc.  While we do not run all of these enrichment activities at each site, we would consider implementing them by request.

Boys & Girls Club Programs:

Because we are a Boys & Girls Club as well, we have also facilitated powerful programs like the Power Hour Homework Club, Smart Moves (drug prevention, healthy habit classes, self esteem building activities, and anti-bullying workshops),  Project Learn (encouraging High Yield Learning Activities), Mind Matters, Torch Club, Key Club,  Triple Play, and The Presidents Fitness Challenge.  Each year we focus on a few of these powerful programs to to aid in the development of our members educationally, physically, and socially.

What's Next?  

While we operate out of the West Orange Community House we do not have the space we need to open our facility as a drop in center for teens.  We currently run a few evening programs like Step-Team and Tae Kwon Do, we are very limited to the programs we can offer the community.  Here's some exciting news though!  The West Orange Community House purchased a large building next door a few years ago but it is still under renovation.

The Vision:

The vision of actually opening a large recreational (indoor) space to children and teens who really need a safe place to go on evening and weekends will be a reality by hopefully 2014.  Adults will be able to benefit from this center as well.  The following are just a few activities that we will be able to offer with this space; indoor soccer, basketball, baseball and batting practice, karate, all types of physical activities, Zumba classes,  organizational events....The possibilities are endless.  Unfortunately it will still take a few years to raise the funds to complete the project, but we look forward to when it does open. 

If you haven't visited our website, please do at http://www.bgcwo.org .  You can see pictures and videos of our programs in action!  Thank you for being such a big part in supporting us, supporting the children in West Orange.