Boys & Girls Club the topic at Monday's Democratic luncheon
Submitted by Carson Now Reader on Sat, 02/10/2024 - 7:11am
Event Date:
February 12, 2024 - 1:00pm Speaking at Monday's Democratic luncheon will be Matt Sampson, Director of Operations at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Nevada. Sampson has been involved with the Boys & Girls Club for more than two decades.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Nevada serve more than 2,500 youth each year in Carson City and the Carson Valley. The club offers youth programming in core areas, including character, leadership, sports, healthy lifestyles, the arts, STEM, and education, offering free tutoring for students after school.
In 2018 and 2019, Matt was selected to be one of fifteen Afterschool Ambassadors for the Afterschool Alliance, a national public awareness and advocacy nonprofit dedicated to increasing the availability of afterschool programs.
Ambassadors meet with lawmakers and lobbyists on Capitol Hill, then meet privately with their own state’s elected officials. Sampson met with Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, who later took a tour of our facility.
According to the Afterschool Alliance, Nevada’s afterschool programs serve more than 9,500 children statewide through its 21st Century Learning Centers. These programs support academic enrichment activities, drug and violence prevention programs, career and technical programs, art, music, STEM, physical activity and nutrition programs.
In 2018 Matt Sampson talked with the press about his experience. “Last year Ambassadors from across the country met in Washington for training. This year we are laying the groundwork with our elected representatives from Congress to show the importance of afterschool programming and its impact on our children, our families, and our communities.”
Senator Cortez Masto was greatly impressed by what she saw here. “During the recess, I met with some of the volunteers, kids and teens at the Boys and Girls Club in Carson City,” said Cortez Masto. “That tour was so impressive and it showed me just how much of an impact they’re having serving thousands of young people and teaching life skills in leadership, leading healthy lives, the arts and STEM education in a fun and inclusive environment. I will continue to work with the Boys & Girls Club to ensure our kids and teens have the mentorship, support, and resources they need to succeed.”
For every one child in an afterschool program, there are two more whose parents say they would participate if such a program existed. Unmet demand in rural areas is especially high. One in five students in the United States today is unsupervised afterschool.
Bus transportation is available from Carson City and some Carson Valley schools to club locations. For more information, parents can contact the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Nevada at 775-882-8820 or at www.bgcwn.org.
This event is scheduled for 1:00 PM on Monday, February 12th, and can be attended either in person at Black Bear Diner, inside Max Casino, or online via Zoom. Matt's presentation will begin after all the lunch orders have been taken, around 1:30. Those wishing to be on distribution for luncheon Zoom links should contact Rich Dunn at richdunn@aol.com.
- boys & girls club
- Carson City
- 21st Century Learning Centers
- after school
- Afterschool Alliance
- Afterschool Ambassador
- arts
- Black Bear Diner
- Community
- Cortez Masto
- Democratic luncheon
- Director of Operations
- February 12th
- Health
- Leadership
- Matt Sampson
- Max Casino
- mentor
- Monday
- STEM
- tutoring
- Zoom
- Carson Valley
