What the Boys & Girls Club of Dayton means to me
My name is Olivia and I am in the fifth grade at Horizon Science Academy. Math is my favorite subject. I live in Dayton with my dad, my grandma, and my older brother. My grandma and my dad want us to have the best school and the best place to go after school, so in the summer, my brother and I are members of the Boys & Girls Club of Dayton. I really love the club.
My dad works making Crocs, and before COVID my grandma worked, too. She wanted us to have a safe and fun place to go after school, where they help me with my homework and I could meet new friends and learn new things like coding and physical fitness. I first started to come to the club when I was in third grade, and after we heard that we could come back after the COVID break, we asked to come back.
I was so excited to come back to the club. Sitting in the house during 2020 was so boring. I couldn’t wait to come back to the club so I could get out of the house and because I can have fun there. I learn lots of things at the club, too. I also like having help with my homework in person, because virtual school isn’t as good for me. For me, it is better to have a teacher in front of you, because with virtual you have to go to lots of sites and no one is there to really help you.
During spring break we had STEM camp, and I learned about coding and robotics. We have fun, too. At the club, after we finish our homework, we can get free time in the gym. I love the game room, and we play games together. I like to play basketball in the gym. I like to make new friends and I love to talk to my friends.
I know that the people at the Boys & Girls Club of Dayton are helping me learn things so I can be a singer when I grow up. They’ve taught me that I can choose other ways to handle myself when I get mad. So now when I get mad and have a hard time, I draw. I really, really love it there, and it’s important to have a club for the kids in my neighborhood. With the club, I know I am going to have a great future.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Dayton makes it possible for me to have a safe and fun place to be after school so I can finish my homework, make friends, learn about coding, have dinner, play games and do other cool things like robotics. My dad, my grandma, my brother and I are so grateful for the Boys & Girls Club and all they have done for me and other kids in West Dayton. Boys & Girls Clubs matter to kids like me, so please support clubs so we have to keep them going.