Club Professionals Emily Murray, Elena Mendoza, Ashlyn Strahle, Pamela Estes and Club Board Members Dorene Butler, from the Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach, receive the prestigious Merit Award for Program Excellence in the arts from April Hawkins [third from the right in the picture) program director, MetLife Foundation. The award was recently presented during Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s 105th National Conference in New Orleans, La. Merit Awards for Program Excellence, which are sponsored by MetLife Foundation, are presented annually for outstanding programs developed and implemented in Boys & Girls Clubs across the country and come with a $2,000 award. Each year, hundreds of entries are submitted in the five core program areas: character and leadership development; education and career development; health and life skills; the arts; and sports, fitness and recreation.
The Art Room at the Club offers daily artistic opportunities that encourage creative interpretation, creative problem solving, and character development through personal expression. The Art Room is a fun place for kids to express themselves, learn, and grow.
The Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach provides of 30 engaging program opportunities for 1,500 boys and girls each year. The Boys and Girls Clubs in Laguna Beach is open Monday-Friday after school until 7 pm. Parents interested in having their children join the Club or for a full schedule of programs and services please call the Boys & Girls Club branches or visit us at www.bgclagunabeach.org.
About MetLife Foundation
MetLife Foundation was established by MetLife in 1976 to carry on its longstanding tradition of corporate contributions and community involvement. Grants support education, health, civic and cultural programs. In youth development, the Foundation funds initiatives that promote mentoring and promote safe places and constructive activities for young people, particularly during out-of-school time. The Foundation has awarded almost $7 million to Boys & Girls Clubs of America for youth development programs, including sponsorship of the Honor Awards program for 26 years. For more information about the Foundation, visit www.metlife.org.
