The phrase Boys and Girls Club is empty without the word "club," which takes on a variety of meanings. Webster's Dictionary defines "club" as "a group of persons organized together for a common purpose." As a young kid growing up in a single-parent home with a mother working the evening shift, "club" meant a lot to my life. It meant a positive place to attend after school in an environment surrounded by people who cared. Involvement in this club also gave me a chance to give something back.  

Upon arriving home each evening after elementary school, I would run into the house to put my things away, and then I would be on my way to the Boys & Girls Club. What would I have done if the Club did not exist? Perhaps stay at home and admire the drug dealers who stood on the street corners. Maybe even take items from others that did not belong to me. The list of negative activities I could have been involved in could continue. Though my mother taught my brother, sisters, and me right form wrong, the best kids sometimes get mixed up with the wrong crowd. In my case, I was able to take a detour around these negatives by attending the Boy & Girls Club. This place provided an atmosphere of total positiveness. I was greatly encouraged by every aspect of the Club. Looking back on the many influences on my life, the Club ranks at the top.  

The positive environment of the Boys & Girls Club would not have been possible without the caring individuals who were employed there. The staff never let me settle for less than my best. To illustrate this point, a certain staff member took me under his wing. When I first began attending the Club, my intentions were solely to play basketball. This certain staff member would stay after hours to help me improve my basketball skills. On one unexpected day, he told me that in order for me to continue to play basketball or any sport, I would have to work harder in the classroom. The concept of getting good grades consistently was difficult for me to grasp. I had never been a very good student. In fact, I previously had to repeat the first grade. So to hear that I had to do better in school overwhelmed me. After that conversation, I knew that I had to work harder. Soon after, my grades came up, and I even made the honor roll. I do not believe this would have been possible without being motivated by this certain staff member at the Boys & Girls Club.  

The most significant thing that the Club has given me is and opportunity to give back to kids who are less fortunate than others. By less fortunate I mean not having positive role models in their lives to let them know that they are of importance in this world. Kids should be told that they are special and can succeed. To see a child smile when I come in his presence means more to me than any amount of money. I know then I have helped another person just as I was once helped.   

Club can have many meanings, but not many can extend beyond what the Boys & Girls Club of Conway has meant to my life. A positive place to attend, caring individuals, and an opportunity to give back to others is what the word "club," in Boys & Girls Club, means to me.