The Boys & Girls Club in Clarksville starts a programming academy
After years of effort, the Boys & Girls Club of Middle Tennessee has announced that a club is finally coming to Clarksville.
The youth of Clarksville will soon have another place to learn, have fun and be mentored as the Boys & Girls Club of Middle Tennessee expands to Clarksville next summer.
Democratic Rep. Ronnie Glynn of Clarksville, who was behind the initiative for a new location in Clarksville, said efforts to open a Boys & Girls Club in the city began more than a year ago.
“After months of community engagement and a comprehensive needs assessment process conducted in partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee, it is clear that there is a great need for a Boys & Girls Club in the Clarksville area,” said Glynn.
When community leaders came together to support a club in Clarksville, the organization began to take shape with the help of Montgomery County Mayor Wes Golden, Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts’ office, and Clarksville-Montgomery County Schools and Task Force Chair Deidre Ward.
Thanks to the work of the Task Force and the GCMT, as well as the support of the BGCA, plans are currently being made to establish a club in Clarksville.
“We are incredibly excited about this expansion,” said Eric Higgs, CEO of BGCMT. “Our goal is to provide the youth and families of Clarksville with resources, support and opportunities that will put them on the path to a great future.”
Ward, who was also instrumental in developing the expansion agreement, expressed similar enthusiasm about the club and the positive impact it can have on youth and families in the Clarksville area.
“I am so excited to be working with BGCMT,” said Ward. “Our task force has put in hundreds of hours of work and submitted numerous reports to get us to where we are now, establishing our own BGC here in Clarksville. Thank you to BGCMT and our entire team in Clarksville.”
As a grandfather of 11 children and a mentor of the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, Glynn wanted to ensure that the expansion would benefit the youth of Clarksville.
“It only made sense that I would do the right thing and get this thing where it belongs so that we can keep the children of our community where they need to be, having something to do, having a place to go and getting the care they need,” Glynn said.
Although the Boys and Girls Club is not expected to open until summer 2025, the organization is already leaving its mark on the community.
Community engagement begins
Last week, the Boys and Girls Club at Kenwood Middle School hosted a Code Academy for children ages 8-18, teaching them the fundamentals of coding and app design through a hands-on learning experience.
“It’s exciting to bring a Boys & Girls Club of Middle Tennessee clubhouse to Clarksville,” said Susannah Shumate, the organization’s chief development officer. “We want to serve the young people of Montgomery County and have already begun our new Code Academy. Our mission is to empower all young people – especially those who need us most – to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens.”
“We look forward to doing just that in the Queen City.”
For Glynn, seeing the club one step closer to opening and not just being a talking point is a step forward in mentoring the next generation.
“I’m committed to taking care of the community, taking care of our children, making sure our children have everything they need because they are our people,” Glynn said. “If we don’t take care of them now, we’re not leaving them with what they need to be successful in the future.”
The Boys & Girls Club will be holding community meetings in Clarksville this summer until the new club officially opens.
These meetings provide an opportunity for residents to learn about the plans for the Clarksville site and share their ideas and support.
Kenya Anderson is a reporter for The Leaf-Chronicle. She can be contacted at [email protected] or at X at . kenyaanderson32. Subscribe to the Leaf Chronicle to support local journalism at theleafchronicle.com.
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