Boys & Girls Club Of Pasadena Launches Summer Camp For Over 600 Local Youth

Boys & Girls Club of Pasadena will open its doors Monday for “Camp Great Futures: The Ultimate Journey,” an eight-week summer program serving more than 600 children and youth from the greater Pasadena area.

The camp represents the organization’s effort to create meaningful summer experiences for local kids ages 5-18 following recent community challenges like the pandemic and the Eaton Fire.

“After everything that kids in our community have been through, we are looking forward to creating fun and joyful memories for them this summer,” said Lisa Cavelier, CEO of Boys & Girls Club of Pasadena, in a statement issued Wednesday. “We think this summer is a critical one for so many kids, so we are taking summer fun very seriously!”

The camp will operate from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, at the organization’s two Pasadena clubhouses.

For the first time, the club has designed programming around weekly themes including Prehistoric Park, Space Academy, and Medieval Quest, with weekly field trips as part of the experience.

Campers will participate in STEM and technology projects, gym sports, dance, age-appropriate mindfulness practices, and hands-on learning activities, according to the press release. Swimming and swimming lessons will be featured prominently, with the club having a beautiful pool at each of its clubhouses, full of kids from morning until evening.

The program will run in two four-week sessions, beginning June 9 and ending Aug. 1.

Staff preparation has been extensive, Cavelier said.

“Our team members are busy transforming our Clubhouses into magical spaces for exploration, adventure, and learning,” Cavelier said in the release. “And they have been participating in trainings on kid and Clubhouse safety and youth development best practices, too — important priorities for us at Boys & Girls Club of Pasadena.”

Boys & Girls Club of Pasadena has served the community since 1937 and annually works with more than 2,000 youth ages 5-18. The organization focuses on Academic Success, Healthy Lifestyle, and Good Character and Leadership. The club experience fills the gap between school and home year-round, providing a welcoming, safe and positive environment in which kids and teens have fun, participate in life-changing programs, make friends and find encouragement with caring adults.

The organization operates the Slavik Branch on East Del Mar Boulevard and the Mackenzie-Scott Branch on North Fair Oaks Avenue, while also serving students and families of Odyssey Charter Schools.

Families seeking additional information about the camp can visit https://www.bgcpasadena.org/camp-great-futures or contact Lisa Cavelier at (626) 449-9100.