Weekly Media Roundup: March 17, 2021

Greater New Orleans, Baton Rouge Boys & Girls Clubs Merge into Regional Chapter to Increase Reach, The Advocate (Louisiana)

The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Baton Rouge and the Boys & Girls Club of Southeast Louisiana are merging into one larger organization, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Louisiana. “This merger gives us the opportunity to serve more kids and develop deeper programming,” Pat Van Burkleo, president and CEO of the new organization, told the Advocate. “Combining our forces will enable us to scale our best practices, streamline operations and be more cost-efficient — all to serve and support more kids.” The new organization has already raised nearly $350,000 for new hires.

Video Gaming Association Commits $1 Million to Support Black Girls Code, CNN

Thanks to a $1 million donation from the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) Foundation, Black Girls Code will be able to expand its afterschool programs, workshops and hackathons for girls ages 7 to 17 years old. “When we looked specifically at Black Girls Code, the programming that they offered, the recommendations of the young women that have been through their program, and how they are diverse and spread across the country, really spoke to us,” Anastasia Staten, ESA Foundation’s executive director, told CNN. Through the partnership, Black Girls Code will also recruit volunteers from ESA member companies and tap into their vast resources. Together, they plan to offer in person and virtual workshops this summer.

New Garden at Montrose Field House to Focus on Nutrition Education for After-School, Summer Enrichment Programs, Montrose Press (Colorado)

Students in Montrose Recreation District’s afterschool and summer programs in Montrose, Colorado will soon grow their own food and learn about healthy eating at a new community garden that will serve as a “living classroom.” Construction of the garden is funded by a grant from the National Recreation and Park Association and is part of a larger effort to combat food insecurity, connect students to resources such as SNAP, and teach students cooking and other life skills.  “It’s about making it more accessible to everyone and [making] it more widespread so everybody has the same ability to get access to healthy food and nutrition education,” Garden Coordinator Nikki Munroe told the Montrose Press.

Nonprofit SA Youth Shifts Focus to Help Students in the Classroom to Combat ‘COVID Slide,’ KSAT-TV (Texas)

About 40 South San Antonio Independent School District students currently benefit from SA Youth’s Out-of-School Time afterschool program, which supports their academic achievement and connects them to mentors and projects that inspire them to learn. In the program, students get one-on-one tutoring and explore new interests through hands-on activities. For example, students recently completed a baking project that included science and math concepts.  “My hope for all of our students is that they see the potential within themselves,” Assistant Director Blake Marlowe told KSAT-TV