2006
Washington State Techathalon a HUGE Success!
 Federal
Way, WA - On Saturday, October 7, 2006, more than 230 Club
members from across Washington met at Boys & Girls Clubs of King
County, Ron Sandwith EX3 Teen Center to participate in the inaugural
Techathalon. Representing both eastern and western Washington, Club
members demonstrated the true meaning of teamwork in four challenge
areas encompassing digital arts, computer construction, multimedia,
engineering and problem solving skills.
 In
addition, members had the opportunity to explore a variety of
hands-on science, technology and engineering activities in the
Exploratorium. This year's Exploratorium featured Space Odyssey from
the Pacific Science Center, LEGO Robotics by LEGO Education, XBox
Gaming and Development by Microsoft and much more!
 Federal
Way Mayor Mike Park and Senator Tracey Eide kicked off the event
with a reminder to all participants to follow their dreams, help
explore and advance technology and practice Internet safety. As a
special bonus, Senator Tracey Eide invited her special friend,
Clicky, the national spokesrobot for Netsmartz, to talk to members
about Internet safety.
Congratulations to all
Techathalon participants and we look forward to seeing everyone
again next year! Techathalon would not be possible without the
support of community businesses and volunteers. Special thanks to
Microsoft, Best Buy, NPCE, Sprint, LEGO Education, Gold Circuit and
all those who supported this year's event.
To learn more about
the event, please visit
www.techathalon.org.
 2006 Washington State Youth of the Year Winner
Kelly Barefield
Boys & Girls Clubs of King County
Kelly Barefield of the Boys &
Girls Clubs of King County was selected, among 12 candidates,
for the distinction of 2006 Washington State Youth of the Year.
The award is part of Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s premier
youth recognition program. A panel of judges interviewed
Barefield and the other candidates, and four selected honorees gave
speeches before a gathering of community and business leaders,
family, and friends. Kelly Barefield, a senior at Renton High
School, has been a member of the Renton / Skyway Branch for two
years and is now a staff member at the Club. At the award
breakfast at the Governor's mansion the 17 year old Barefield captured the audience as she
talked about what the Club means to her, as a home and a place
of comfort. “It’s the one place where I always feel welcomed and
open to be myself, a place to come whenever I need someone to
talk to or lean on, to always feel appreciated.
"Looking back, I have learned how to overcome painful challenges
and deal with adversity. I have gained strength and
perseverance, learning to keep going no matter how hard life
treats you.” She is now the President of the Renton / Skyway
Keystone Club, teaches Dance Club, and is a positive influence
with all the teens. Kelly Barefield will now compete for the
regional title with a chance to go on to the national level. The
program recognizes scholastics, moral character, life goals, and
service to family and community.
 Please
click
here to view the video of Kelly's speech
taken by Ron Andrade of the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget
Sound.
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Congratulations to the local 2006 Youth of the Year Winners!
On
March 6th, 2006 Kelly Barefield from the Boys and Girls Clubs of
King County was awarded and honored with Washington State Youth
of the Year at the Governors Mansion in Olympia Washington.
Pictured with Kelly is the Governor and the other 11 outstanding candidates
for the award.
From
left to right top: Julie Nguyen, Torey Wilson, Scottie Bernett,
Matthew Sobey, William Andserson, Miles Hart and Colleen Brown.
Bottom: Kaytie Henson, Athena M. Sanders, Desiree Lehman-Garcia,
Governor Christine Gregoire, Kelly Barefield and Eva Campos. |
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Please click
here to view video from the event.
Please click
here
to view the profiles of the 2006 State Youth of the Year Candidates.
Please click
here
to view the Photo Gallery for the 2006 State Youth of the Year event.
Please click here
to view 2005 State Youth of the Year Candidates and their
videos.
 A Visit from the
Techmobile
By Nathan Whalen, Whidbey News-Times
September 21, 2005
While youth have a lot of fun at
the Boys and Girls Club, they learn as well.
To help them improve their computer skills, the Techmobile made
a visit to the local club located at the Roller Barn in Oak
Harbor.
The Techmobile is an RV stocked
with laptop computers and staffed with three people eager to
help students produce a project. It provides a chance for Boys
and Girls Club members to develop computer skills and have some
fun at the same time.
Youth crammed into the portable
computer lab Thursday afternoon and learned to use several
software programs. They spent the afternoon producing music,
designing a role-playing game and making a model.
“I liked making my own music and feeling the beat,” 11-year-old
Tiane Ross said. “I love what I created.”
For another, the day provided an unexpected surprise for new
club members. “I’ve never been here before. This is my first
time,” said 10-year-old Derrick Tice.
 To read
the rest of this article, please
click
here.
Legislative
News
Substitute
House Bill 1782
The most important legislative priority for Washington State Boys & Girls Clubs is the funding of Substitute House Bill 1782, passed by the House and
Senate and signed by the Governor in the last legislative session. This “act relating to capital projects for local non-profit youth organizations” will help fund expansion and upgrades described following.
The legislature is funding HB1782 with $2.5 million each biennium (every 2 years) and information and applications can be obtained from
jzittel@cted.wa.gov.
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Increase Club capacity: Deepen our impact by having more kids, who visit the Clubs more often, participate in more programs, and stay longer
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Programs with generation changing outcomes: Special focus on educational enhancement, career preparation, and computer education
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Planned, sustainable growth: Bringing Boys & Girls Club services and facilities to new communities, emphasizing those kids who need us most. Our goals in the next 3 years are to grow to 150 dedicated Clubhouses (plus our numerous other collaborative locations) in the
state and to serve 100,000 youth.
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