In August 2017, the first onsite Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco Clubhouse was opened at Gateway Middle School and the partnership expanded to Gateway High School this fall.
The partnership allows Gateway to further support our middle and high school students with enrichment opportunities both during and after school, and is part of Gateway’s ongoing commitment to cultivating opportunities that better serve our students and families.
Six staff members, who work exclusively onsite at the Gateway Middle and High School Clubhouses, provide Gateway students with academic and social-emotional supports. Students are able to access mental health resources, mentorships, tutoring opportunities, and meaningful relationships with adults. The clubhouse also provides students with safe place to study, learn, and experience positive interactions with both peers and adults.
Through the partnership, Gateway and BGCSF aim to increase a sense of school community connectedness, improve academic standing among students who are struggling academically, and decrease behavioral issues.
“The BGCSF Clubhouse offers me so much educational and emotional support,” says Christopher Melgar, Gateway High school junior. “It’s a safe space where my friends and I go to get work done, converse, and connect with other students. The staff are amazing people and always support us.”