Traditional Site – Moody County Unit
The Boys & Girls Club of Moody County opened in 2007 and was housed in various Tribal and community buildings until 2014 when the new facility was built. The club is now located right next to all three public schools in the community and the Moody County Resource Center. All programs implemented align with the club’s mission statement, “To inspire all young people, especially those who need us the most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible, caring citizens.”

A newer program at the Club is Career Builders which is for the teen members. The youth were able to be a part of the planning process for the program. They were surveyed on what would interest them in a career as adults. The staff took the list that youth created and contacted speakers from the community and regional universities to come in and talk about the specific topics that the youth identified. The presenters showcased information on a specific career and facilitated discussions. Career interests ranged from flight instructors to earth science professors. Because the students were so interested, the speakers were able to captivate and inspire the teens to explore their options when it comes to thinking about a future career and work on skills and steps to achieve career goals.

Through collaboration with the Moody County Resource Center, the members participated in a summer reading program that ran for eight weeks. The program consisted of fun activities and a 40 day reading challenge! The K-4th grade members were invited to a pizza party and awarded a reading trophy, along with being able to SLIME the librarian! The teens went to Skyzone in Sioux Falls and were treated to a pizza as a reward for completing the reading program.

The club also provided a summer school opportunity for K-4th graders though a program called Power UP. This is currently the only summer school option in the area for elementary youth. Summer school ran for five weeks, Monday through Thursday with two sessions for two hours per day. One session included K-1st graders and the other included 2nd – 4th graders. The theme throughout the entire program was “Space.” It incorporated math and reading strategies throughout the curriculum. The focus of the program is to eliminate summer learning loss. Each student is referred by a teacher to the program.

Flandreau Indian School Site
The Flandreau Indian School (FIS) is an off reservation boarding school serving Native American students, grades 9th -12th. They meet in the Tea Room, Canteen or dormitories to provide activities for the students. Activities in the Tea Room include Career Builders, Art, Board Games and other fun activities. Game tournaments are held in the Canteen such as pool and ping pong. Tutoring is offered in the dormitories. A large part of the program is building relationships and mentoring. The Boys Group and Smart Girls program are very successful programs at FIS. The Boys Group consists of discussions concerning the pathway to manhood and living a healthy lifestyle. Using the Talking Circle, Smart Girls consists of discussions about teen issues such as anxiety, anger, bullying, and depression. One of the key components is relationship building and providing a safe place to talk.