The Boys & Girls Club started in Connecticut with two women who believed that boys who roved out in the streets should have a positive future.

The original name was The Boys Club but got changed in 1990, recognizing young girls.

In the Scottsdale area there are nine club locations, North Phoenix, Fountain Hills, Mesa, the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community and the Hualapai Nation. The Boys & Girls Club is a non-profit organization dedicated to youth development.

According to the Boys & Girls Club website their mission is to “inspire and enable all young people, especially those who need it the most, to reach their full potential as productive reasonable and caring citizens.”

The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Scottsdale, Barker Branch, opened in 1998 which is located on north Miller road in Scottsdale. The Club has young kids from kindergarten to grade six but also offers a club for older kids from 7th to 12th grade. The teen side has six areas: the homework room, the receptionists sign in, the movie room, the game room, fitness center and a café store.

The Boys & Girls Club offers programs that are leadership based and STEM related such as, Keystone, Smart girls, passport to manhood, Lego League and Ecrew.

Yesenia Carmona has been an employee at the Boys & Girls Club for four years now but she’s been active with the club since she was in high school.

“The Boys & Girls Club actually means a lot to me. It’s like a second home. When I was young I actually attended the Boys & Girls Club when I was in high school. It was a place for me to hang out, meet new people, do homework and just like get involved with my community. So, I actually love it,” Carmona said.

The annual membership fee is $25.

Laurie Marion has been a Boys & Girls Club employee since 2008 and was hired to manage the graphic design program but later became the academic success coordinator at the Boys & Girls Club.

“The Boys & Girls Club gives kids a place to belong and provides professional mentors who become involved in kids lives and help them grow in positive ways. I just do it because I love working with kids and its really rewarding,” Marion said.