BOOST Network Member Profile
The Boys & Girls Club (BGC) of Las Cruces began in 1963 and serves youth between the ages of 5 and 18 with afterschool and summer programs designed to build character and support academic performance. As a proud chapter of the Boys and Girl Clubs of America, an organization that traces its roots back to the 1800’s, our mission is to empower young people to become great citizens. We harness kids’ interests and help them build healthy lifestyles, graduate on time, and develop a passion for giving back to the community.
BGC Las Cruces is unique in the number of older youths we serve. You can be a member until you graduate high school, and more than a third of the young people who participate in our programs are teenagers. We are also unique in that we offer transportation for all members, picking up students at most schools in the area, including high schools. Our goal is to make it easy for students and families to have access to a safe and supportive out-of-school environment. That is why we try to never turn away a child who is unable to afford our modest enrollment fee.
BGC Las Cruces has been a part of the BOOST Network since 2018 and BOOST has been a valuable resource in helping us elevate our program, form partnerships with other providers in the Paso del Norte region, and access to professional development opportunities. The network allowed us to build relationships with other providers in the region and increase our program’s exposure to serve more kids and parents that live in the areas between Las Cruces and El Paso. By highlighting the importance of out-of-school-time (OST) programs, BOOST helps elevate conversations around the role OST providers play in shaping future generations and the value of investing in OST programs.
Learn more about the Boys and Girls Club of Las Cruces, our programs, and initiatives by visiting www.bgclascruces.org.
“I first got involved in BOOST to give our program more exposure,” said Ashley Echavarria, CEO, Boys & Girls Club of Las Cruces. “But what I’ve come to appreciate about the BOOST Network is that it is actually working to elevate our entire profession. The reality is that kids spend more time out of school than in school, so our work is critical. We have kids that start with us at five years old and grow with us until they graduate. I love seeing how they progress - who they become and how the club helps to shape them.”