Club Stories

Club Stories

The Boys & Girls Club of Pasadena

- Jocelyn Guzman

The past three years have been difficult for many kids growing up in Pasadena. Childhood depression has become more common since the COVID-19 pandemic. Adults have needed to win back the trust of youth, whose sense of safety and certainty in their futures has eroded since 2020. It’s challenging for kids and youth to find the support they need.

The Boys and Girls Club of Pasadena, which serves 69% low-to-moderate income families, understands the challenges kids face. So, they reached out and received a special 3-year grant that provides the Club with the resources for a new case management program, to help kids who face childhood adversities including mental health challenges, poverty, and unstable family situations. Once the resources were secured, the Club needed to find someone special to run the program.

Jocelyn was always passionate about helping kids in troubled families. She had first-hand experience, growing up in a challenging family situation in Pasadena. Jocelyn found a church community that provided the support she needed as a teen to overcome her depression. As an adult, Jocelyn wanted to give back to the community, and worked in the mental health field for 10 years, helping kids and parents deal with the challenges they face.

Jocelyn has been the perfect person for the new case manager position, bringing understanding and compassion to help troubled kids find better ways to cope. For the past six months, Jocelyn has been working with kids at the Club who are suffering from depression, using her experience to link kids and their parents to the best available community resources. Once they have connected with these community services, Jocelyn meets with each child once a week or more to ensure the child is feeling improvement.

One pre-teen girl shared with Jocelyn that she was so unhappy with her situation at home that she was considering harming herself. When Jocelyn told her that the Boys and Girls Club could help find quality support services, she started crying, “Finally, I’ve found someone who can actually help me.”

Jocelyn is honored to be a part of the Boys and Girls Club of Pasadena and she has been instrumental in helping kids in Pasadena achieve their full potential.

“This is an amazing program at the Pasadena Boys and Girls Club, and I am so proud to be part of it,” said Jocelyn. “It’s a brilliant way to help kids in need.”

Power Hour

-Principal Maricela Brambila

Principal Maricela Brambila at the Willard Elementary School in Pasadena cannot say enough great things about the Boys and Girls Club of Pasadena. Her favorite part of the Club: Power Hour, which starts at 2:30pm. It’s when the kids at the Club can do their homework, often with help from Club staff. Parents are grateful their kids can complete most of their homework before they get home, giving parents and kids more family time together. And Power Hour delivers: Kids who have attended the Boys and Girls Club of Pasadena have higher High School graduation rates than Pasadena Unified School District overall.

“In addition to Power Hour, the Club has incredible enrichment programs, such as music lessons, swimming lessons, sports, and field trips,” said Principal Maricela. “It’s a nurturing environment, providing a perfect balance of academic support and time for the kids to hang out with their friends.” The Willard Elementary School in Pasadena is incredibly lucky to have the Boys and Girls Club right next door; the 51 kids from Willard can easily walk right to the Club.

Both of Principal Maricela’s two children attended Willard and were members of the Boys and Girls Club. The Club provided a perfect balance for her son who needed both structured play and homework help. Her daughter loved swimming lessons, music lessons, and computer lab time.

“Students at Willard build a strong bond with the Pasadena Boys and Girls Club,” said Principal Maricela. “The Club has a profound positive impact on kids who attend, enough to sometimes change a child’s trajectory in life. The Club is a gift to the community.”

Your donations will help ensure the Boys and Girls Club of Pasadena can continue to help kids in Pasadena thrive and realize their true potential.

A Safe Place for Families: Crystal - Club Parent

When Crystal moved to Pasadena with her husband and three kids a few years ago, she didn’t know anyone. She had a busy job and needed to find a safe place for her kids after school. A neighbor suggested she try the Boys & Girls Club of Pasadena. “I was worried the Club would be too expensive with three kids,” said Crystal. She met with Mario, Branch Director at the Mackenzie-Scott location, and he was able to offer her family a scholarship. “They were so kind when I first came to the Club; they could not have been more helpful.”

“The program is wonderful,” said Crystal. “My kids get their homework done at the Club, and the counselors are there if they need help. My daughter, Melanie, absolutely loves the dance and art classes. Angel, my son who is 11 now, was shy when he first came to the Club; but over the last couple of years he has been involved with a number of activities like flag football, and his confidence has grown tremendously. My kids love it here because they are able to hang out with their friends, and they like the staff.”

“What I appreciate the most” said Crystal, “is that when I am at work, I know they are getting their homework done, learning new activities and having fun. The Club gives me the helping hand when I need it most during the workday. That means there can be more fun family time when we get home.”

Life had other plans: Mario - Mackenzie-Scott Branch Director

After finishing school, Mario, decided to volunteer at the Pasadena Boys and Girls Club. When he got there, he saw they were looking to hire someone full time in Maintenance. On an impulse, he decided to take the position. “The Boys and Girls Club gave me a chance in life, and I wanted to do my best,” said Mario. “I love the mission of the Club and use that to stay focused on doing a great job.” Through dedication and hard work, he moved up to the role of Branch Director at the N. Fair Oaks Club location. While Mario still has dreams of being a professional soccer coach, he knows deep down the Club is his home.

As Branch Manager, Mario meets regularly with parents, school principals, and local community leaders to talk about how the Club can help unlock the potential of the Club Kids. “When I attend back to school nights at the local schools, I answer any questions the parents might have about the Club and how their kids might participate.” Today there are 155 kids on average who come each day to the location, and the number is growing.

“The proof of how wonderful this Club begins for me with my own two daughters.” Mario’s daughters, have been coming to the Club since they were 5 years old. He still proudly carries in his wallet their initial membership cards from when his girls first joined the Pasadena Girls and Boys Club 11 years ago. “I told my daughters that one day I am going to give these cards back to them, and at that point, they will both need to find a way to give back and support the Club.”

“The love I have for this place is hard to describe,” said Mario. “The staff and volunteers at the Boys and Girls Club in Pasadena provides our kids with amazing opportunities and helps them hone their skills to reach their full potential. Our first focus is academic success; we want each of our Club Kids to graduate High School, and hopefully go on to college. We help Club Kids find the available resources so they can dream big.”

Motivation: Frank - Club Kid to Club Staff

“I was involved with gangs in Pasadena at an early age, and there was a lot of violence going on in the early 90’s,” said Frank. “It was a scary time to be a kid.” When walking to school, Frank would go past the Pasadena Boys and Girls Club. The Club has a basketball team, a sport Frank loves, and he decided to join the Club in 1996 to be part of the basketball team. “I had never felt a part of anything before I joined the Club,” said Frank. “Suddenly, I felt connected to something for the first time in my life. In addition to basketball, I got involved with the arts, and learned how to make lanyards at the Club. If I had not tried, I never would have known I had that talent. I was inspired at the Boys and Girls Club to actively participate, and this motivated me to be the person I am now.”

Frank is now Athletic Director of the Pasadena Boys and Girls Club. “I want to give back to the organization that gave me so much,” said Frank. “Without this Club, I don’t know where I would be; probably in jail. I want to be the motivator, and teach kids to be strong, to look people in the eye, and inspire them. I teach these kids not to use the word can’t, because they can do whatever they put their mind to. Showing the kids at the Boys and Girls Club that I really care makes me feel happy inside.”

Frank is also involved with the College Bound program at the Club, which helps guide members to successfully navigate high school and get in to college, something many never dreamed of doing. Many come back to the Club after graduating college, inspiring Club Kids to apply themselves in school and set high goals. The alumni encourage them participate in technology class, homework class, athletics and art; they are an inspiration, particularly to the kids who don’t think they can succeed.

“I’ve seen what the Boys and Girls Club can do to motivate kids and help them to achieve their goals, and I now have a son who is a Club Kid,” said Frank. “I want my son to learn, grow, and enjoy being a kid; this is what the Club is all about.”

Principal Baxter: Club boosts confidence & esteem

Angela Baxter, the Principal at Willard Elementary School in Pasadena wants the best for her students. She is a big fan of the Boys and Girls Club of Pasadena. “The Boys and Girls Club helps boost the confidence and self-esteem of the students who attend the afterschool programs, and encourages them to become independent young adults,” said Angela. “There are over 200 students from Willard who actively participate in the Club, and it’s remarkable to see all the activities they have that get the kids excited.”

Angela credits the staff of the Boys and Girls Club for the positive affect it has on the kids. “The staff at the Club is exemplary in their ability to connect with the children and the strong relationships they forge,” said Angela. “They are able to enrich their lives with an amazing range of programs, including photography, robotics, and many other programs that students actively seek. The kids can pick the programs and homework clubs that work best for them, giving them a significant level of autonomy.”

The location of the club is extremely convenient, being right behind the school. Kids simply walk through a gate in back and they are at the Club. “I often visit the facilities to see what the students are up to after school,” said Angela. “We have an excellent partnership and are most fortunate to be their neighbor.”

Many of the former students of Willard, now at Wilson Middle School, continue to go to the Boys and Girls Club. It’s a safe place, they provide food, and most important, it’s a nurturing, loving environment. “My own two children regularly went to the Boys and Girls Club when they attended Willard,” said Angela, “and they continue to be ongoing members in the afternoon program.”

The stories of Principal Baxter and Frank were gathered by marketing volunteer, Mark Rice.