Fort Smith Boys & Girls Club, Future School partner on new teen center
by May 7, 2025 11:53 am 441 views
The Fort Smith Boys & Girls Clubs (FSBGC) has received a $700,000 grant the organization will use to partner with the Future School of Fort Smith to open a teen center designed to provide after-school and summer programs to up to 100 teens a day.
The grant is from the 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) program and was awarded by the Arkansas Department of Education. The grant also will fund 7 new jobs at the teen center.
According to a FSBGC press release, the center programs will be focused on “academic support, college and career readiness, workforce development, leadership development, and social-emotional learning for teens in the Fort Smith community.”
The center at the Future School is set to open in the fall of 2025. The grant will be paid out over four years, with $200,000 provided in the first year, according to FSBGC CEO Beth Presley.
“This is a transformative moment for youth in our city,” Presley said in a statement. “The Teen Center will provide a safe, engaging, and empowering space for 8th grade-12th grade students to learn, grow, and prepare for their futures.”
Teen center programs also will include Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) workshops, arts programming, career exploration, and access to mental health resources. Those eligible for the program are Fort Smith Public School students, area private school students, and homeschooled students.
“Since founding Future School, we’ve dreamed of hosting a teen center outside the hours of the normal school day,” said Future School co-founder and Superintendent, Boyd Logan. “This partnership with the Fort Smith Boys and Girls Clubs is bringing us closer to our vision of serving the diverse needs of this community.”
The FSBGC statement noted that the 21st CCLC grant “reflects a growing recognition” that after-school and summer programs help teens stay engaged in efforts to further their academic and mental health and development while in a safe environment.
“We believe in investing in the future of our teens,” said Roger Meek, FSBGC chairman. “This Teen Center will be a game-changer, offering the kind of support and opportunity that helps young people rise to their full potential. We’re excited to see the lasting impact it will have on our entire community.”