programming
CHILDREN'S PROGRAMMING
Programming is ‘what we do’ and one of the main goals of Inglewood Chapter is Meaningful and Innovative Children’s Programming.
One of the hallmarks of Jack and Jill is its emphasis on youth development with our youth leadership programs. Jack and Jill has taken ownership in responsibility for developing future leaders who possess the skills to be world leaders through dynamic chapter programming. In keeping with our National Program Thrusts, Inglewood Chapter’s programming platform includes EDUCATIONAL, CULTURAL, CIVIC, SOCIAL/RECREATIONAL, and HEALTHY activities.
There are five children’s groups, divided by grade and it is during a special planning meeting held in the summer preceding the upcoming program year that mothers organize annual events and calendars for each grade group from the beginning of the program year in September through the end of the program year in June. Members and children gather monthly, whether as a group or as a chapter and oftentimes meet at other times to maintain group contact and just ‘have fun’. The five children’s groups include:
GROUP 1
Exploring Leaders is our youngest cohort and is comprised of pre-kindergarten through first grade children. The focus is to enable our youngest group to explore the world in a safe, fun and educational environment. Past programming events have included visits to local children’s museums, interactive theater playhouses, local organic farmer’s markets, pumpkin patches, and kids can cook too events.
exploring leaders
Other programming events include breakfast with Santa, financial literacy pretend stores and volunteer toy drives at local children’s hospitals.
GROUP 2
Our second and third graders are known as the Adventurous Leaders. This ‘hands on’ group of future leaders participate in activities focused on animal life and conservation in activities at Star Eco Station, computer coding workshops, robotics clubs, African Dance and Drumming and Financial Literacy activities with kid friendly publications by banking experts.
adventurous leaders
Group 2 also participates in the annual Jack and Jill Loose Change Foundation Campaign.
GROUP 3
Emerging Leaders is a group of fourth and fifth graders beginning to form ideas and opinions about the world we live in and how they selves in it. This group participates in harkness roundtable discussions about various issues affecting children from school bullying to application of the “sugar tax” on sodas. They also explore financial literacy through the lense of history with a look back on the Great Depression.
emerging leaders
Group 3 uses movies and books as well as participates in pretend stores and the “Zeallionire Club” kid centered financial empowerment tools. Activities also include hosting guest speaker such as JoAnn Boyce, one of the “Clinton 12”, the first African American students to integrate public schools in the South, attending plays and live performances, California Pizza Kitchen Chef for a day event, etiquette training tea parties, and fun park activities.
GROUP 4
Upward Leaders is our group of junior high school sixth, seventh and eighth graders. This group of tweens learn fiscal responsibility through Jack and Jill’s financial literacy modules through exciting program activities: mock stock market simulations; reality mall shopping; mock stores; “zillionaire club training”; and basic financial training in learning the principles of responsible money management.
upward leaders
Moving toward the teen years, this group both enjoys cultural events including nights at the theater to view live performances like the Tuskegee Airmen stage play “FLY” but they also enjoy outdoor fun and play including hiking trips, train rides to San Diego, and fun days at “Skyzone”. Building on the philanthropic models learned in their earlier Jack and Jill years, the tweens collectively volunteer over 100 hours of their time to local community service projects. This group of upward leaders are also recognized in the chapter as talents boldly taking the lead in chapter wide public presentations for speech, dance, spoken word and drama.
GROUP 5
Teen Group is truly the group of Bourne Leaders. Our high school cohorts have their own budget, bylaws and officers and function as such. Regular fundraisers and community service activities keep this group busy on a monthly basis. Group meetings include Leadership Development via The Jacqueline Moore Bowles Leadership Modules which consists of 16 leadership modules, including public speaking and civic engagement.
teen group
Volunteer Service: Inglewood Chapter teens, organize to complete hundreds of hours of volunteer service on an annual basis including assembling hundreds of toiletry baskets for the Midnight Mission of Inglewood, beautification projects at the Mission’s Family Housing Project, serving as volunteers at Ciclavia Los Angeles, participating in March for Babies and youth mentoring for college preparation. Individual teens also qualified for the U.S. President Volunteer Service Award.
Financial Literacy: Teens groups learn fiscal responsibility through Jack and Jill’s financial literacy module through exciting program activities: mock stock market simulations; and basic financial training in learning the principles of responsible money management firsthand – “putting some aside”.
Legislative Advocacy: Past and present legislative advocacy focus has been on violence in the media, health and wellness initiatives, voter registration, safe internet access, responsible gun laws, and equal access to quality education. Biennially, Jack and Jill Teens and Mothers participate in the On the Hill Summit in Washington, D.C., creating awareness among Congressional leaders about our mission and issues that affect American children and their families.
Teens also participate in an annual Teen Conference of leadership seminars, oratorical contests addressing issues of social justice, seminars on African American Heritage, and college preparation. During regional teen conference, teens throughout the Far West Region convene for a four day period on campuses of colleges and universities in the Far West Region.