Registration Opens For New Boys & Girls Club Program At Carver Recreation Center

LEXINGTON PARK, Md. — Registration is now open for the new Boys & Girls Club of Southern Maryland after-school program at Carver Recreation Center, bringing academic support, mentoring and recreational opportunities to youth in Lexington Park.

The club will officially open Wednesday, Aug. 26, and operate from 2 to 6 p.m. at 47382 Lincoln Ave. The program is open to children and teenagers ages 6 to 18.

According to a registration announcement from the Boys & Girls Club of Southern Maryland, activities will include character and leadership development, social and emotional learning, homework assistance, arts and crafts, STEM mentoring, games and opportunities to build friendships in a safe after-school environment.

The opening follows the St. Mary’s County commissioners’ unanimous approval of a partnership between the county and the Boys & Girls Club of Southern Maryland earlier this summer.

As The BayNet previously reported, commissioners approved a three-year lease in June allowing the organization to establish the youth center inside five classrooms in the west wing of Carver Recreation Center. The lease began Aug. 1 and includes renewal options that could extend the partnership for as long as 15 years.

The program is expected to serve up to 100 young people initially, with the facility having the potential to accommodate more than 200 participants over time.

Transportation arrangements were previously announced for students attending Park Hall Elementary School and Spring Ridge Middle School, allowing buses to take participating students directly to Carver Recreation Center after school.

New Educational Spaces Planned

The Boys & Girls Club secured $150,000 in state funding to equip its space with a STEM center, learning lab and art room.

Programming is expected to include literacy and math enrichment, health and wellness education, nutrition activities, anti-bullying initiatives, community service projects and workforce development opportunities for teenagers.

“We can’t wait to open,” Anna Hanzsche, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Southern Maryland, told county commissioners when the partnership was presented in June. “I’ve talked to some of the schools in the community, and they’re all really excited too.”

Ray Bivens, director of the St. Mary’s County Department of Recreation and Parks, previously described the partnership as “a fantastic opportunity for county youth and families.”

The Boys & Girls Club program joins other investments underway at Carver Recreation Center, including a new Community Arts Center and Makerspace supported by more than $500,000 in grant funding and partnerships with the St. Mary’s County Arts Council and PaxSpace.

How To Register

Families may register through the Boys & Girls Club of Southern Maryland’s parent portal by visiting www.bgcsm.net or scanning the QR code included on the registration flyer.

Annual membership was previously announced at $30. Hanzsche told commissioners that the organization would work with families who cannot afford the fee.

“We never turn a child away if they cannot pay,” Hanzsche said.

For additional information, families may email carver@bgcsm.net or call 410-286-9880.