Boys & Girls Clubs of Monterey County Youth to Exhibit Artwork at the Museum of Monterey

Jan. 29, 2012 - PRLog -- Monterey, CA - January 26, 2012 – On Saturday, February 4th through Sunday, February 5th, 2012 an art exhibit will open to the public at the Museum of Monterey (MOM) featuring inspiring artwork by youth from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Monterey County (BGCMC).  A special reception will be held on Friday February 3rd at 7:00 p.m.  MOM is located at 5 Custom House Plaza, Monterey, CA 93940.  

Thirty talented young artists from BGCMC, ranging from age 6-18, will be recognized during the event opening on Friday February 3rd.  Individual artists will be available to speak with visitors about their creative experience. The exhibit is a part of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Monterey County’s participation in the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s National Fine Arts Exhibit Program competition, which promotes young people’s creativity and encourages artistic skills and cultural enrichment. Two of our local youth that have been recognized as national and regional winners of the competition will be highlighted in the exhibit.

Participation in the arts has a direct connection to overall academic success and gives youth the opportunity to develop leadership, critical thinking and long-term goal setting skills. In a well documented national study, using a federal database of over 25,000 middle and high school students, researchers from UCLA found students with high arts involvement performed better on standardized achievement tests than students with low arts involvement. Moreover, the high arts-involved students also watched fewer hours of TV, participated in more community service, and reported less boredom in school.   The Boys & Girls Clubs of Monterey County works to fulfill the need for youth arts programming by offering daily classes, exhibits and field trip opportunities to the youth of our community.

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The Boys & Girls Clubs of Monterey County (BGCMC) has played an integral role in the community for over 43 years. With Clubhouses in Seaside and Salinas, BGCMC provides youth between the ages of 6-18 an afterschool safe haven where they are mentored to achieve academic success, acquire healthy lifestyles, and develop good character and citizenship. Over 95% of the total budget comes from generous individuals, corporations and foundations. The Clubs are open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. during summer and school breaks, and from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. when school is in session. Additional information is available at www.bgcmc.org or via phone at 831-394-5171.