Baumholder CYS chosen for BGCA’s ‘Innovate Program’ with Apple: A game changer for USAG Rheinland Pfalz Youth Services

BAUMHOLDER, Germany - In an exciting development for U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz, the Baumholder Child and Youth Services (CYS) has been selected to participate in the prestigious 2024-2025 Boys and Girls Clubs of America's (BGCA) 'Innovate Program', in collaboration with Apple's Community Education Initiative.

The news was delivered in a letter to Ryan Flynn, Youth Programs director, Baumholder CYS, USAG Rheinland-Pfalz. The congratulatory letter recognized the club's demonstrated ability and willingness to sustain the program, reach more youth, while sharing success stories both within and beyond the Club.

"As part of this recognition, the Club is set to receive $25,000 in programming support and an additional $5,000 to send at least two club facilitators to the prestigious Learning Summit scheduled to take place from Aug. 26-29 in Austin, Texas," said Flynn.

Ryan explained that 'BGCA Innovate' is an initiative developed by their BGCA partners, aimed at empowering youth to develop technical skills through coding (C0de) and creativity (Cr8te).

"Our youth center was privileged to be selected as one of the collaborating sites for this program, enabling us to bring this vision to life," Flynn said.

In addition to the cash grant, Baumholder CYS was also the recipient of an Apple cart containing 17 iPads with Apple care and cases, 15 Logitech Crayons for iPads, 3 MacBooks Air, 1 Apple TV, and more, for a total value of over $18,000.

"With pass-through funding from BGCA, we received multiple iPads and Logitech crayons to support the program's objectives," said Flynn. "Beyond this support, our center has an additional goal: to cultivate an appreciation among our young learners for the accessibility and simplicity of coding and digital art creation."

Command Sgt. Maj. Raymond Wrensch, USAG Rheinland-Pfalz, acknowledged the CYS team's hard work.

"I know that the team put in the effort to secure this grant," he said. "Their dedication played a key role in improving conditions and opportunities for the youth population in Baumholder."

This is the third consecutive year that the Baumholder CYS has been selected to receive the BGCA grant, something that Flynn attributes to their track record of program completion and strong partnership with BGCA.

The grant comes with certain requirements that they are ready/eager/happy to support, said Flynn, to include: sending facilitators to the Learning Summit, attending monthly virtual learning sessions, designating a senior leader for strategic sessions, providing C0de/Cr8te in Club sites, engaging 100 learners, offering 15 hours of programming, hosting a local showcase, and creating a one-pager showcasing best practices in program development.

Flynn highlighted the importance of being selected for the BGCA grant for Baumholder CYS.

"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to send our staff to Austin, Texas, for training with the Apple team to further enhance our programs for the second time," he said. "We will receive updated hardware and software from Apple at no cost to facilitate these programs in our School Age and Teen centers. The support from Apple and BGCA will be pivotal in the successful implementation of these programs."

Flynn emphasized the importance of seizing opportunities to develop impactful programs within their centers.

"Empowering well-trained staff to effectively deliver these programs is crucial to the program's success," he said. "This opportunity marks a significant milestone for the Baumholder Youth Center, opening doors to enhanced programming and resources that benefit the youth of the Baumholder community.

"The USAG Rheinland-Pfalz Baumholder CYS is gearing up for an impactful year ahead as we set off on this innovative and exciting path with the backing of BGCA and Apple," Flynn added.

U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz serves, supports, and secures the total force community enabling power projection for the European Theater.

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