Builders Club is the largest service organization for middle school and junior high students, with more than 45,000 members worldwide. If you want to make a difference in your life and community, check out Builders Club. Last year, more than 45,000 middle and junior high school students in 18 nations were involved in this Kiwanis-family program. Through their projects that ranged from fundraising for HIV/AIDS prevention in Africa to recycling drives to cleaning up parks, they developed leadership skills while working with friends to help others in need. As students maneuver this “in-between-stage” of life, Builders Club empowers them to be themselves, work together with peers and implement plans through action. As an extension of the Kiwanis Club of Grosse Ile, Builders Club shares the mission of building leaders to help children around the world. Through Builders Club, students become leaders at school, in their community and in the world.
Motto
Building leaders
Objects
Vision
To develop competent, capable, caring leaders through the vehicle of service.
Mission
Builders Club is an international student-led organization providing members with opportunities to perform service, build character and develop leadership.
Core values
Pledge
"I pledge on my honor to uphold the objects of Builders Club. To better my school, my community, my nation, and myself. To aid those in need while enhancing leadership capabilities, and to encourage the fellowship of all mankind."
How does Builders Club impact those involved? It helps in developing important Social and Emotional Skills, which allows club members to understand self and develop meaningful connections with others. Club members learn to calm down when angry, initiate meaningful friendships, resolve relationship conflicts respectfully, and make ethical and safe choices.
The five core categories of Social and Emotional Learning are listed below. Builders Club members attain skills in each core area through participation in the research, planning and implementation of community service projects.
Self-awareness
Accurately accessing one's feelings, interests, values, and strengths/abilities, and maintaining a well-grounded sense of self-confidence.
Self-management
Regulating one's emotions to handle stress, control impulses, and persevere in overcoming obstacles; setting personal goals and academic goals and then monitoring one's progress toward achieving them. The ability to express emotions constructively.
Social awareness
Taking the perspective of empathizing with others; recognizing and appreciating individual and group similarities and differences; identifying the following social standards of conduct; and recognizing and using family, school, and community resources.
Relationship skills
Establishing and maintaining healthy and rewarding relationships based on cooperation; resisting inappropriate social pressure; preventing, managing, and resolving interpersonal conflict; and seeking help when needed.
Responsible decision-making
Making decisions based on consideration of ethical standards, safety concerns, appropriate standards of conduct, respect for others, and likely consequences of various actions; applying decision-making skills to academic and social situations; and contributing to the well-being of one's school and community.
Visit the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning, CASEL, to learn more about how social and emotional skills make a difference in a young person and his/her future.
NBC News Education Nation has produced an online Social and Emotional Learning toolkit for parents that offers a wide variety of resources and information. This toolkit can be used by anyone interested in helping young people attain these skills.
Learn more at www.parenttoolkit.com.
Multiply the number of Social and Emotional Skills club members learn by Getting Your Happy On and using resources Key Club uses through partnership with Project Happiness.
Learn more at www.keyclub.org/projecthappiness.