BEAVERTON PAL
This organization has already been registered
Someone in your organization has already registered and setup an account. would you like to join their team?Profile owner : J****y@b**********l.o*g
Mission Statement
The Beaverton Police Activities League (PAL) is a safe place open to youth 8-18 years old. We offer educational, recreational, and athletic activities to help keep the kids busy and away from influences of criminal activity.
About This Cause
The Beaverton Police Activities League (PAL) is a safe and affordable crime prevention program for youth ages 8-18 that is aimed at building partnerships between youth, police, and the community. These goals are met through recreational, educational, and enrichment programs designed to encourage and develop good citizenship while improving the quality of life in the community. More than a decade of research confirms that quality afterschool programs inspire and motivate children to learn, support children’s social and emotional growth, and help raise their academic achievement. However, 131,779 of Oregon’s school‐age children (22%) are alone and unsupervised during the hours after school. Investment in quality afterschool programs is needed now more than ever to help address our country’s growing opportunity and achievement gaps and support the overall well‐being of children as they move through school, career and life. (Afterschool Alliance. “Afterschool by the Numbers in Oregon.” 2015) Beaverton PAL was established to help reduce juvenile crime. According to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 19% of all juvenile crime occurs between the hours of 3-7 PM. In response to this statistic, our center is open from 2:30-6:30 PM during the school year and 8:30 AM-5:30 PM on non-school days, including the summer. On average, Beaverton PAL serves 400 youth per year in our afterschool, summer and boxing programs. 70% of PAL members come from low-income families, and many attend Vose Elementary School where 83.9 % of students receive free or reduced lunch. The goals of Beaverton PAL include improving school attendance and participation; reducing the use of alcohol and drugs; and preventing juvenile crime. We not only help youth understand the value of education, we also provide enrichment activities to continue their education and become more self-sufficient. This past school year, Beaverton PAL celebrated the high school graduation of one member who struggled to stay in school and was formally part of a gang. When asked how he felt, he stated, “I am so proud of myself. I never thought I could do it.” This is just one of many stories that PAL has the privilege of supporting. It is important to our mission that the vulnerable youth of our community stay away from crime, gain a quality education, and learn the life skills necessary to sustain a healthy and successful lifestyle. Through participation in PAL’s carefully designed programs, youth are provided the knowledge and resources to become more self-sufficient, graduate high school and go on to fulfill their dreams of college, careers and brighter futures. Beaverton PAL offers several core programs: • Homework Club: Each member of PAL receives daily help with school assignments from experienced staff and tutors. Our staff and tutors work with youth individually according to their learning styles and enrich their educational experiences with additional resources such as practice work sheets and educational games. Additionally, PAL provides school supplies to families who cannot afford them. • Youth Empowerment Club: Teenagers are offered a safe place to talk about pressing and relevant issues such as peer pressure and bullying. In partnership with the Peer Court program at the Beaverton Police Department, this club teaches PAL teens about the criminal justice system and provides hands-on, experiential learning opportunities as peer court jurors, attorneys and bailiffs. • Girls Empowerment Group / Boys Empowerment Group: Young women and men at PAL are provided supportive environments to address issues such as peer pressure, self- worth and other critical factors affecting their gender and generation. This group is also a place where young women and men can dream about their futures and establish goals in planning for college and careers. • Garden Club: Youth are provided the knowledge, tools and resources to grow and sustain a vegetable garden, while also learning about the benefits of nutrition and healthy eating. • Fitness Activities: Fitness Boot Camp, Boxing, Yoga, Zumba and Hip Hop clubs support youth in developing healthy and fun exercise habits as well as life skills such as discipline and focus. • Computer Clubhouse: PAL is also home to the only Intel Computer Clubhouse in the Portland area. The Intel Computer Clubhouse provides a safe and fun learning environment for youth to develop STEM-related skills while deepening their understanding of technology, often through innovative, hands-on projects such as Lego Robotics. PAL’s greatest strength ultimately stems from its dynamic and collaborative partnership with the Beaverton Police Department. Officers frequently provide a positive presence onsite at our center, and several officers serve on our Board of Directors, including PAL’s Chairman, Chief Spalding. With the consistent exposure to positive law enforcement interaction, youth are more likely to trust law enforcement and benefit from the mentor-like relationships they form with positive figures in our community. With these bonds established, our youth are not only safer during the peak crime time, but they are also continuing to grow in self-awareness, leadership and character.