(L to R) Michelle Bickford-Matthews and Heather Brock, along with representatives from NC DPI and Age of Learning
From Staff Reports | Boys & Girls Clubs of the Greater Triad
On June 10, in Raleigh, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NC DPI) recognized the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Greater Triad (BGCTriad) for academic growth across our 21st Century Community Learning Centers programs. Here’s what that recognition means, and how we got here.
We do this work because a third-grader who can’t read is four times more likely to drop out of high school. And, if that child also lives in an underserved community, they are thirteen times less likely to earn a diploma. Those are not acceptable odds. And we have refused to accept them.
So when the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction invited BGCTriad to be recognized for academic growth achieved through our 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant programs—and asked us to share our strategies with other organizations across the state—we received that recognition with gratitude and with purpose.
What Drove the Results
Three practices emerged consistently across BGCTriad Club sites as drivers of growth: embedding evidence-based Age of Learning as a non-negotiable component of daily programming and tutoring structures; establishing monthly data feedback loops to guide decision-making and support continuous improvement; and celebrating student achievement through intentional recognition, including certificates, achievement events, and High Flyer honors.
The results are measurable. Across North Carolina, fewer than half of third graders are reading at grade level, and students who do not read proficiently are four times more likely to drop out of high school. For students who are both below grade level and living in poverty, that risk climbs to thirteen times less likely to graduate.
BGCTriad’s data from the pilot 2025-26 program year shows meaningful movement against those odds: 17% of members who were below grade level in reading on their pre-assessment are now performing at grade level, and 9% have reached grade level in math. Individual members logged more than 2,500 minutes in each subject, with some posting more than 50% growth in reading and 40% growth in math.
Heather Brock, Vice President, Programs & Impact, presents in Raleigh at the NC DPI event, June 10th.
Heather Brock, Vice President, Programs & Impact for BGCTriad, who stewarded the academic programming transformation, described the outcomes as the product of deliberate, consistent work. “Meaningful results don’t happen by accident. They are built through strong relationships, consistent implementation, and a commitment to continuous improvement,” she said. “What makes me most proud is seeing young people build confidence and experience success in ways that will extend far beyond our Club walls.”
Michelle Bickford-Matthews, Manager, Academics & Metrics, who built the measurement infrastructure behind BGCTriad’s data-driven approach, emphasized the urgency of early intervention. “The key is to catch struggling readers before third grade, when the gaps are still smaller,” Bickford-Matthews said. “Our Clubs have done an amazing job making academics a priority and helping children reach their fullest potential.”
The recognition comes as BGCTriad executes the Future Ready Triad initiative, an important effort to provide Club kids in other cities and communities with access to high-quality, high-impact BGCA programming. William D. Gibson, President & CEO, who prioritized a full assessment of the organization’s academic programming upon joining the organization in 2025, called the NC DPI recognition a direct reflection of his team’s commitment.
“We had a strong commitment from day one,” said Gibson. “What we needed was a sharper tool; one that could meet every child exactly where they were and move them forward with precision. We moved with urgency, and our team is delivering.”
Building This into Everything We Do
The recognition from NC DPI isn’t the destination. It’s a checkpoint.
BGCTriad is scaling. Eight new Club sites launch across Greensboro and Winston-Salem in FY2026–27. More than 9,000 youth will be served annually by 2030. As we grow, the academic model that earned this recognition travels with us, embedded from day one at every new site, not added on after the fact.
Athletics might be a front door, but academic excellence is the destination. Every young person who comes through a BGCTriad door deserves a fair shot at both. This recognition tells us our model is working. Now we build it at scale.
Here is how you can join the movement and help: Join Now!
BGCTriad’s 21st CCLC programs are funded in part by the U.S. Department of Education through the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.