On behalf of Boys & Girls Clubs of America, congratulations! High school graduation is one of the biggest milestones there is – it marks the end of one chapter of life and the start of another. In this next chapter, you get to write what’s next. You’ve got great futures ahead of you. I know our Club members are some of the most resilient young people in the world, and this characteristic will empower you to be successful no matter the challenges you face.

Right now, there’s already proof of your resilience. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, graduation season likely looks a little different than you envisioned it. You are managing your feelings and expectations around graduation and this unprecedented pandemic simultaneously, as well as the concerns so many of us have around health and safety. It’s a lot to manage and, as a father of a graduating senior, I know my son is disappointed, as many of you likely are, to miss the social aspects of graduation. But I tell him, as I will tell you, that graduation is more than a cap and gown and a walk across the stage.

Graduation is not cancelled. Graduation is the entire journey you’ve been on. From your classes at school to your time spent at the Club, you’ve put in the work. You studied hard, even when some subjects were tougher than others. You’ve worked with Club mentors who helped you overcome obstacles and keep going. You learned new things, made mistakes and through it all, you kept your focus on the future and the path toward graduation – with aspirations like college, career and the military. And I hope you had fun along the way – building lifelong friendships, exploring new hobbies and celebrating your achievements.

That level of work and commitment deserves to be celebrated and I know your Club and friends are rallying around you in this moment. From the bottom of my heart, from the team at Boys & Girls Clubs of America and from Clubs across the nation – congratulations! I’m confident you’ll take everything you’ve learned at the Club and in school and make the most of what’s next.

Please keep your Club in your hearts, stay in touch through our Alumni & Friends network and remember to come back to your Club and say “hi” every once in a while. Those younger members need someone to look up to.

You are the future of this nation and I can’t wait to see what you do next.

Jim Clark
President & CEO
Boys & Girls Clubs of America

Help the Class of 2020 Celebrate

Graduation may look different this year, but it is not cancelled for all the Club seniors who’ve beaten the odds to get here. As we continue to help make graduation possible for more kids, help celebrate this year’s graduates by signing their graduation card.