Inspired by his time on The All New Mickey Mouse Club, actor/entrepreneur Dale Godboldo founded Always In The Club with support from other former Mouseketeers to help meet the United Nation's Global Goal of Quality Education through youth mentoring and the arts.
"As a former Mouseketeer, I experienced first-hand the power of mentorship and arts training, and sustained institutional support. I believe that support was invaluable to our self esteem and sense of purpose, laying a foundation that lead to all of our future successes." - Dale Godboldo (Founder)
“The most informative experience I’ve ever had as an entertainer.” – Justin Timberlake (Former Mouseketeer)
"The Mouse Club was much more than just a television show, it was a performing arts, entrepreneurship, and leadership academy." - Dale Godboldo
The MMC's breeding ground for success can be replicated and enhanced to reach millions of young people as an inspiration, and example, of the power of sustained institutional support for our youth.
Always In The Club was formed as a platform to provide funding to outstanding non-profits dedicated to youth education and arts, and provide scholarships and entrepreneurial training for young people through partnerships with both for-profit and non-profit organizations.
But AITC is more than a mission, it's a family. Our motto - Once in the club... Always In The Club
AITCF's first initiative - Project:NOW - stresses the urgency of NOW in executing innovative programs that work to increase literacy, college acceptance rates, and entrepreneurial pursuits in the underserved communities we target. Project:NOW works to promote the efforts of INROADS, Arvada K-8 School, Arthur Wylie Entrepreneurship & Leadership Fund, and US Dream Academy - all meeting the Global Goal of Universal Quality Education... #Goal4.
Inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s landmark “I Have a Dream” speech, INROADS founder Frank C. Carr quit his executive-level corporate day job and committed to taking swift and decisive action to increase ethnically diverse employees in corporate management in the U.S., and to help change the way these candidates gained entry into the business world.
INROADS is the leader in this space, impacting the lives of over 154,000 youth; has over 28 offices serving nearly 2,000 interns at over 200 companies; and has over 28,000 alumni worldwide who have benefitted from its programs over its almost 50 years of operating.
Project:NOW recently announced its support of INROADS through Project:NOW co-founding partner, The Arthur Wylie Entrepreneurship & Leadership Fund.
AWF accomplishes its mission through international partnerships that financially support programs pairing promising young talent with leaders in the communities we target. AWF was founded by social entrepreneur and Best Selling book author, Arthur Wylie, who after starting in his dorm room over 20 years ago, went on to oversee 1,200 clients and $750 million in assets, transactions, insurance, real estate, and intellectual properties.
Arvada K-8 School
The Project:NOW Service Learning program by Arvada K-8 School (a Jeffco Public School) empowers all students and ensuring all students achieve personal and academic excellence.
Arvada K8 is a unique and innovative learning environment created in 2010 by combining Russell Elementary and Arvada Middle School. We believe this inclusive concept benefits all of our students and we are proud of the multi-age learning culture we have established.
Arvada K8 provides an academically rich learning environment. Our Positive Behavioral Support (PBIS) program is called PACK.
PACK stands for Perseverance, Ambition, Community, and Kindness. These are the values that students and staff practice and support daily in our accredited program. Our school colors are red and white.
Project:NOW Service Learning Program
Since Arvada is a Title 1 school, it focuses on reading and math, extended learning, family learning events, opportunities for families and community members, and ongoing professional development for all teachers and staff.
The purpose is to help achieve the equity for students most at risk of not meeting academic standards. We use restorative practices with all of our students, our counselors are here to help with education, personal, social and vocational skills.
We serve snacks to all students during the day since the day is extended.
Our Extended Day 3:00-4:15, and again, our goal is to make this a community resource center and extend the hours until the early evening to empower families, community and our students.
Extended Learning Opportunities and Enriching Experiences
Teacher and/or Community Volunteer -led enrichment
Offering student choice in selecting various enrichment activities
Expanded offering of community-led enrichment integrated into the day
Enrichment offered in areas of: student leadership, arts and culture, STEM, athletics and sports, interventions and advanced content classes
Service learning through youth development and leadership classes
After school study hall and tutoring with transportation provided
Exploring the offering of teacher collaboration time
Maintaining daily elective classes which can include; P.E., Art, Music, S.T.E.M, and Student Leadership
Student leadership opportunities through Project:NOW, Student Council, and Youth Development classes
Theater and band concerts throughout the year for all students
Arvada K-8 provides free out of school programs for all students. These opportunities are made available based on a partnership between Arvada K-8 and the 21st Century learning Grant. Research shows that students who participate in extended learning opportunities have a lower juvenile crime rate, improved academic performance, and are more likely to attend higher education of some sort.
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a framework or approach for assisting school personnel in adopting and organizing evidence-based behavioral interventions into an integrated continuum that enhances academic and social behavior outcomes for all students. [PBIS.org]
Level 1: Individual
All staff should be giving PACK tickets to students to reinforce expectations regularly in class, in the halls, and other opportunities. These tickets will be dropped off into buckets in the office. There will be drawings weekly for small prizes, and on Early Release Days we will have drawings for large prizes. Large prizes will include items such as a tablet, Principal for the Day, or other cool prizes. *Please remind students that their first and last name must be on the tickets to receive their prize.
Level 2: Classroom
Individual classroom Teachers may offer classroom incentives for whole classes. These may include DEAR Days, Extra Recess, Game Day, etc.
Level 3: School-Wide
Tickets given out to communities of students in order to reach a school wide goal. Tickets will be posted and tracked on a community board in the cafeteria. Rewards will be school wide. Potential rewards may include: Staff v. Students Soccer Game, Movie Day, duct taping Mr. Simon to the wall, dying Ms. Shea’s hair, etc.
Always In The Club Foundation's Project:NOW initiative was a beneficiary of the 3rd Annual City Summit & Gala held on the weekend of the Academy Awards in Hollywood, where over $2,000,000 in cash and commitments were raised for youth education initiatives among other important causes.
From proceeds raised at City Summit & Gala, Always In The Club Foundation's Project:NOW made a contribution to INROADS - supporting education and diversity in the workplace.