Mission:
To ensure all girls have the tools and skills needed to achieve success in all aspects of their lives.

"Smart Girls is an important program for young women and girls ages 8-18. The program provides girls with the tools they need to build healthy attitudes and lifestyles. We employ a variety of activities that help girls develop their social, emotional and leadership skills. This is a recipe that will lead the girls on a road to success.

Parental consent must be provided for all girls to participate in this program. Within BGCNR, Smart Girls is held at all five sites (August E. Mascaro, Remington Unit, Ward Elementary School, Trinity Elementary School and Davis Elementary School). Smart Girls' purpose is to empower girls to make positive decisions. This is done by teaching girls how to love themselves. We host programs and events that help uplift and identify issues that revolve around self-esteem, peer pressure, bullying, body image and making positive choices in a fun, caring and safe atmosphere. For the 2016 - 2017 year, we will focus on entrepreneurship, career building, community service and mentorship.

There is so much to teach and so much for the girls to learn. Times are changing and we now live in a social media world. This gives our girls so much access on what is going on in the world on a daily basis. I feel as if it is job of my staff and I to meet the needs of the girls, so they can grow up to be strong, productive and successful women."

Tina Mitchell
Smart Girls Advisor

My name is Tina Mitchell and I’ve been with the Boys & Girls Club of New Rochelle for over 15 years. I’ve held various positions within the organization, and I’m currently Coordinator of the Smart Girls program.

My burning desire to do something positive for the youth in the community bought me to the Boys and Girls Club of New Rochelle. I started volunteering at the Boys & Girls Club of New Rochelle Respect Extension in 2001, and in 2002 I became Unit Director. I was successful in running the Respect Extension for over five years with the help of community leaders, organizations, local colleges, businesses and most of all a dedicated staff. Under my leadership our” Youth of the Year” won 3rd place at the Statewide Youth of the Year Competition held in Albany, New York where hundreds of kids were participants in this very important Boys & Girls Club of America event.

In 2007 I became director of the Boys & Girls Club of New Rochelle Remington Unit. I was the first female to hold the position of Unit Director at the Remington clubhouse, and I held it for 3 years. I brought exciting, new innovated programs, activities and fundraising events to the club, also collaborated with Monroe and Iona College, Youth Bureau of New Rochelle, Jack and Jill, NAACP, and many others.

I began working with Smart Girls in 2010 and became the coordinator in 2012. I host programs at three After School Sites, (Trinity, Ward and Davis Elementary schools) also 2 Clubhouses (August E. Mascaro and Remington).

The Smart Girls Program is for Girls ages 8 thru 18. It’s a great program that teaches girls Health and Life skills, the importance of having high self esteem, and confidence, how to build positive friendships and relationships, staying healthy, choosing a path of becoming leaders, not followers and striving to become successful, confident women that will contribute to society in a  positive way.