www.scottsdaleranch.org
Virginia G. Piper Boys & Girls Club Set for School Year With New Safety Measures; STEAM Makerspace Buildout Underway New safety measures in place throughout the summer at Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale branches have put the youth development organization in compliance with CDC guidelines and state and local mandates, preparing the Clubs for whatever the new school year may look like. Prior to check-in, all members have their temperature checked and staff are health screened. Inside the building, staff and Club members wear masks, wash and sanitize hands frequently, and members are encouraged to maintain a healthy distance from one another. “We have talked to the children about social distancing with every project and program throughout the summer,” said Deidra Nietz, the Virginia G. Piper Branch Youth Development Supervisor. “Our summer camp attendees have learned new rules about personal space that will help them tremendously this upcoming school year.” Club staff have marked off areas with tape to indicate safe distances for games and waiting in the Club. Drinking fountains have been blocked off and water bottle refilling stations have been set up. The Club’s buildings are also sanitized on a regular schedule by a local company that sprays an alcohol mist throughout the building, helping to disinfect every surface kids can touch at the Club.
by establishing and operating innovative, collaborative spaces that encourage fun, creativity, and cutting-edge learning for school-aged youth throughout the organization. The Club in Scottsdale Ranch will be the first of the Greater Scottsdale Clubs to receive the STEAM Makerspace Studio buildout. When completed, the Virginia G. Piper Branch will provide a space and programming devoted completely to creating and designing using 3D printers, laser cutters, electronics, and other STEAM-related equipment and activities. Members at the Club will be able to learn and think about things in new ways in this space. Construction is set to begin shortly, and the space will be ready for kids in the fall. The increased safety measures and investment in the Club’s future continues to make the Boys & Girls Club an integral part of the Scottsdale Ranch community. The Club has been open in Scottsdale Ranch for 29 years, and while this year is different, it’s still a great time to be a member of the Club. Learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale and the Virginia G. Piper Branch or register your child at www.bgcs.org.
“While summer camp was very different this year, the Club is still about our members having fun and being kids,” said Christian Sanft, Virginia G. Piper Branch Director. “Because we are a youth development organization, our Club members also participate in fun educational activities to help bridge the gap between the school years. With the changes in how schools have operated since the onset of COVID-19, we know our programming plays a more important role than ever before.” Safety practices aren’t the only thing that will be different about the Club this fall. Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale is bringing investors together for a new initiative led by Ellie & Michael Ziegler, BGCS STEAM Makerspace Founding Partners, to help accelerate STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) learning with state-of-the-art spaces/equipment and programming at each of its branches over the next three years. BGCS seeks to be a leader in the state in preparing members for 21st Century careers
City of Scottsdale Community Notices Join the census challenge! AZCensus2020 is launching the 2020 Census Challenge calling on every Arizona community to drive up response rates. While Scottsdale’s self-response rate is 62.4 percent, Arizona as a whole stands at 58.3 percent - 3.4 percent behind the national average. Our complete count matters! Just a 1 percent undercount could result in the loss of $620 million for Arizona over the next decade. If you haven’t yet, please visit www.my2020census.gov.
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