As such these gyms benefits youngsters greatly and they usually have trained coaches and masters who not only trains the pupils in the art of fighting but also make them aware of the dangers involved in unsupervised combats. It’s more of a disciplined area. Some combat master are known to have opened gyms, taking over run down locations, fitting it well with training arenas, lockers and exercise equipments and allowing the young ones to have contest matches under their supervision. Usually the trainings during the weekdays, say after school hours to accommodate the school schedules.

As a matter of fact youngsters seems to be attracted to these fight club gyms; the word ‘fight club’ itself catching them like a magnet and are really curious and eager about the fighting techniques. Usually these fight club gyms teaches the pupils that fighting is not for fun but is in fact an art. It teaches them not to misuse their talents on ugly brawls out in the streets for no apparent reason but respect the art of fighting. The fight club gym teaches grapple and wrestle and also training in mixed martial arts like jujitsu and kickboxing. The Brazilian jujitsu is a favorite.

One fight club gym in California also has a caged arena, kids love it especially. Though yes, its hexagonal structure surrounded by a flexible chain-link fence is padded protectively. The youngsters have the freedom to punch, jab, kick at each other, grapple for five-minute intervals, and repeatedly slamming against the sides of the cage, shaking the floor. It’s actually a no-holds-barred, but being under supervision, the youngsters contest never becomes an all-out brawling as its illegal. Normally the participants in this type of fights involve professionals only.

These fight club gyms are always packed with at least 15 to 20 students every day and it’s a great experience for them too. Experts teach them mental toughness and how to master the fear of failure. In fact a reputed international fight club of Saudi Arabia also teaches youngsters on similar principles of fighting. That learning comes either from winning or losing, but one learns more when we lose as we get to learn from mistakes. Also the gyms emphasize the importance of a stable training regimen, thereby encouraging a healthy lifestyle by coaching the club members in nutrition and exercise. Its one great way of disciplining and also teaching the youngsters about fighting!

Every year, one in five children receives a sexual solicitation or approach over the Internet. With millions of children in chat rooms and sending instant messages, parents must take action to protect their kids.

A recent survey of young people revealed the following statistics about how parents are supervising their children’s online time: More than half of young people (53 percent) say their parents never ask them about whom they are talking to on the Internet, and 55 percent say their parents never surf the Internet with them.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America has partnered with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to create NetSmartz (www.netsmartz.org), an interactive, educational safety resource for children ages 5 to 17. Parents, guardians, educators and law enforcement personnel can access age-appropriate, 3-D activities to teach children how to stay safer on the Internet.

Here are some Internet safety tips for parents:

* Keep the computer in the family room or another open area of your home.

* If children use chat or e-mail, talk to them about never meeting in person with anyone they “met” online.

* Know who your children are exchanging e-mail with, and only let them use chat areas when you can supervise. Limit chatroom access to child-friendly chat sites.

* Let your children show you what they do online. Visit their favorite Web sites.

* If you suspect online “stalking” or sexual exploitation of a child, report it to your local law-enforcement agency or call the CyberTipline at (800) 843-5678.

With the support of Microsoft, BGCA also has implemented the Club Tech program in more than 3,700 Boys & Girls Clubs nationwide. Club Tech’s goal is to “technology enable” every club by providing software, curriculum and computer training for staff and youth.

New technology centers are becoming available online every week, teaching basic computer skills and Internet safety.

In fact, a recently released survey supports the need for quality after-school programs that offer students homework assistance and academic goal-setting to help deter kids from crime and substance abuse.

Television is the No. 1 homework distraction, according to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America/JCPenney Afterschool Fund Survey, which questioned students about homework and on graduating from high school. Sixty-seven percent of students said teachers should assign homework, but 54 percent claim there is too much of it.

Also, most of the students surveyed said graduating high school was very important to them, with 61 percent saying going to college was their primary ambition after high school. The negative influence of peers was cited as the greatest challenge to finishing high school.

To address these statistics, Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the JCPenney Afterschool Fund have partnered to create after-school programs that, according to Julie Berkhouse, after-school specialist for the JCPenney Afterschool Fund, emphasize the importance of doing well in school and planning for the future.

“Numerous studies have shown that children involved in quality after-school programs, including those that offer homework assistance, have better grades, higher school attendance, better attitudes toward school, higher educational aspirations and less need for disciplinary action,” said Berkhouse.
One such program is Power Hour. This interactive homework assistance program helps young people view homework as an opportunity to learn how to work independently, successfully complete a project on time and feel good about their accomplishments.

Additionally, Goals for Graduation is a program for youth ages 6 to 15 that provides one-on-one activities to support academic goal-setting, learning and success in school. Through an incremental approach, students create an action plan with daily and weekly goals – leading to both short- and long-term gains.

“Research shows that without significant educational support, many young people are likely to accept low standards of academic achievement, leading to unrealized potential and locking them into limited opportunities for employment and life,” said Carrie Prudente, director of education programs for Boys & Girls Clubs of America.