Boys & Girls Club of Parkersburg

We are proud to announce that Boys & Girls Club of Parkersburg is officially Future Ready! We are committed to making a lasting impact on the lives of young people in our community. This badge represents our dedication to the shared goals and priorities set forth by leaders at Boys & Girls Clubs everywhere. Together, we are stronger, bigger, and bolder to champion opportunities for young people across the country. #FutureReady #BGCA #YouthDevelopment #CommunityImpact

On Monday, Mrs. Lynn, Mrs. Dasia, and Mr. Justin and 9 Club members got to visit Charleston with our friends Mr. Simon from Boys & Girls Club of Huntington WV, Mr. John from The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club of Charleston WV, and Mr. Matt from Boys & Girls Clubs of America to talk with legislators about the importance of the out-of-school safety net and the work of Clubs around WV. We love getting to instill the values of good character & leadership in our members. Thank you to all of our state leaders who spent time with us this week!

We are so grateful for such thoughtful community partners! Thank you Huntington National Bank for supporting #GreatFutures

We are thrilled to share that Darlene Parsons will be joining our team effective December 4, 2023 in the position of Unit Director. Darlene is married to Toby and they have 5 sons and 6 grandchildren. Darlene lives with Toby and their two cats. She has degrees in journalism and elementary education from WVU Parkersburg, a Master's in Elementary Education from Marshall University, and a Master's in Educational Leadership from Wheeling Jesuit University. She is currently pursuing a Master's in Counseling at Divine Mercy University. Darlene's community experience includes previous service as the Teen Director at BGCP, teaching in public and private schools, and 5 years as principal of Van Devender Middle School. Most recently she owned and operated the Vienna Learning Center. When Darlene finds spare time she enjoys hosting friends and family, baking, kayaking, and traveling. She has been fortunate to travel to several different countries and is looking forward to visiting Denmark and Germany in the coming months. Fun facts about Darlene: She is an Army National Guard veteran - and got to meet Alex Trebek when she previously tried out for Teen Jeopardy. Please join us in welcoming Darlene back to the BGCP family! We are thrilled to have her.

Over the coming weeks we will be introducing you to the team that is responsible for the work of BGCP! First up is our Teen Program Director, Ms. Hannah! Hannah Uppole joined the BGCP team as a Youth Development Professional in 2016. In late 2023 she was promoted to her current position as Teen Program Director. In her role, she ensures that all teen programming is of the highest quality. Hannah was recently recognized as the Most Valuable Program Professional award by the West Virginia Boys & Girls Clubs Area Council. She studied performance and production at Marshall University and has participated in theatre for most of her life - a passion she shares with Club members whenever possible. Hannah is a huge fan of Harry Potter and enjoys talking about the Wizarding World to anyone who will listen and has developed a Harry Potter program for Club members. Hannah loves working at BGCP because it provides a wonderful atmosphere for all children (including Hannah's daughters, Liliana and Symphony) to realize their full potential. Hannah's mission is to provide a secure and positive environment where teen members can develop and grow regardless of race, sex, or status. She believes that positive routines and consistent encouragement are the key foundation necessary to seeing this vision realized for every Club member.