West Palm Beach families gained a major new resource on Tuesday when the Julie and Mike Connors Boys & Girls Club opened its doors at Dreher Park, just steps from the Palm Beach Zoo and the Cox Science Center. The $17 million facility was built over the summer and is designed to serve as a model for youth centers across the county and, potentially, the nation.
What the club offers
According to Jaene Miranda, CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County, the club expects about 250 children to walk through its doors each day, with a total of roughly 800 youth served over the course of a year. Membership costs $30 per year for children ages six to eighteen and includes an after‑school snack and a hot dinner, helping to address food insecurity among local families.
The 12,000‑square‑foot building features a full‑size gym with a built‑in dance studio, giving kids a safe place to stay active and learn new skills. Certified teachers are on‑site to assist with homework and to close academic gaps, reinforcing the club’s educational mission.
Workforce‑readiness teen center
One of the most distinctive components is the Workforce Readiness Teen Center, aimed at middle‑school and high‑school students. Here, teens can explore robotics, song production and content creation, as well as earn certifications in drone piloting, healthcare, construction safety and culinary arts. “What’s important to teens is that they feel like they have their own space, that it belongs to them,” Miranda said.
Transportation and hours
To make the club accessible to a broad cross‑section of the community, transportation will be provided from four local schools: Belvedere Elementary, Palmetto Elementary, Conniston Middle and Forest Hill High. The club will remain open until 8 p.m. on weekdays and will operate from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the summer, accommodating parents who work late.
Community impact
Miranda described the new club as “the future of what every Boys & Girls Club should look like through the county and possibly throughout the nation.” By combining recreational space, academic support and career‑ready training under one roof, the center aims to strengthen families, empower youth and reinforce the values of hard work and personal responsibility that are central to our community.
Families can sign up in person at the Dreher Park location or online via the club’s website. The opening marks a significant investment in West Palm Beach’s next generation and underscores the county’s commitment to providing safe, constructive environments for children and teens.
Original reporting: WPBF (Treasure Coast / Hearst) — read the source article.
