Boys & Girls Clubs of Oakland Youth Programs
Anna Marie Whalen Branch (Boys & Girls Clubs of Oakland), 3300 High Street, Oakland, CA 94619
About
Boys & Girls Clubs of Oakland Youth Programs offers tutoring, mentorship, leadership development, creative expression, and athletic activities. The program also includes the G.R.I.T. & Grace workshop for teens, Strikers & Scholars for ages 6–10, and the Our Town, Her Story interactive storytelling program.
• Ages: 6–18 years old
• Schedule: After-school programming runs until 8 PM on school days, with full-day options from 8 AM–6 PM during summer and school breaks.
The mission of Boys & Girls Clubs of Oakland is to inspire and empower Oakland's youth, especially those who need it most, by providing safe spaces, caring mentors, and life-enriching programs that foster academic success, healthy lifestyles, and character development. The organization has operated for over 85 years, beginning in 1937 as the West Oakland Boys Recreation Center and becoming Boys & Girls Clubs of Oakland in 1989. Members carry an average GPA of 3.5 through dedicated academic support, and the organization offers academic and leadership programs that are college and career ready, along with arts and sports enrichment that includes creative expression and athletic activities.
Over the decades, Boys & Girls Clubs of Oakland has expanded from a single recreation center to multiple branches and programs, including the purchase of a 480-acre camp site in Shasta County in 1950. Its history includes milestones such as Marion F. Sims becoming the first boy member to serve as Executive Director in 1965, the opening of the Wallace W. Knox Clubhouse in 1985, and partnerships with the Oakland Housing Authority in the 1990s that created The Gardens, Peralta, and Coliseum branches. Leadership milestones include Veronica Fauntleroy becoming the first woman president in 1998 and John Mascali becoming President & CEO in October 2023, following former leaders such as Cal Stanley, Marion F. Sims, Gilbert D. Eaton, and Clifford D. Allen.
Current branch directors include Louis Otis at the Anna Marie Whalen Branch, Leiani Celestan at the Ossian E. Carr Branch, and Rodney Cook at the Leonard J. Meltzer Branch. The organization also hosts community events such as the “Roots to Wings Women Inspiring Girls Community Workshop,” which features a panel of local women leaders.
Last updated May 2, 2026.
• Ages: 6–18 years old
• Schedule: After-school programming runs until 8 PM on school days, with full-day options from 8 AM–6 PM during summer and school breaks.
The mission of Boys & Girls Clubs of Oakland is to inspire and empower Oakland's youth, especially those who need it most, by providing safe spaces, caring mentors, and life-enriching programs that foster academic success, healthy lifestyles, and character development. The organization has operated for over 85 years, beginning in 1937 as the West Oakland Boys Recreation Center and becoming Boys & Girls Clubs of Oakland in 1989. Members carry an average GPA of 3.5 through dedicated academic support, and the organization offers academic and leadership programs that are college and career ready, along with arts and sports enrichment that includes creative expression and athletic activities.
Over the decades, Boys & Girls Clubs of Oakland has expanded from a single recreation center to multiple branches and programs, including the purchase of a 480-acre camp site in Shasta County in 1950. Its history includes milestones such as Marion F. Sims becoming the first boy member to serve as Executive Director in 1965, the opening of the Wallace W. Knox Clubhouse in 1985, and partnerships with the Oakland Housing Authority in the 1990s that created The Gardens, Peralta, and Coliseum branches. Leadership milestones include Veronica Fauntleroy becoming the first woman president in 1998 and John Mascali becoming President & CEO in October 2023, following former leaders such as Cal Stanley, Marion F. Sims, Gilbert D. Eaton, and Clifford D. Allen.
Current branch directors include Louis Otis at the Anna Marie Whalen Branch, Leiani Celestan at the Ossian E. Carr Branch, and Rodney Cook at the Leonard J. Meltzer Branch. The organization also hosts community events such as the “Roots to Wings Women Inspiring Girls Community Workshop,” which features a panel of local women leaders.
Last updated May 2, 2026.
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