The Boys & Girls Clubs of Acadiana (BGCA) welcomes De’Andrea “De” Sanders as the new Club Director of the upcoming Natchitoches Club.
As Director of the club, De is responsible for developing and implementing youth development instructional strategies, content, and management of the organization’s evaluation system. Her role also includes working alongside the BGCA Leadership Team to bring research and evidence-based practices reflecting the mission and goals into the club and out into the community.
De is a former teacher and substitute teacher for the Natchitoches Parish School Board where she developed curriculums and maintained structure in the classroom. Engaging with her community, she has led summer camps and youth programs managing staff and maintaining funding for the local programs. In her current role, she will be able to implement teaching abilities and knowledge of programming to establish a safe and healthy environment to coach, lead, and mentor the youth of Natchitoches.
De is eager to begin her new role, stating, “I am very grateful for the opportunity to serve the Natchitoches community again by helping offer youth programming.”
With the expansion into Natchitoches, Rhyan Wheeler, President and CEO of Boys & Girls Club of Acadiana emphasizes the importance of this position, “It was critical that we hired someone ingrained in the community, with experience and passion in youth development, who exudes strong leadership qualities. I am excited to welcome De to the BGCA team and can’t wait to start serving youth in the Natchitoches community with her leading the way.”
Van Erikson, Advisory Council Chair for the Natchitoches Club also states “I have known Coach De for a while now, and one thing consistently comes to mind is that her drive and passion are always at the forefront of all that she does and accomplishes. Her vision for youth development in Natchitoches will now coincide with the future of the Boys & Girls Club, and I couldn’t be more excited for her and the future of our community.”
About Boys & Girls Clubs of Acadiana
This year marks the 51st anniversary of Boys & Girls Clubs of Acadiana. Boys & Girls Clubs of Acadiana operates under a mission to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens. Serving 1,0006 children in six different locations, Boys & Girls Clubs provide opportunities through school programs and summer camps with activities focusing on Academic Success, Healthy Lifestyles & Habits, and Good Character & Leadership. A seventh location in Natchitoches, Louisiana will open in January 2022.
