Fiesta Sports Foundation Unveils Resource Room at Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley in Apache Junction

Fiesta Sports Foundation, in partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (AZ Blue), celebrated the unveiling of its newest Community Resource Room at Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley’s Superstition Mountain Branch in Apache Junction.

The seventh Community Resource Room project across the state will serve the Superstition Mountain Branch as a dedicated teen room, filling a significant need for the Club which has been serving up to 70 teens daily with limited space and resources. The previously outdated room was transformed into a safe and welcoming environment for Club members aged 13-18 to call their own, with hopes that the new space will draw even more teen memberships.

“The Superstition Mountain Branch’s life-changing programs are essential to youth and families in Apache Junction, and through our continued partnership with AZ Blue we’re proud to provide these Boys & Girls Club teens with a dedicated space that truly belongs to them,” said Fiesta Sports Foundation Chief Impact Officer and Chief of Staff Kristina Chumpol. “This Community Resource Room will serve as a foundation for meaningful relationships and provides the kind of resources and support that shapes futures for years to come.”

The new 750-square-foot Community Resource Room offers a custom space for Boys & Girls Club staff to run programming that promotes academic success, good character and leadership, healthy lifestyles and workforce development. Having a room exclusively for teen programs is standard in a traditional Boys & Girls Club site, and previously there was no such space in the Superstition Mountain Branch. Fiesta Sports Foundation worked closely with Club teens throughout the design process, planning and equipping the room based on their direct input.

"Creating spaces where teens feel safe, supported, and inspired is critical to building stronger communities," said Paul Penzone, VP, Chief Community Relations Officer at AZ Blue. "This new Community Resource Room gives these teens the tools and opportunities they need to learn, lead, and thrive.”

The growing teen population at the Superstition Mountain Branch is especially committed to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, math) programming at the Club, and the room is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including an xTool laser engraver, Dash coding robots, GPS drones, 3D printing pens, Sphero Bolt coding robots, Bambu Lab 3D printer and VR headset. The room also features a custom post-secondary education wall and mural, 10 Chromebook laptops, four iPads with Apple Pens, a motorized projector screen, smart projector, 65-inch smart TV, retro arcade game, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5 with extra controllers, record player and JBL speaker.

“We are so grateful to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona and Fiesta Sports Foundation for investing in teens in Apache Junction,” said Marcia Mintz, President & CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley. “The new Community Resource Room at the Superstition Mountain Branch – the site's first teen center – will strengthen our current middle and high school Club members' experience, draw more teens to the Club and inspire younger members about what awaits them.”

In addition to the new technology, Fiesta Sports Foundation and AZ Blue partnered to install custom cabinets and a media area with new storage options and a mini fridge, new ceiling tiles, updated paint and drywall repair and new electrical installations. The room also received new custom furniture including tables, table seating, a ping pong table, gaming chairs and reclining media chairs.

This project marks the seventh Community Resource Room renovation between Fiesta Sports Foundation and AZ Blue, which also co-created the Empowering Diversity Scholarship and set a Guinness World Record for the largest game of Freeze Tag.