Glen Cove Boys & Girls Club Welcomes New Personnel to Program Staff

Glen Cove Boys & Girls Club is pleased to announce the appointment of Chris Ricco as Program Director and the promotion of Arts & Crafts Coordinator, Sean O’Callaghan to Education Director.

Mr. Ricco will oversee the Club’s overall program and staff serving youth ages 6-18. The Club’s Core Program Areas include Education and Career Development; The Arts; Health and Life Skills; Character and Leadership Development; and Sports, Fitness and Recreation. Before joining Glen Cove Boys & Girls Club, Mr. Ricco was the Direct Service Counselor for the Huntington Tri-County Youth Agency. Prior to Tri-County, Mr. Ricco served as the Art Coordinator for Project Excel at Huntington Youth Bureau where he worked with kids who benefitted from one-on-one interaction. During his time at Project Excel, he helped organize and manage 40 teen high school art students from nine different districts from the Township of Huntington to create a mural of sailboats in Huntington Bay on one of the outside walls of Waldbaum’s in Huntington. Before Project Excel, Mr. Ricco was an Art Teacher in the Huntington School District and it was during this time that he had the opportunity to work with kids requiring extra assistance. This is when he found his calling of connecting with, and positively impacting, youth who needed individual attention and guidance to help them develop socially and make productive advancements in their education. Mr. Ricco has a degree in fine arts with a minor in education from Alfred University.

Sean O’Callaghan is now the Club’s Education Director and will be responsible for coordinating the academic success and education programs for youth ages 6 – 12 as well as oversee the School-Aged Child Care (SACC) Program. Mr. O’Callaghan started his career path in the Boys & Girls movement by volunteering at Grenville Baker Boys & Girls Club. He soon joined Glen Cove Boys & Girls Club, also as a volunteer reading to the kids and helping them with homework and arts. Before long, he was offered the role of Arts Coordinator, a position he held for over three years. While in this role, Mr. O’Callaghan helped youth achieve many artistic accomplishments, including regional and national winners of the Boys & Girls Club’s National Fine Art Exhibit Contest. Prior to joining the Boys & Girls Club, he worked in art education at Southampton College of LIU, summer camp programs at LIU Post and Walnut Hill School of Arts. Mr. O’Callaghan received his degree in art education from Southampton College of Long Island University.

“We are very excited to have Chris join our team and for Sean to assume a new role within our organization. It is the people who dedicate their time, effort, energy and love of the children that make our Club such a special place and capable of inspiring our young people to achieve success in all aspects of their lives,” said Melissa Rhodes, GCBGC Executive Director.