Dr. Sachiko Kuno Center of Transformation

Click to View the 2026 CoT Introduction Video

What is the Center of Transformation?

The Dr. Sachiko Kuno Center of Transformation (CoT) is a first-of-its kind “incubator” for change, innovation, engagement, advocacy, and creative thinking. As the nation’s Boys & Girls Club, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington established CoT as a destination for Boys & Girls Club members across the nation. CoT is a pathway for social impact and justice, with an emphasis on elevating youth voices.

CoT’s mission is to raise Club youth’s awareness of global issues and empower them to advocate for a sustainable future.

CoT’s vision is to create a locally-designed, nationally-implemented program that provides youth with world- class opportunities and experiences to become global change agents and solution-focused leaders.

CoT serves Club youth, ages 12-18, from youth organizations across the nation, Canada, and Puerto Rico, through BGCGW’s online platform, Clubhouse @ Your House. In 2025, over 250 teen members, from 12 organizations, participated in the CoT “Food Sustainability” themed program.  While the number of participants in the 10-week program increased 800% from Year 1 to Year 3, and CoTS grew 200% since Year 1, CoT’s impact on our young people has been far greater. Based on pre and post-program scores, over 80% of CoT participants have demonstrated an increased knowledge of global environmental and sustainability issues.

CoT Strategic Goals

CoT has five strategic goals:

  1. Invest in high-yield and experiential learning programs for youth locally in the Greater Washington area and nationwide, through 21st century “future ready” skills and educational excellence.
  2. Increase youth exposure to emerging global issues through creative and experiential experiences, fostering engagement, and understanding.
  3. Develop an innovative and scalable 2026 program focused on technology, AI, and sustainability.
  4. Partner with Boys & Girls Clubs nationally and sustainability-focused youth organizations to expand their reach beyond DC, enhancing members’ experiences through collaboration.
  5. Establish a CoT Changemaker Alumni Network to stay connected with graduated CoT participants.

CoT Pillars

Three foundational pillars, STEM, Advocacy, and Workforce Readiness, serve as the backbone of the CoT initiative, enhancing Club youth’s “future ready” life and workforce capabilities.

2026 CoT 10-Week Program

In its fourth year, CoT will launch its 10-week program, from January 26, 2026 – April 17, 2026, with a “Back to the Future with Technology” theme and a focus on AI, digital discernment, and sustainability. In 2026, we will partner with 14 Boys & Girls Club organizations and enroll over 250 Club youth who will embark upon innovative programming through the below weekly session topics.

  • Week 1: Back to the Future: Time Travel (The Evolution of Technology)
  • Week 2: From Offline to Online: A Digital Glow Up (Exploring Life Before and After the Internet)
  • Week 3: Music & Game Play: Now and Back in the Day (How Music & Gaming Technology Changed)
  • Week 4: Artificial Intelligence: The Rise of the Smart Revolution
  • Week 5: Metal Madness: The Evolution of Robotics (Understanding the Impact of Automation)
  • Week 6: Digital Discernment: Can AI Be Trusted?
  • Week 7: Extinct, Endangered, & Evolving Careers of the Future
  • Week 8: Advocacy: Using Technology to Speak Truth to Power
  • Week 9: Is Your Battery Low? Setting Technology Boundaries
  • Week 10: Back to the Future: Mission Complete

2026 CoT Summit

Through a highly competitive final project competition, some CoT Club youth will be selected to the annual CoT Summit (CoTS) and Career Fair in Washington, DC, June 14-19, 2026. During the CoT Summit (CoTS), participants learned more about STEM, Advocacy, and Workforce Readiness and got a chance to put their 21st century skills to the test through a series of fun & engaging activities. Those activities included visits to the United States Capitol to meet policy makers and attend live sessions of Congress, field trips to NASA and the Boeing Company to experience real-time data from our satellites in space, flight simulators, and fly their own drones, roundtable discussions with entrepreneurs and environmental justice experts, and networking opportunities with corporate and environmental professionals and fellow Club members from around the United States.

Past CoTS Experiences

Hear what our members and donors had to say about their past CoTS experiences:

For more information, contact the Dr. Christie Wilson, Director of the Center of Transformation, at: cot@bgcgw.org.

For a general program overview, click here.