Carson’s teens find a home at Teen Center
Submitted by Kelsey Penrose on Fri, 04/05/2024 - 10:08am
We all know how hard it can be to be a teenager. We’ve all experienced the challenges of being too young and too old at the same time. We’ve been bored or too busy. We felt lonely or overwhelmed. Parents didn’t know what to do with us. That part of growing up never changes.
But, the Boys and Girls Club of Western Nevada knows just how to keep teens safe and busy in a welcoming environment where they can hang with their friends, do homework, play video games, explore their creative side, be a part of a sports team, or perform a bit of community service.
Teens between the age of 13-18 are welcome to “hang out” at the William N. Pennington Teen Center during school breaks and after school. A visit to the Center during spring break found kids in every room of the center participating in the various programs planned by Teen Director John Soto.
Soto has a handle of what can capture the attention of a teen. He’s served in various capacities within the Club for the past 5.5 years working with all ages and states, “I cannot imagine not working here and being with the kids. Working with the teens makes me feel like a kid again allowing me new opportunities to learn and teach. “
Under Soto’s direction, the Teen Center continues to update to reflect the interest of today’s teen. Recently installed is a hi-tech lab featuring the very latest 3-D printer and Cricut smart cutting machine allowing the kids the opportunity to hone their design skills. Across the hall is an arts room where budding artists find their joy and creativity learning the art of soap and candle making or just creating any art project they can conceive.
Now in the remodeling stage on the second floor will be a state-of-the-art gaming center with the latest programs and large TV’s that will keep dedicated gamers focused and away from the hubbub taking place below.
Newly introduced is Culinary Thursdays for kids who want to learn culinary skills taught by Soto allowing the kids to create their own recipes with the favorite culinary feat to date centering on creating Sushi. The “test kitchen” was funded in part by a $5,000 grant from the Rachel Ray Foundation.
For kids who want a quiet place to do homework, there’s a special comfy quiet homework lounge and a full computer lab next door.
Not all activities are confined to the indoors. Weather permitting, there’s lots of outdoor sports to release energy: flag football, basketball, kickball and volleyball as well as some indoor sports time within the multi-use athletic center (MAC).
The national Keystone Program is the “ultimate teen program” encouraging teens to devote time to academic success, career preparation and community service. You could almost say these are the kids who could be considered Club Ambassadors, for they are the ones who can be seen cleaning up blighted areas including the Carson River and are often the school leaders. They raise community funds for safe teen parties to encourage other teens to join.
According to Soto, 120 teens currently are registered with the Club though not all attend regularly. The younger middle school kids are more prone to use the Club, thus they are charged an annual membership of $60 plus a monthly membership of $40, a small sum to keep kids safe and engaged. Those in high school need only pay the $60 annual membership.
The Teen Center was completed in 2016, funded by a generous $1.2 million grant from the William N. Pennington Foundation and community contributions totaling $400,000. Soto is proud to state, “Our teen center is the largest in the state outside of Clark County, and it is my goal to attract more teens to this safe place.”
Some of today’s teens literally grew up in the Club considering it their second home. 16-year old Autumn Ellis joined when she was 8 and her good friend16-year old Jazlien Yeager was 5. Ellis says, “The Club is my family and I love to hang out here.” Yeager too found a home where she “feels welcome and can be herself”. She smiled as she stated, “Here I am never bored because the staff is always coming up with something new for us to do or learn.”
To learn more about the Boys and Girls Club of Western Nevada, visit the website: https://bgcwn.org/ or stop by 1870 Russell Way which is next door to the MAC.
