PROGRAMS/PROJECTS > Hampton Teen Center

AMBITIOUS…POWERFUL…PASSIONATE… These words easily describe the 25 members of The Hampton Teen Center Youth Advisory Board, a diverse group of high school students providing youth leadership to the Hampton Teen Center, scheduled to open early 2009.

Hampton Teen Center Youth Advisory Board

Setting Policy for the Teen Center…
For the last year, the board has been working closely with adult staff from Alternatives, Inc to develop the policies and procedures that will govern the day to day operations at the teen center.  Policies include hours of operation, membership fees, safety and security plans, and staff hiring and evaluation.  Members will also be researching, selecting, and developing cutting edge programming that will help bring the teen center mission, “An Innovative Place to Be…” to reality.

Improving Services for Teens through Service Learning Projects
In addition to the governing policies, procedures, and programming, the board has also committed to hosting one service-learning project per year designed to improve services for teens in Hampton.  Last year, the group worked closely with professional gardeners to design and build a ‘tranquility garden’ at the Teen Center in order to give members a quiet space for reflection and meditation.  Pathways, benches, a gazebo, and over $3,000 in plants, shrubs, and flowers created the landscape for the new garden, which will offer young people a quiet alternative to the high energy interior of the center.

This year, the group has their sites on the development of a unique, youth-run cooperative at the teen center, featuring youth-made products such as silk screen T-shirts, jewelry, and music CD’s.  Through the venue of business ownership and partnerships with adult banking and business experts in the community, teen center members will become financially literate, learn skills in business finance, and learn valuable lessons in ‘social philanthropy’ as a portion of all co-op proceeds will be used to impact a social issue.

For more information on the Youth Advisory Board and on the Hampton Teen Center…

www.hamptonteencenter.com

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