Teen Center Usa

ON AUGUST 12TH 2021, TEEN CENTER USA FULLY OPENED OUR AFTER SCHOOL DROP-IN CENTER FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC FORCED US TO CLOSE OUR DOORS OUT OF CONCERN FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS, STAFF AND THEIR FAMILIES. THE 2021-22 SCHOOL YEAR WAS A REBUILDING YEAR FOR US. MUCH OF OUR FUNDING COMES FROM FUNDRAISERS, AND HOW WE ATTRACT NEW CLIENTS TO SERVE IS PREDOMINATELY WORD OF MOUTH. AFTER OVER A YEAR OF NOT BEING ABLE TO BE OPEN AND NOT ABLE TO HOST IN-PERSON EVENTS, BOTH OUR FINANCES AND OUR BRAND AWARENESS SUFFERED IMMENSELY. MOST OF OUR EQUIPMENT WAS EITHER OUTDATED OR BROKEN AT THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND NEEDED REPLACING. WITH ONLY TWO EMPLOYEES INCLUDING THE CENTER DIRECTOR AND ONE SITE MENTOR, WE WERE INCREDIBLY SHORT STAFFED FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. THIS MEANT THAT WHILE WE WERE ABLE TO REOPEN THE AFTERSCHOOL DROP-IN CENTER, OTHER PROGRAMS THAT WE OPERATED PRE-PANDEMIC COULD NOT BE IMPLEMENTED SUCH AS FRIDAY NIGHT KICKBACKS, BREAKFAST CLUB, TEEN IDOL, AND OUR MOBILE TEEN CENTER. THANKFULLY, AFTER WINTER BREAK IN 2021, WE WERE ABLE TO HIRE TWO ADDITIONAL TEAM MEMBERS WHICH EMPOWERED US TO RESTART OUR FRIDAY NIGHT KICKBACKS AND BREAKFAST CLUBS AGAIN. FRIDAY NIGHT KICKBACKS ARE GENERALLY OFFERED TWICE PER MONTH IS MORE STRUCTURED THAN OUR NORMAL DROP-IN PROGRAM. WE OFFER GAMES, PRIZES, AN ENCOURAGING TALK FROM A STAFF MEMBER OR GUEST SPEAKER. THIS PROGRAM IS DESIGNED GIVE OUR STUDENTS SOMETHING CONSTRUCTIVE TO DO ON A FRIDAY NIGHT AND ACT AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO UNSUPERVISED HOUSE PARTIES WHICH OFTEN INVOLVE DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE. BREAKFAST CLUB OCCURS EVERY WEDNESDAY MORNING BEFORE SCHOOL. WE PROVIDE OUR STUDENTS WITH A FREE HOT BREAKFAST WHICH USUALLY INCLUDES BACON AND PANCAKES AND EVEN SOME LAST MINUET HOMEWORK HELP FOR THOSE WHO ASK FOR IT. WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO BE OPEN DURING THE SUMMER FOR EXTENDED HOURS. WE HOSTED A FEW SUCCESSFUL FUNDRAISERS AND RECEIVED A SEVERAL GENEROUS DONATIONS WHICH HELPED TO BRING OUR FINANCES FROM THE RED TO THE BLACK AND ALLOWED US TO MAKE SOME MUCH NEEDED IMPROVEMENTS. WE REPLACED A BROKEN AIR HOCKEY TABLE WITH A DONATED POOL TABLE, WE REPLACED OUR FAULTY SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM, BOUGHT NEW CURRENT GENERATION VIDEO GAME CONSOLES, REPAINTED THE INTERIOR OF THE CENTER AND DID SOME LANDSCAPING, REPLACING AN UGLY DIRT AND WEED PATCH WITH TURF AND PARK BENCHES. ALL THE IMPROVEMENTS MENTIONED ABOVE SERVE AS VEHICLES TO BUILDING MENTORING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN OUR CARING STAFF AND OUR STUDENTS TO HELP POINT OUR STUDENTS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR FUTURE SUCCESS. WHILE WE ARE PROUD OF ALL THE IMPROVEMENTS MADE TO THE TEEN CENTER, WHAT MAKES OUR WORK SPECIAL IS THE IMPACT WE HAVE ON OUR STUDENTS, OF WHICH, WE FINISHED OUT THE YEAR HAVING SERVED 202 OF THEM. THIS PAST YEAR HAS CERTAINLY HAD ITS CHALLENGES. THE TCUSA TEAM MET AND OVERCAME EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM WITH EXCELLENCE AND WE HAVE POSITIONED OURSELVES TO HAVE A VERY SUCCESSFUL 2022-23 YEAR.