With the opening of the new Teen Center at the Edward A. Dalton Hoboken Clubhouse at 123 Jefferson St., local teens now have one more safe after-school option.
At a gala opening held on Friday Feb. 27, officials from the Boys and Girls Club of Hudson County cut the ribbon at their brand new facility.
"Teens now have a place of their own to relax, do homework, watch the new big screen television, play video games, and participate in a number of teen-oriented programs," said Gary Greenberg, the Boys and Girls Club of Hudson County's executive director. He added that the teens will also be able to attend art classes, participate in the Keystone Club, which helps develop leadership skills, play ball in the new gymnasium, and use the clubhouse's fully functional computer room, which is wired to the internet.
According to Greenberg, because of overcrowding in the past, teens (eighth graders to high school seniors) were not allowed in the clubhouse until after 6 p.m.
"The new center gives them the opportunity to socialize and do homework in a safe environment," said Greenberg. "Our goal is to optimize the time that these teens spend in the afternoon. As we are well aware that these are the hours when they are most susceptible to find trouble or engage in negative behavior."
He added that even though it's only been open a week, there have already been 50 to 60 teens using the center every night.
"We expect that once the word gets out, attendance will continue to grow," said Greenberg.
The Boys and Girls Club is a national private, non-profit organization that provides after-school activities for children of all school ages. To provide ongoing activities for the children, the club relies on funding from the state, its parent organization (The Boys and Girls Club of America) and the generosity of people in the community.
The club is open every day after school. The membership fee is only $12 per child for the entire school year. The construction of the teen center was funded through county grants. The teen center's furniture was donated by the Joseph Cory Companies of Newark.
Two new employees have also been hired to oversee the teen center. The salary of new Teen Director Michael Mincey will be paid from the proceeds of a recent fundraiser by the group Party for a Purpose. Party for a Purpose is an organization of young professionals whose goal is to promote events that are social but help charitable causes.
The Boys and Girls Club has also hired Elise Anderson, who will supervise the "Smart Moves" programs at the Hoboken clubhouse. Smart Moves (Skills, Mastery & Resistance Training) is a program that uses small group activities to teach young people to recognize and resist media influences and peer pressure to engage in tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use. The program focuses on "gateway drugs" such as cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana as the first drugs used by youth.
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